Buenos Aires in 3 Days: a guidebook for getting the most out of your visit
Are you travelling to Buenos Aires and don't know how to organise your itinerary? I offer you a three-day plan so you won't get bored for a second.
From the top of buenos aires | ©mccomb
If you stay for three days in Buenos Aires, you'll be able to enjoy the best things this city has to offer. From a historic centre full of squares, restaurants and iconic buildings to neighbourhoods full of life at all hours.
In this city you will see natural spaces where you can relax or, if you want to go out at night, you will also find a variety of options. Make the most of your time and spend an unforgettable holiday in Argentina's capital.
1. Day Stroll through the historic centre of the city
So that everything goes smoothly during your first day in Buenos Aires, I recommend you to hire a transfer service from the airport to your hotel. These transfer services from/to the airport will allow you to start getting to know all that this city has for you as soon as possible.
When planning your day, keep in mind that Ezeiza International Airport is located 35 kilometres away from the city centre. When you arrive at the place where you will be staying, I recommend having breakfast there or in the nearby restaurants. This way you will be able to start getting to know the historical centre of the city as soon as possible.
Walk around Microcentro or San Nicolas and the Obelisk
When you visit the capital of Argentina, it is always advisable to start the first day with a tour of Buenos Aires, but if you decide to go on your own you can start with a walk through the Microcentro San Nicolás, the commercial and artistic centre of the city with different restaurants.
If you didn't have breakfast at your hotel, you can eat in this area and then head to Avenida 9 de Julio, considered one of the widest streets in the world. It borders the city's iconic Obelisk. In fact, this is a landmark in the country and a popular place to take selfies.
Interesting details
- Price: booking a tour of Buenos Aires costs around €33.
- Location: Obelisco, Av. 9 de Julio s/n, C1043 Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- Hours: You can go at any time of the day.
Visit the Metropolitan Cathedral of Buenos Aires
The Metropolitan Cathedral of Buenos Aires is located in front of Plaza de Mayo, an accessible area of the city. This building has had six constructions, the last one after the foundation of the City of Buenos Aires.
Besides functioning as a cathedral, this site has a museum in honour of Pope Francis. This is due to the fact that from 1998 until 2013, Jorge Bergoglio was archbishop of Buenos Aires.
Details of interest
- Price: free admission.
- Location: Metropolitan Cathedral of Buenos Aires, San Martín 27, C1004 Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- Opening hours: visiting hours are Monday to Friday from 10 am to 2.30 pm.
Visit to the Casa Rosada and Plaza de Mayo
After visiting the Metropolitan Cathedral you can go to the Casa Rosada. This is the seat of the Executive Power of the Argentine Republic. Inside you will find the office of the president, his secretaries and the Chief of Cabinet of Ministers.
It has a characteristic pink colour, as its name suggests, and inside you will find the Government House Museum, where you can take a brief tour of the 200 years of national history. You will also find the Hall of Honour and you can visit the Gallery of the Latin American Patriots of the Bicentenary and pass through the French Steps.
If you can't go inside, a good way to pass the time is to stroll around the Plaza de Mayo. This is the oldest square in the city and the site that has witnessed most of the country's important political events. It is so important that it is often included when booking a tour of Buenos Aires.
Details of Interest
- Location: the Casa Rosada is located at Balcarce 50 and Plaza de Mayo at Av. Hipólito Yrigoyen s/n in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Have lunch at Café Tortoni
After the tour of the previous sites, it will be approximately 12 noon or one o'clock in the afternoon. A few metres away from Plaza de Mayo you will find the iconic Gran Café Tortoni, which many years ago used to be the meeting place of La Peña Literaria.
This is supported by the different cultural programmes promoted by the Government of the City of Buenos Aires. When you enter, you can enjoy good food and a pleasant atmosphere. After lunch you can explore the place for another hour.
You will find a hall called "La Bodega", where different jazz or tango artists perform concerts. Other highlights are the library and the different rooms to play dominoes or billiards. If you are planning a gastronomic tour of Buenos Aires, I recommend you to include this destination in your itinerary.
Details of interest
- Price: admission is free, but you must pay for what you consume.
- Location: Av. de Mayo 825, C1084 Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- Hours: from 8 am to 9 pm.
Take a guided tour of the Palacio Barolo and stroll around the Plaza del Congreso
Less than 10 minutes away from the Café Tortoni is the Palacio Barolo, an iconic building of the city whose interior division is inspired by the Divine Comedy. Here you can spend the afternoon observing its different works and other symbols related to this famous book.
You can easily be here from two in the afternoon, until four in the afternoon and I recommend you to book a guided tour of the Palacio Barolo in advance. These activities cost approximately 34 € and take place almost every day of the week, except Tuesdays.
Five minutes from the Barolo Palace you will find the Piazza del Congresso. I recommend you visit it so you can appreciate the beauty of the place as the sun sets. You will also be able to see the Monument of the two Congresses that symbolize the Republic, the Assembly of 1813 and the Congress of Tucumán of 1816.
Details of Interest
- Price: guided tours of the Barolo Palace cost an average of 34€.
- Location: Av. de Mayo 1370, C1085 Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- Opening hours: from 10 am to 10 pm.
Get to know the San Telmo neighbourhood and enjoy a dinner
By the time it's six or seven in the evening, it's time for the night plan. For this, I recommend you to go to San Telmo neighbourhood by taking a bus from the bus stop 1736 Yrigoyen Hipolito Av. to 1133 Paseo Colon Av. The trip takes only 12 minutes.
During the night, this place has a very bohemian vibe and you can listen to tango or rock in the different bars around Plaza Dorrego and Defensa and Chile streets. You can go into one of them and enjoy dinner and a few drinks. Some recommendations are Café del árbol and El Balcón.
If you feel like it, you can visit Mitos Argentinos, a bar dedicated to national rock where you can dance to the rhythm of Argentine rock icons. But if you prefer to get to know this neighbourhood in the daylight and in a different way, you can book a bike tour in Buenos Aires as it is usually included.
2. Day Get to know the north side, Recoleta and the most touristic and cultural area
On the second day visiting Buenos Aires I recommend you to walk around the north side of the city. This area has different places that are icons in the Argentinean culture, such as the Colon Theatre, where you can enjoy performances or guided tours.
Besides, you will have the opportunity to visit famous neighbourhoods of the capital with streets with a lot of history to tell. As you walk through them, you will also be able to interact with the locals, take pictures and much more. As on the first day, I recommend having breakfast at or near your hotel.
Visit the Colon Theatre
The first stop of the day is to book a guided tour of the Teatro Colón. This is one of the best theatres of its kind, as its architecture allows the sound to be distributed and absorbed very well.
With this guided tour you can learn all about this place and see the Sala, the Galería de Bustos, the Main Foyer and the Salón Dorado. If you have time, you can buy tickets for ballet, opera or orchestra concerts while you are in town.
Details of interest
- Price: around 37€ for the guided tour and 20€ for the performances.
- Location: Cerrito 628, Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 10:00 am to 4:45 pm. Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 11:00 am to 4:45 pm.
Stroll through the Recoleta neighbourhood
La Recoleta is an area of the city full of Parisian-style houses. To get there, I recommend you to go to bus stop 1059 Tucuman and take bus 10A to bus stop 2031 Las Heras General Av. It will take you less than 20 minutes.
Nearby you can visit or book a tour of the Recoleta Cemetery and visit the National Museum of Fine Arts. There, you will be able to appreciate great masterpieces that left their mark on the country. The Cultural Centre in the area usually offers a variety of public events.
If you feel like it, a bicycle tour around Recoleta is also a good option. This way you can get to know most of the streets of the neighbourhood in two hours.
Take a lunch break and visit the Japanese Garden
Near the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes there are several restaurants where you can enjoy lunch. One of them is the José Luis, which offers very cosy spaces to make you feel comfortable. Other nearby options are El Sanjuanino or Las Delicias. You will also find a Starbucks or pizzerias.
After lunch, you can walk for about 14 minutes until you reach the Galileo Galilei Planetarium. The entrance fee is approximately three euros and it is a good plan to spend the afternoon if you are travelling with children.
If you prefer to spend the afternoon in a more relaxed atmosphere and in the open air, I recommend you visit the Japanese Garden. The entrance fee is also approximately three euros and it is very close to the planetarium. There you can stroll along its flowery paths, attend the day's event and enjoy the sunset.
Enjoy the night in Palermo Hollywood
Palermo Hollywood is an area of Palermo located between Juan Bautista Justo, Córdoba, Dorrego and Santa Fé avenues. To get there in less than 10 minutes, I recommend taking an Uber. This area is very popular for the different bars, discos and clubs it has.
Among them, Niceto Club stands out, where artists of different musical genres usually perform. If you don't feel like dancing, you can spend the night at El Encuentro Beer & Show, where you can enjoy craft beer and musical performances.
3. Day Explore popular neighbourhoods of the city and its port
The city of Buenos Aires has many corners, streets and places to visit. However, it is difficult to cover them all in three days. For this reason, I recommend you to plan tours for the last destinations on your list, so you can get to know much more in a short time.
La Boca neighbourhood and Puerto Madero hide a lot of history, culture and tradition of the city. Be prepared because during this day you will be constantly walking, so take everything you need and have a good breakfast. Keep in mind that sometimes it will be more effective to take a taxi, so download the Uber app on your phone.
Take a tour of La Boca
The best way to get to know it is to take a morning tour of its streets. You can start your tour by visiting the Plaza Bomberos Voluntarios de la Boca. A few minutes away you will find the famous Caminito street, a colourful neighbourhood.
After walking around this area, I recommend you to go to the sea. There are several spots where you can admire the sea in peace and quiet, one of them is the Vuelta de Rocha and Paseo Diputado Claudio Bello. The view is breathtaking, so you can take advantage of the moment and take pictures.
And if you are a big football fan, taking advantage of the fact that you are in the neighbourhood of La Boca, I recommend you to book a tour of the museums of River Plate and Boca Juniors.
Get to know Puerto Madero
To get to Puerto Madero from La Boca you need to take bus 64A from stop 777 Paseo Colon Av. and then get off at 1977 Don Pedro de Mendoza Av. The trip takes about half an hour. When you arrive, you will be able to start a tour of the whole site.
Among the things you will see is the Puente de la Mujer (Women's Bridge), where the love locks are located. If you are travelling with your partner, you could leave one too. Here you will also see different monuments and some of the museums of Buenos Aires. One of them is the Museum Ship Fragata A.R.A. "Presidente Sarmiento".
Another popular and crowded destination is the Parque Mujeres Argentinas. Here you can spend the afternoon and even go boating on a lake in the park. This way you can watch the sunset in peace and quiet. Another option to spend the afternoon is the Buenos Aires Ecological Reserve Beach, although it is forbidden to go in the water.
How can you get around Buenos Aires by public transport?
To use public transport in Buenos Aires it is important that you buy the SUBE card, which costs less than one euro. This card can be found at Sube points, train stations, shops and the like.
In this city you can use the underground or metro, the colectivo or bondi and the train. The latter is ideal for getting out of the city, while the colectivo is recommended for getting around the city, as it runs 24 hours a day. However, you should take into account that after 11 p.m. its frequency is lower.
However, tourists often choose to book the Buenos Aires tourist bus, which takes them to the most important sights of the city.
What to pack when you go to Buenos Aires?
To know what to pack in your suitcase, you need to research the city's weather for the time of your trip, so you can check what is the best weather to visit Buenos Aires. It is usually a bit warm, so you can pack light clothes, but if you are travelling in the colder months you will need to bring a comfortable jumper.
Most of the tours and visits are done on foot and in open places. For this reason I recommend that you always take sunscreen. If you are travelling in the rainy season, a mackintosh may be a better option than an umbrella.