Super Seven
1. Free City Walking Tour
Upon arriving in any Capital City, I'm a huge fan of free walking tours that are available. I find this helps me to orientate myself with the city, as well as hearing about the city and its attractions from a local. I found Free Walks Buenos Aires to be a very professional company and joined up on more than one of their tours during my time in Buenos Aires.
Some great stops on the tour include Congress Building, Palacio Barolo, Evita's Mural, Plaza De Mayo, Colonial Town Hall, Cathedral & Pope Francis, Mother's of the May Square, and Pink Government House. The tour takes around 3 hours.
2. La Boca Neighbourhood
La Boca is without a doubt the most picturesque neighbourhood of Buenos Aires. It's artistic, colourful, and the birthplace of tango.
You'll find plenty of restaurants, cafes, street art, tango bars, and souvenir stores.
Worth noting that there are no ATM machines within the neighbourhood, so make sure you bring enough cash. I would advise visiting during the daytime, as the area isn't deemed 100% at night (obviously personal preference). Free Walks Buenos Aires also do a walking tour here.
3. Palermo Neighbourhood Another interesting neighbourhood to spend a couple of hours wandering around is Palermo. I'd describe this as a trendy hipster area with plenty of places to sip a coffee and watch the world go by. Famed for streets lined with graffiti art by many global artists and also offers a craft market on the central square. Very walkable, so a guide is not needed, unless you specifically want to learn the in-depth history behind the street art.
4. Recoleta Cemetery
It may seem strange having a cemetery on the list, but Recoleta Cemetery is regarded as one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world. There's over 5,000 tombs in total spreading across 14 acres. Some notable figures such as Eva Peron, former Argentinian Presidents, and Nobel Prize Candidates are all laid to rest here.
This is actually a superb spot if photography is a hobby of yours. Bonus if you visit on a Saturday or Sunday because the Recoleta open-air market operates with dozens of stalls and artists filling the streets in the surrounding areas.
5. El Ateneo Book Shop
I'm not a book worm, but I do appreciate book shops where architecture and history combine. El Ateneo is by far one of the most beautiful I've seen. Started off as a theatre in its early days showing legendary tango shows, but was transformed into a cinema in 1929 with this being the first cinema in Argentina to show a movie with sound. Today, the building is a beautiful book shop while keeping the theatre boxes, rounded balconies, and elegant red curtains in tact.
Tip: - Arrive early and be one of the first in and rush straight to the top floor for the panoramic money shot!
6. Watch a Tango Show
South America is the founding continent of Tango, albeit debatable which specific country. Going to watch a live Tango Show is a 'must do' when in the capital. Either watch the professionals or go to a class and get involved yourself. Many of the shows will come with dining options and offer a laid back authentic experience. El Querandi and Tango Porteñobeing the most popular venues.
7. San Telmo District
A vibrant district in the capital with narrow cobblestone streets and old colonial style buildings. This is where you'll find an array of museums and art galleries waiting patiently to be viewed. Once a week there's the San Telmo Sunday Fair which attracts tourists and shoppers alike.
The biggest attraction in this district is the National Historical Museum.
Accommodation Advice
Imperial Park Hotel was my chosen accommodation. A central low key 3 star hotel located directly in the centre of the city. Many attractions were within walking distance and there were plenty of transport link options on the door step.
Note: Milhouse Hostel Hipo was my original choice. I discovered it was a 'party hostel' and bailed for Imperial Park Hotel. Milhouse is a central hostel and a worthy choice if partying is a key interest.
Food Factor
Steak, steak, steak, and more steak! In my opinion, Buenos Aires is the city that truly confirmed themselves as the king of steaks!
I've been to plenty of Steak Houses around the world, but the ones here were 'game changing' and they were everywhere. I honestly couldn't find one particular Steak House that was any better than the next, but La Cabrera in Palermo district was superb! Medium cooked of course!
Note: Uber is available everywhere across the city.
