I love to travel, but honestly, South America was not on my radar as a prime destination until a family situation arose last year that necessitated me going. Since then, I’ve been to Buenos Aires twice and have fallen in love with it. It reminds me of a large European city, with its history and architecture, except it is in South America. The diverse food from a mix of cultures and the slower pace of life really fit my travel style and I now look forward to exploring more cities and countries in South America.
I’ve put together a list of my top Buenos Aires travel tips including where to stay, unique things to do, and where to eat in this South American city. I hope you will find this travel guide helps you plan an epic trip to Buenos Aires!
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Best Areas to Stay
There are several barrios (neighborhoods) to choose from in Buenos Aires and it can be overwhelming to figure out where to stay. As with any trip, I research budget hotels with good reviews on cleanliness, safety, location, and reliable WiFi. During my research, I found hotels that fit that bill in both San Telmo and Recoleta.
San Telmo Accommodations
San Telmo is one of the oldest barrios in Buenos Aires and features a weekly Sunday market filled with antiques, artisan goods, and delicious food. There are restaurants and wine shops within walking distance (I liked the area around the intersection of Defensa and Estados Unidos) and visitors can easily get to other parts of Buenos Aires via taxi, Uber, or subway.
Merit San Telmo Hotel
Aside from the beautiful, old-fashioned neighborhood, we stayed in San Telmo because I found the affordable Merit San Telmo hotel while researching budget hotels in Buenos Aires. The Merit San Telmo has a really reasonable nightly rate and great reviews for being renovated, very clean, and within walking distance of restaurants and cafes in San Telmo.
For the price, I couldn’t pass up trying out this hotel and I am so glad that I did! In fact, we enjoyed the hotel (and the price!) so much that we ended up booking the Merit San Telmo for another night at the end of our trip after returning from Bariloche. The only downside is that the rooms are small, but they’re updated with a modern touch and you should be out exploring anyway!
Recoleta Accommodations
Recoleta is a popular tourist neighborhood due to its central location and nearby attractions (i.e., the cemetery where Evita is buried). Exploring Recoleta and its lively nightlight by foot is easy and fairly safe. Hotels in this neighborhood can be expensive, but affordable ones can be found with some savvy sleuthing.
Up Recoleta Hotel
While we enjoyed staying at the Merit San Telmo during our first trip to Argentina, we decided to try to find an affordable hotel in the popular Recoleta neighborhood on our most recent trip. I came across the nicely updated Up Recoleta Hotel during my search for budget hotels and found rooms for an amazing nightly rate!
Honestly, the older reviews from before the hotel was renovated did not portray the hotel as somewhere I’d like to stay. Luckily, there were promising reviews from those who had stayed at the Up Recoleta Hotel since its facelift and those reviews met my minimum criteria of great location, clean, safe, and good WiFi.
Upon arrival at this boutique hotel, I was not disappointed in my choice; the hotel was very modern and in a great location. Like the Merit San Telmo, the room itself was quite small, but it did come with a balcony, which was great for enjoying a beer or a glass of wine.
Things to Do in Buenos Aires
Just like any major city, there are lots of things to see and do in Buenos Aires, so below is a quick overview of the top three activities that I enjoyed while visiting the city.
Recoleta Cemetery
Visiting the Recoleta Cemetery is a must for anyone planning a trip to Buenos Aires. This popular visitor spot is home to the eternal resting places of some of Argentina’s most famous notables, including Eva Perón, and several presidents, Nobel Prize winners, and military heroes.
My husband and I were amazed by the large, ornate and well-maintained gravesites and felt like we could get lost taking a stroll through the cemetery. Of all of my Buenos Aires travel tips, be sure to make this a priority, you will not be disappointed!
Bike Tour of Recoleta and Palermo
Buenos Aires is an easily bikeable city, and I highly recommend doing a bike tour of the Recoleta and Palermo barrios. It starts in San Telmo and then proceeds along the water into the modern neighborhood of Puerto Madero, before continuing on to Recoleta and then Palermo.
It’s a leisurely ride with a guide who explains the history of Buenos Aires along with commentary about the sites you are passing or stopping by. There is lots of time to take pictures, ask questions and see some of the top sights in Buenos Aires.
Malbec Wine Tour in Palermo
Argentina is known for making the best Malbec wine in the world, but visitors have to travel to Mendoza to experience the Malbec wineries in person. Luckily for those visiting Buenos Aires, one can experience an authentic Argentinian wine tasting experience without having to leave!
My husband and I participated in this small group tour which I would highly recommend! Not only were we tasting delicious wine, but we were able to experience the trendy barrio of Palermo and had the opportunity to meet other tourists in Buenos Aires, who we ended up heading to dinner with after the tour.
Where to Eat
The food in Argentina is amazing, with a variety of great meats plus an Italian influence on pizza and pasta. And with so many restaurants to choose from, you really can’t go wrong with where you eat. Below are a few of my favorite restaurants that I recommend checking out.
Fun fact: locals do not eat dinner until around 10:00 pm, even during the workweek, and while most restaurants open before that, you will probably end up eating alone if you head to dinner before 9:00. The good news is that you may be able to score a discount at the restaurant for eating early!
Frank’s Bar
My husband and I ended up going out to dinner with the rest of our wine tour group after the tour ended. They had reservations at Frank’s Bar, a speakeasy/secret bar in Palermo, and we ended up being very glad that we got to tag along!
Since it’s a “secret bar,” we initially walked right past the door. Once we finally found it, we were told by the doorman that guys had to be in long pants (no shorts!), so don’t make that mistake if you plan to check out Frank’s. After making it past the doorman, you come to a phone booth where you have to say the secret code (which the doorman or hostess will share with you) before a door opens up for you to enter into the actual restaurant/bar.
It’s a fairly classy establishment (hence the no shorts) but the food is amazing – definitely the best we had in Buenos Aires. My husband had the burger and said it was the best burger he’s ever had and I had some top notch ceviche.
El Banco Rojo
If you end up staying in the San Telmo neighborhood, you have to get a burger at El Banco Rojo. It’s a casual restaurant where you order at the counter, but the burgers are amazing (including the vegetarian option!) and they have several beers on tap. Be sure to checkout Breoghan, a craft brewery, next door too!
Buller Pub
If staying in Recoleta or visiting the cemetery, I recommend checking out Buller Pub and Brewery, even if just for a beer. Located across from the cemetery, it’s a huge, trendy pub with lots of outdoor seating. The food menu is primarily burgers, sandwiches, and pizza and they have a large beer tap list, including their own craft beers.
