After 10 days in Patagonia, I headed to the capital city of Argentina – Buenos Aires at the end of April 2024. I had heard many good things about it and I stayed for almost a month. However, I was quite ill during this part of my trip and did not go out to sightsee as much as I liked.
These are some of the highlights of what I did see in Buenos Aires though –
1. Visit the parks and gardens in Buenos Aires
I visited the tranquil Jardin Japones and ate at the Japanese restaurant in the park. The restaurant is located inside the garden, but the food was very, very average. There is an entrance fee for Jardin Japones(currently $4,500 ARS). The garden was built in 1967 as a symbol of the relationship between Japan and Argentina and is the largest Japanese garden outside of Japan.
Meanwhile, I also walked around Ecoparque which was once the city zoo. It is full of animals like flamingoes and maras (rodents that look like a mix of a capybara and a mouse deer) that were roaming around the park.
2. Have steak and malbec at La Cabrera
I visited this well-known steakhouse during Happy Hour (from 6.30 to 8pm) to get 40% off the bill. The total damage came down to around SGD$40/USD$29.60 for a Bife de Chorizo/Ribeye steak and fries, along with a glass of Malbec wine and free appetisers and bread. The steak was delicious (I ordered medium doneness), well seasoned and the portions were huge! I could not even finish what I ordered and had to bring it home. Steak is definitely one of the dishes that’s done right in Argentina!
3. Visit the Museo de Arte Latinamericano de Buenos Aires (MALBA) museum
Located close to Jardin Japones, MALBA has a permanent exhibit of Latin American artists, including famous art pieces by Botero, Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Jorge De La Vega. When I went, they had an exhibit about Rosana Paulino, a contemporary artist from Brazil.
Current ticket price is ARS$8,000.
4. Eat Argentinian pizza at Pizza Guerrin
Argentinian style pizza is a must-try in Buenos Aires! It is basically like a crustless deep-dish pizza with lots of cheese. Of course, one of the most famous pizza places is Pizza Guerrin in the Theatre District. Although there can be a long line for a table, the place itself is huge and the line moves pretty fast. I think I only waited half an hour. You can order a small pepperoni pizza and soda for ARS$20,000 pesos. They had pretty amazing desserts like flan and cheesecake, but I was too full to eat anything else. The tonnes of cheese must have done me in! You can take a nice stroll around the Theatre District after dinner and check out the buskers, shops and the Obelisk in the area.
5. Visit San Telmo on Sundays
One of my favourite things to do is browse at weekend street markets and Buenos Aires has no shortage of weekend markets. San Telmo comes alive on Sundays with many buskers and stalls selling souvenirs, antiques and handicrafts along Defensa Street all the way to the indoor San Telmo market from 10am to 4pm. Purchase some gifts before heading to San Telmo market to fill your stomach with pastries, choripan and empanadas and much more delicious food. If you’re lucky, you might catch part of some Argentinian Tango on the street. Do remember to watch your bags in case of pickpockets – I wore my backpack on the front and carried my burner phone here.
6. Visit El Ateneo Grand Splendid bookstore
This former theatre is now one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world. While it once housed box office seating, those are now replaced with bookshelves. You can browse through the selection of books (albeit in Spanish language) and have a coffee at the in-house cafe at the back of the store, on what used to be the former theatre stage.
7. Go on a free walking tour
One of my favourite things to do in a new city is to go on a free walking tour to get the lay of the land, learn the history and more about the famous sights. I booked the Free Tour of the City Centre with Buenos Aires Free Walks that takes you around Plaza de Mayor and some of the common landmarks around there for 2.5 hours. The local tour guide was super passionate and knowledgeable, and I also met a new friend from Brazil on the tour! They also have several other tours to other neighbourhoods like La Boca and Recoleta cemetery. Don’t forget to tip your guide and give them a review at the end of the tour if you think they did a good job!
8. Visit a bar notable like Bar El Federal
While in San Telmo, you may want to pop by this famous ‘bar notable’ or culturally significant cafe bar called Bar El Federal for a meal. Bar El Federal was opened in 1864 and once was a brothel. You can sit and take in the historic decor and order a coffee or cocktail, along with a full meal or dessert if you fancy. They have an assortment of typical Argentinian dishes like milanesa, empanadas, steak frites, hamburgers, tortillas and cold cut platters and so on. I had a flan mixto here.
9. Sample all the pastries and desserts
Let’s face it, Argentina is a bread and pastry type of country! Even then, their pastries are really quite delicious. I would suggest heading to the local pastry shop to sample medialunas – croissant-like pastries with a sugar glaze on top (a typical breakfast), empanadas (like a curry puff, but with different fillings), alfajores (a biscuit sandwich filled with dulce de leche, honey and nuts). There are also plenty of sandwiches and choripan (sausage sandwich).
For those who are gluten-intolerant, you may be able to find some gluten-free pastry shops in the Palermo neighbourhoods.
10. Walk around Palermo Hollywood and Palermo Soho neighbourhoods
I stayed in the leafy and safe neighbourhood of Palermo Hollywood, which had several gluten-free and vegan cafes, yoga cafes and even an antique market. It was nice to wander around and walk between Palermo Hollywood and Palermo Soho which was much busier and buzzing. You will also find a weekend market and many more shops and restaurants in Palermo Soho.
Some cafes that I can recommend in Palermo Hollywood include Casa Munay, Salvaje Bakery, Las Flores, Artemisia and La Union gluten-free bakery.
Want to do more ? Here are 5 more things to try in Buenos Aires:
11. Watch an Argentinian tango show
Fancy some dinner with entertainment? You could go for a night out for a tango show and immerse yourself deep in Argentinian culture. Many shows also offer a tango lesson, so you can experience learning the dance for yourself!
12. Watch a soccer match
Have you really been to Buenos Aires if you haven’t watched a soccer match? One of the easiest ways is to book this through a tour, so that you have a chance to see world-class soccer teams like Boca Junior and River Plate. Of course, there is a yearly lineup as well, so you need to check the schedule to see if there are matches available to watch when you are in Buenos Aires. You can also visit the soccer stadiums through tours if it is off-season.
13. Tour the Palacio Barolo building
This unique building was completed in 1923 in the style of Dante’s Divine Comedy with different floors representing hell, purgatory and heaven and was once the tallest building in the city. Now, if you want to view the interior of the building, you have to book a guided tour that will explain more about the history and architecture of the place. You can also check out the rooftop bar Salon 1923 for some stunning views overlooking the city.
14. Visit Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay
While technically not in Buenos Aires, you can take a day trip out of the city to Colonia del Sacramento, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Uruguay with cobbled streets and an old town feel. You will have to take a ferry and go through immigration, but once you have arrived, you can check out the beaches, lighthouse and the port and step back in time to the old-world charm of Colonia del Sacramento.
15. Hop on a boat ride at the Tigre Delta
Take a boat ride on the Tigre Delta to explore river inlets and islands away from the bustle of Buenos Aires! It takes a 45 minute train ride to get there and then you can hop on one of the lancha or local boats that will take you around the river delta. You can also eat at a restaurant or stay overnight in the lodges that are situated on the little islands by the river.