Buenos Aires: a first-timer's guide to the capital

The barrios to know

Buenos Aires is best understood as a set of neighbourhoods, or barrios, each with its own mood.

• **San Telmo** is the oldest quarter, with cobbled streets, antique shops and the Sunday fair along Calle Defensa. It is atmospheric by day and lively at night.
• **Monserrat and the Microcentro** hold the Plaza de Mayo, the pink Casa Rosada, the cathedral and the grand Avenida de Mayo with Café Tortoni.
• **Recoleta** is elegant and calm, home to the famous cemetery where Eva Perón lies, the national fine arts museum and boutique lined streets.
• **Palermo** is the biggest barrio and where many visitors stay. Palermo Soho and Palermo Hollywood are full of restaurants, bars, design shops and murals, and the parks of Palermo are where the city goes to breathe.
• **La Boca** is the old port district of the painted Caminito street and the Boca Juniors stadium. Visit by day and stay within the tourist streets.
• **Puerto Madero** is the modern waterfront of converted docks and towers, next to the Costanera Sur nature reserve.

What to do

Start with a free walking tour or a guided visit to the Teatro Colón, one of the world's great opera houses. Spend an afternoon at Recoleta Cemetery and MALBA, the Latin American art museum. Browse San Telmo on a Sunday. Take a tango class at a milonga such as La Viruta or La Catedral, or book a dinner show if you would rather watch. Catch a football match with a reputable organised tour, because tickets are hard to get and stadium areas can be tense. On a free day, take the train to Tigre and a boat into the river delta.

Food and drink

Eating is a highlight. Order bife de chorizo (sirloin), ojo de bife (ribeye) or a mixed grill at a parrilla, with chimichurri and a bottle of Malbec. Try old fashioned bodegones for milanesas and pasta, porteño pizza with fainá, empanadas, and medialunas with coffee in the morning. Ice cream is a serious business here: dulce de leche is the local favourite. Dinner usually starts around nine or later, and restaurants are often quiet before then.

Where to stay

Palermo suits most first-timers: it is walkable, green and full of places to eat. Recoleta is quieter and more classic. San Telmo is characterful and good value but can feel rough after dark on some blocks. Avoid booking in La Boca or the far edges of the centre.

Getting around

The Subte metro and the city buses (colectivos) are cheap and cover the city well; both use the rechargeable SUBE card, and the Subte also takes contactless bank cards. Ride apps work widely. Ezeiza airport is about an hour's drive from the centre: use an official taxi or remis booth inside the terminal, or a ride app. Domestic flights mostly leave from Aeroparque, close to Palermo.

Staying safe

Buenos Aires is generally safe for visitors who take normal big city care, but phone snatching is common, sometimes by thieves on motorbikes. Keep your phone away from the kerb, carry only what you need and watch for the classic distraction where someone squirts a substance on you and offers to help clean it. Read the full picture on our destinations page and plan your days with the free trip planner.