Buenos Aires 7-day itinerary

Start in San Telmo, the oldest barrio. Walk Defensa Street past antique shops and colonial buildings. Mercado de San Telmo is open daily — empanadas (ARS 800–1,200), artisanal cheese, and fresh pasta. If Sunday, the Feria de San Telmo stretches 10 blocks with antiques, leather, and live tango. Coffee at Coffee Town or Bar El Federal — one of the city's oldest bars (1864).

Walk to La Boca's Caminito — colourful corrugated-metal houses, street tango, and the Bombonera stadium (tour ARS 8,000 for Boca Juniors fans). Stay on the tourist blocks — La Boca is not safe beyond the main area. Visit the Fundación Proa (ARS 4,000) for contemporary art in a beautiful waterfront building. Lunch at a Boca pizzería — fugazzeta (onion pizza) for ARS 3,000–5,000.

Dinner at El Desnivel on Defensa — legendary no-frills parrilla with bife de chorizo for ARS 10,000–14,000 and house Malbec for ARS 3,000. Or try La Brigada for a more refined steak experience (ARS 15,000–22,000). Walk the atmospheric streets of San Telmo at night — live tango spills out of bars, and the cobblestones glow under old street lamps.

Start at Plaza de Mayo — the political epicentre of Argentina. The Casa Rosada (free weekend tours, book online) is where Evita addressed crowds from the balcony. Visit the Cabildo museum (ARS 1,500) and the Cathedral Metropolitana where Pope Francis presided. Walk Avenida de Mayo to Café Tortoni (since 1858) for coffee and medialunas (ARS 4,000–6,000).

Walk Avenida de Mayo to the Congreso (Parliament building) — grand Beaux-Arts architecture rivalling European capitals. Take a detour into Palacio Barolo (guided tour ARS 6,000), inspired by Dante's Divine Comedy with a lighthouse at the top. Then walk to Puerto Madero's waterfront — converted docks with restaurants, the Puente de la Mujer, and the Reserva Ecológica (free nature reserve).

Metro to Palermo for dinner at a parrilla — La Cabrera (book ahead, ARS 15,000–22,000 with incredible side dishes) or El Preferido de Palermo for a more bodegón (neighbourhood restaurant) experience. Drinks at Plaza Serrano — Frank's Bar (hidden speakeasy), Uptown, or Victoria Brown for cocktails (ARS 5,000–8,000). The night is young at midnight here.

The Recoleta Cemetery (free) is a city of the dead with elaborate mausoleums, marble angels, and the tomb of Eva Perón. Wander the labyrinthine lanes for an hour — every turn reveals another extraordinary monument. Walk to the adjacent Iglesia del Pilar and the weekend artisan market in Plaza Francia. Brunch at La Biela (ARS 6,000–10,000) or Roux café.

MALBA (ARS 6,000, free Wed 5pm) has Latin America's finest modern art — Kahlo, Rivera, Xul Solar, Berni. The Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (free, always) nearby has an excellent European collection plus Argentine masters. Walk through the Bosques de Palermo — rose garden, Japanese Garden (ARS 3,000), and families picnicking by the lake.

Experience tango authentically at a milonga. La Catedral in Almagro (ARS 3,000–5,000) is a converted warehouse where young porteños dance until 3am — free lesson at 9pm, social dancing from 11pm. Beginners welcome. Alternatively, Salón Canning hosts traditional milongas with an older, more skilled crowd. Dinner beforehand at a bodegón — El Banderita for home-style milanesa (ARS 7,000–10,000).

Palermo Hollywood is the trendier, less touristy side of Palermo. Brunch at Crisol (ARS 6,000–10,000) or Salvaje for Instagram-worthy dishes (ARS 7,000–12,000). Walk the tree-lined streets — Gurruchaga, Honduras, and Thames — for murals, design shops, and independent boutiques. The street art is world-class, with new pieces appearing constantly.

Walk north to Colegiales — a residential neighbourhood tourists rarely visit. Excellent local dining at bodegones (neighbourhood restaurants) where a full lunch costs ARS 6,000–10,000. The weekly Feria de Colegiales (check dates) has street food and crafts. Walk back through the Bosques de Palermo for the planetarium (ARS 2,000) and the rose garden with over 18,000 plants.

Argentina produces the world's best Malbec — experience it at a wine bar. Pain et Vin in Palermo has excellent Argentine wines by the glass (ARS 4,000–7,000). Aldo's Vinoteca is more casual with cheese boards (ARS 6,000–10,000). For dinner, try Sarkis for Armenian-Argentine food (ARS 8,000–14,000, cash only) — the hummus, lahmajun, and kofta are extraordinary.

Take the Mitre train from Retiro to Tigre (ARS 500, 1 hour) — the journey through the northern suburbs is part of the experience. Tigre sits at the entrance to the Paraná Delta — a vast network of river islands, waterways, and island communities accessible only by boat. Visit the Puerto de Frutos market for crafts and local produce before boarding a commuter boat.

Board a boat into the delta — the Sección Primera is the most accessible with island restaurants, riverside houses, and lush subtropical vegetation. Stop at an island restaurant for a river fish lunch (surubí or dorado, ARS 8,000–14,000) on a deck overlooking the water. Kayak through the narrow channels (ARS 3,000–5,000/hour) for a closer look at the unique delta ecosystem.

Train back to Buenos Aires. Head to San Telmo for dinner at La Poesia — a literary café-restaurant with steak and wine at honest prices (mains ARS 9,000–15,000). Walk the cobblestone streets to hear live tango from the bars. End at Bar Sur — an intimate tango venue on Estados Unidos street with free shows if you order drinks.

If it is Sunday, bus to the Feria de Mataderos — a gaucho market in the outer suburbs with folk dancing, horseback demonstrations, regional food (locro stew ARS 3,000, empanadas ARS 800–1,200), and artisan crafts. This is the most authentic Argentine cultural experience in Buenos Aires — no tourists, just local families enjoying gaucho traditions. The atmosphere is joyful and loud.

Argentine football is a religion. If a match is on, try to attend — Boca Juniors at La Bombonera or River Plate at El Monumental (tickets ARS 10,000–30,000 through official channels or local ticket agents). The atmosphere is unlike anything in European football. If no match, take a stadium tour at La Bombonera (ARS 8,000) — the museum covers Argentine football history.

Bodegones are Buenos Aires' soul food restaurants — no-frills neighbourhood spots with milanesas, pastas, and steaks at honest prices. Try El Obrero in La Boca (lunch only, ARS 8,000–12,000) or Las Violetas in Almagro (stunning 1880s cafe, medialunas ARS 3,000). For jazz, Thelonious in Palermo has live performances nightly (cover ARS 3,000–5,000, cocktails ARS 5,000–7,000).

Explore Chacarita — Buenos Aires' emerging neighbourhood with the city's best new restaurants, roasteries, and bars. Walk through the Chacarita Cemetery (free) — less famous than Recoleta but equally atmospheric and far less crowded. Continue to Villa Crespo for outlet shopping on Calle Aguirre — Argentine leather jackets and bags at factory prices (ARS 50,000–150,000 vs ARS 200,000+ in Palermo).

Visit a Palermo wine bar for a proper Argentine wine tasting — Anuva Wines or The Argentine Experience offer guided Malbec tastings (ARS 15,000–25,000 for 5 wines with cheese). Walk the Bosques de Palermo one last time — the rose garden, the lake, and families picnicking. Stock up on alfajores (Havanna or Cachafaz) at any kiosko — the perfect Argentine souvenir.

Final dinner at your favourite parrilla — order a provoleta (grilled provolone, ARS 5,000–7,000) to start, a bife de lomo (tenderloin, ARS 14,000–20,000), and a bottle of Catena Zapata Malbec (ARS 8,000–15,000 at a restaurant). Or keep it gloriously simple — choripán from a street vendor (ARS 2,000–3,000) and a walk along the illuminated Puerto Madero waterfront.