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Everything you should be doing in Buenos Aires

Jed Rothenberg

By | January 18, 2023

Statue of girl with spread arms and Buenos Aires skyline

Experience Buenos Aires to its fullest. The must see list of things to do in Buenos Aires. Here’s how to make sure you don’t miss anything.

Putting together your list of things to do in Buenos Aires can be a daunting task. All the rumors are true. The city is a European, Latin American mix featuring a rich immigrant and native cocktail of culture. Tango, soccer, parrillas, wine and polo are all must do’s. And you can’t skip the metropolis check list of museums and historical sites you’ll be embarrassed to have missed. Let’s run down the list of things you must do in Buenos Aires and where to go for the best experiences.

1. Food And Drinks To Try
2. Tango
3. Sports: Soccer and Polo
4. Shopping
5. The Street Fairs
6. The Sites And Things You Are Supposed To See
7. Nightlife

 

Food and Drinks to Try

Parrillas

Let’s get right to it! The average steak in Buenos Aires is much better than whatever you’re getting back home. Sinking your teeth into a tasty portion of Argentine beef is a given on your list of things to do while in Argentina. For those with adventurous palates there are several choice cuts that are not often found outside of Argentina including our personal favorites entraña (skirt steak), vacio (similar to a flank steak) and achuras (offal).

Guys cooking steaks, chicken on Argentine parrilla

Must try’s: Lomo (tenderloin), bife de chorizo (NY Strip steak), chorizo (beef and pork sausages) and the famous tira de asado (a thin cut of beef ribs)
Don’t skip the local delicacies: Morcilla (blood sausage), chinchulines (small intestines), riñones (kidneys), molleja (sweet breads). Ask for them to be cooked crocante (crispy). For more on these cuts, what they are and how to pronounce them read our article on Meat in Buenos Aires

Where to go? The most famous steakhouses in Buenos Aires are Don Julio’s in Palermo, Cabana de las Lilas in Puerto Madero (they have their own cattle ranch!), La Brigada in San Telmo and La Cabrera in Palermo. Be sure to make a reservation or show up early by Argentinean standards (8:00 pm for dinner). Ideal dining times for Argentina target the 9:00 to 10:00 pm slot. For more steakhouse recommendations in Buenos Aires.

Local’s tip: A massively important Argentinian past time is the coveted Sunday asado (BBQ). A slow, relaxing time to share with friends and family typically occupy the majority of the day with multiple stages of gluttony. Lots of wine, cheese, aged sausages, salads and of course multiple courses of meat. It may be quite a challenge to not only befriend, but be invited to a family’s asado within your time here though, but if you are, jump on the opportunity.

Ice Cream

It is debatable who holds the #1 title for ice cream worldwide, Italy or Argentina. You be the judge.

Home to some of the finest beef in the world, it makes sense that Argentina would also have excellent dairy. Their cheeses come up very short when competing internationally, but their sweet-tooth obsession has led to some of the world’s finest frozen treats.

Guy holding double ice cream scoop cone

Persico and Volta are the biggest name chains that have developed some of the top Argentinian ice cream. Both boast that their selection of the highest quality cream make their ice cream the front runner. However, don’t be shy in trying some of the local mom and pop ice cream parlors in your neighborhood like Heladería Scannapieco and Heladería Pistacchio in Palermo Hollywood.
Tip: Keep an eye out for smaller chain stores like LadoBueno and Jauja. The latter originates out of Patagonia and has a massive stock of flavors ranging from sarsaparilla to cucumber and strawberry sorbet.

Drinks: Mate and Fernet

Mate (general term for this South American tea) is the most commonly drunk tea in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and southern Brazil. Drinking this just looks cool and is one of the more unusual things you can try in Buenos Aires. Armed with a bombilla (bomb-bee-sha) or metal straw, mate (mah-tay) which is a hollowed out gourd and yerba (shur-bah) or ground up tea leaves and stems. The taste is on the bitter side, but can be cut with a teaspoon of sugar.

mate gourd and metal straw at San Telmo market

Although this is normally consumed in groups relaxing in parks, in the office or sitting around a kitchen table you can find this served in some restaurants. Try La Cholita in Recoleta, La Pena Colorado in Palermo, Cusic on El Salvador or Las Cholas in Las Canitas.

Fernet…is the coveted herbal liquor that is massively popular throughout the country. Most often mixed with Coke creating it’s signature frothy head you’ll see it being drunk anywhere there’s a party. It is a bitter spirit that can be an acquired taste, but absolutely a “must try” from the unusual drinks to try out in Argentina list.

Empanadas

Hands opening beef emapanda

You have to eat some empanadas if you are visiting Buenos Aires. It’s like skipping pasta in Italy. Chicken, beef, ham and cheese, humita, vegetable, everything- they all come in a savory pastry about the size of a fist. We recommend Cumana, Sanjuanino (for Northern style empanadas) or El Cuartito, all of which are in or near Recoleta.

Tango

We all know that Buenos Aires is internationally famous for tango. What most newcomers do not know is that the different styles and options for what tango to see can seem endless! Here’s a brief breakdown of tango related things to do.

Esquina Carlos Gardel tango show

Tango shows: If you are short on time and want to see the professional dancers and musicians in action, check out a tango show. Almost all shows make it pretty easy with transportation to and from the show, a nice dinner with wine and of course the professional show. We’ve trimmed the selection down to what we believe are the best value tango shows with optional dinners.

Milonga: A milonga is where people who actually dance tango go to practice and mingle. Some are underground, some are members only, some welcome all. This is a good place to see what tango actually looks like in the real world. Milongas can be tricky though. If you show up to a real traditional milonga, you’ll probably notice that no one will want to dance with you, women and men are seated separately like a middle school dance and all sorts of subtle nods are taking place! Just plan on observing, having a drink and seeing real enthusiasts do what they love to do.


If you would like to check out a milonga, here is a handy calendar guide with listed days and times, updated regularly. La Catedral or Canning are best for novices to attend.

Sports: Football and Polo

Selfie of 3 people at Independiente Club soccer game in Buenos Aires

Soccer: Futbol is THE sport in Argentina. The fans are crazy for their teams and this can spark serious family issues (not kidding), tears and even mental breakdowns (really not kidding, see exhibit A: River Plate fan).

Seeing a soccer game where the legions of loyal fans chant and go bananas for 2 hours straight is unreal! River Plate and Boca Juniors are the two most well known teams internationally. San Lorenzo, Racing Club and Independiente make up the remaining 3 of the Argentina “big 5” clubs and all are certainly worth a visit. The latter 3 tend to offer more affordable prices as the demand for tickets at River Plate and Boca Juniors are often restricted to members only which drives demand up. All 5 have legions of fans and rich fútbol histories so seeing any of them should be on your check list of things to do in Buenos Aires. The football schedule usually starts up in early February and runs to late May with a 2 month break for winter and then picks back up in early August finishing in December.

If you want to check out a soccer match in Buenos Aires feel free to Email Us. Attending futbol games in Buenos Aires is what we are primarily known for.

Guys celebrating goal at River Plate soccer game

Polo: Polo tournament season tends to run between October to December. You may find some exhibition games happening from time to time, but the Spring/Summer in Buenos Aires is the season for the main polo games and tournaments. The calendars are released in typical Argentinean fashion, about a month before they play. The main polo tournament is played in Palermo in late November to mid December and very accessible. Tickets are sold at the gate at roughly $20 USD except for advanced stages and the final.

things to do in buenos aires


Alternatively, one thing to do that many do not consider is trying to learn how to play polo! The sport of kings is available to complete beginners (novice to experienced riders are welcome). Puesto Viejo estancia puts together a nice full day of transportation to and from, asado lunch, snacks through out the day and 2 polo lessons (morning and late afternoon). Many of the days you can catch a scrimmage match between club members up close.

Shopping

Leather jackets, purses, pants, belts, shoes- you name it and they sell it here. Now about that quality…trust your instincts. If it looks shabby (plastic or vinyl like appearance) or has a price tag that is too good to be true then it is. What I often tell people is that buying a top quality leather jacket in Gucci or Christian Dior would run you well over a thousand dollars. That same jacket without the recognizable name brand stitched into the lining will cost you about $400 USD here in Buenos Aires.

For more info and a handy map on tips and where to buy leather in Buenos Aires.

Leather boots lined shelves in Palermo, buenos aires

Shops around Florida pedestrian street were once plentiful, but many have closed down as the economy has become increasingly difficult. Palermo Soho harbors many of the chic stores these days.

Alternatively, for those that are feeling more adventurous, check out the leather district at the intersection Murillo and Scalabrini Ortiz.


For general shopping Florida pedestrian street will cover almost all bases. Palermo Soho’s Plaza Serrano is surrounded by tons of designer shops and Villa Crespo’s Outlet district is chalk full of the typical international brands, but expect to pay top peso. Imports here are taxed heavily!

The Street Fairs

Open-air market in Buenos Aires

In many of the plazas, weekend street fairs and open air markets spring up where artisans display their work. Silver jewelry, leather, cheeses, unique clothing and creations can all be found in abundance. The items will vary and the street performing entertainment can be quite random. Don’t be surprised to see your first taste of real tango at one of these fairs along side the amazing dancing robot-man.

A good way to hit two birds with one stone is to go to the Recoleta fair on Saturday or Sunday. The fair wraps around Plaza Francia which is conveniently in front of the Recoleta cemetery. Many of the founding fathers of Argentina and the most famous Argentinean politician Eva Peron can be found resting there.

open air San telmo street market in buenos aires

Here is a complete list of the ferias or street fairs in Buenos Aires that we recommend. Note the times and days.

The main fairs you should consider visiting are:
-The San Telmo fair (Sundays) which focuses on antiques, but also has a strong showing of artisans.
-The Mataderos fair (Saturday and Sunday) is an off the beaten path fair. It has a tendency to feel a bit more “local” and is light on tourists especially compared to the San Telmo fair. Be careful in this area at dusk though. Also, double check to make sure the fair is open (Mataderos Facebook page), it closes during the hot summer months.

“The sites and things you are supposed to see” (quick list)

Recoleta cemetery statue and crypts

La Casa Rosada in Centro: The presidential pink house
Recoleta Cemetery: A massive cemetery with detailed mausoleums, crypts and vaults. Evita Peron is buried there among many famous founding fathers, generals and politicians of Argentina.
El Caminito in La Boca: A very colorful tourist trap. It can be entertaining for an afternoon, but watch your wallet and where you explore.
Cafe Tortoni in Centro: An elegant, “old wood and leather” cafe. Many famous authors were frequent patrons here. Tango shows, good coffee and snacks these days.
Plaza de Mayo in Centro: The plaza in front of the presidential house where large protests and political gatherings have taken place including the Madres or Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo.
Puente de Mujer in Puerto Madero: A modern bridge that crosses the port area. It hardly seems feminine with a fairly phallic extension.
Teatro Colón in Centro: One of the greatest theaters in the world. Fantastic acoustics, recently refurbished, great ballets, operas and orchestras are played here regularly. Teatro Colon’s schedule is shown on their website and we have an article about how to get tickets to Teatro Colón to help make the process easier.

If you want to see some or all of these sites, learn the country’s history, hear about Argentina’s current pop culture with a guide in group or private style check out the variety of Buenos Aires City Tours.

Night club posed girls, crowd and stupid hat guy

Nightlife

Last, but not least- going out.

Buenos Aires is internationally known for its nightlife for all ages. You will see 3 year old kids with their families exiting a restaurant at 1:30 in the morning and 80 year old couples strolling casually down Corrientes avenue with ice cream at midnight. The 20’s, 30’s and 40’s will of course be partying at bars, clubs, gathering in the streets and enjoying themselves until 8 a.m. Try it, you might be amazed at your own stamina.

Tip: Do not drink like you would in England, Ireland, the U.S., Australia, Germany, Russia…we are alcoholics comparatively. There is no rush here. The bars have late closing times stretching into the wee hours of the morning. Pace yourself if you want to make it past 3 a.m.

Some recommendations of clubs in Buenos Aires
Good happy hours in Buenos Aires

Where to go out and bar hop, generally speaking…

Plaza Armenia (aka Plaza Palermo Viejo) in Palermo Soho
Plaza Serrano in Palermo Soho
Plaza Dorrego in San Telmo
Intersection of Niceto Vega y Humbolt in Palermo Hollywood
Intersection of Honduras y Bonpland in Palermo Hollywood
Recoleta Cemetery area

Have fun! It’s hard not to here!

Wow! Don't forget to check the 'Activities you might like' right here