The Best Things To Do In Buenos Aires: A 3-Day Itinerary

Having spent a fair bit of time in Argentina’s capital over the last few years, I have a pretty good idea of the best things to do in Buenos Aires.

And yes, they include indulging in Argentine cultural staples such as tango dancing and eating incredible steak. They also cover seeing some of the impressive European-style architecture this city has to offer, and seeing the whacky La Boca neighbourhood among other stops.

By doing everything below, you won’t miss out on any of the best activities here, and will get a good feel for the city.

I’ve arranged this itinerary in a logical order, where activities located close to each other are clustered together for your convenience.

Here are the best things to do in Buenos Aires.

Two tango dancers in Buenos Aires' famous Plaza Dorrego, a square in San Telmo that is famous for regular tango performances. — Watching tango dancing is one of the most popular cultural experiences in Buenos Aires

Day 1: Exploring Buenos Aires’ City Centre

There are three places where tourists to Buenos Aires generally stay: Palermo, Recoleta or the central area around Monserrat.

They all have their upsides, but it’s the centre that has the most going on. Therefore I would suggest starting there.

If you only have a day in Buenos Aires, you would be best off prioritising these activities.

Morning: Breakfast at Cafe Tortoni

What do you have in common with Albert Einstein, Katy Perry and Hillary Clinton? Well if you follow this itinerary, then all four of you would have been to Argentina’s famous Parisian-style Cafe Tortoni.

The cafe is a cafe, a bakery, a restaurant and a cultural experience all rolled into one.

You may have to queue outside due to its popularity (we waited around 20 minutes to get in), then you can order something to eat in the main hall of the cafe.

There are some smaller rooms including a library full of memorabilia, and a couple of larger rooms which host speakers and (in the evenings) tango shows.

I wouldn’t say the food here was particularly special. But it was surprisingly affordable for such a famous place. You come here mostly for the cultural experience and the Parisian architecture.

A stage with red curtains and black-and-white photos surrounding it, with a sign that says Cafe Tortoni just above it — Tango shows take place in the evenings at Cafe Tortoni

Afternoon: A Walking Tour Through Buenos Aires’ Most Famous Historical Sites

Long-time readers will know I love a free walking tour. You turn up in a new city, learn a lot about it from a local guide, and walk between some of the best places in that city. Buenos Aires has plenty of tours to choose from.

A Buenos Aires free walking tour takes you from Plaza de Mayo to Palacio del Congreso.

Plaza de Mayo is one of the most famous squares in Argentina. It is where significant protests have taken place throughout the country’s history. It is also where the Argentine president works inside Casa Rosada (the Pink House).

Palacio del Congreso is where Argentina’s congress sit, and is one of the finest examples of European-style architecture in Buenos Aires.

One thing I love about Plaza de Mayo, is that there is quite often an event taking place along the adjacent Avenida de Mayo. Usually a cultural fair of sorts themed around one or several countries which includes food, music and performances associated with that or those countries.

When I first went in 2022, there was a Bolivian fair taking place. During my most recent trip there in late 2024, they had market stalls representing many countries from across the world, with their local foods and music playing. It was good fun.

Free walking tours will take you past many interesting spots between Plaza de Mayo and Palacio del Congreso. One of these is the famous obelisk on Avenida 9 de Julio which is where millions of football fans gathered to celebrate Argentina’s 2022 World Cup win.

Whilst you can walk between each of these places, a tour will allow you to learn all about the history from a local guide.

I’d also suggest checking out Teatro Colon, a famous opera house not far from Palacio del Congreso.

Behind this pond, you can see Palacio del Congreso, the congress building of Argentina which is based in capital Buenos Aires. — Palacio del Congreso in Buenos Aires

Evening: Drinks by the Waterfront in Puerto Madero

Wind down at the end of the day in Puerto Madero, which is just a 15-minute walk from Plaza de Mayo.

This is a nice waterfront spot with many bars, restaurants, luxury hotels and some museums including the Fortabat Art Collection (a fine arts museum) and the Ernesto de la Cárcova Museum, which is full of sculptures based on famous works across the world.

If you’re into museums, try and make some time to come here in the day. However the real attraction of Puerto Madero is the nightlife.

This is one of two really upmarket locations in Buenos Aires to spend the night (you will visit the other on day 3). It’s really enjoyable to stop here for a beer or two after dark.

The waterfront at Puerto Madero in Buenos Aires, with buildings visible on the other side. — Unfortunately I didn’t take many pictures in Puerto Madero. But trust me when I say it’s much more impressive than this image suggests

Day 2: Experiencing Buenos Aires’ Culture

Day 1 is full of a lot of fun activities, but the most unique things to do in Buenos Aires are those you associate more with this city than any other.

When you think of Argentina, you think of steak, wine and tango dancing. And I suggest making your second day all about experiencing Buenos Aires for the things that make it the city it is.

Morning: Visiting La Boca

Buenos Aires’ most unique neighbourhood is the vibrant La Boca area. It’s famous for its brightly-coloured buildings, which came as a result of artist Benito Quinquela Martin choosing to gentrify what was once one of the most dangerous areas in the city.

The area has since become a key hotspot for tourists with souvenir shops popping up alongside quirky sculptures and paintings of famous Argentinian icons including footballer Lionel Messi and Mafalda, a famous comic book character from the country.

Don’t miss out on seeing the very best of La Boca with a local guide! 🥩💃🏻🍷

But it gets better. Everything you love about Argentina can be found here. Walk around El Caminito and you can see regular tango performances in the restaurants at the sides of the streets.

You can also find delicious asado, both in the restaurants and on the streets. My favourite spot is Resto Bar Los Gemelas which serves up a decent vacio sandwich.

And of course, you can easily get your hands on a glass of wine here. After all, you’re in Buenos Aires.

La Boca is also home to La Bombonera, home of Argentinian football giants Boca Juniors.

A colourful building in the famous street "El Caminito" in Buenos Aires. It towers over a wall displaying street art of some musicians, whilst a tourist souvenir stall stands in the background — The colourful streets of La Boca in Buenos Aires. You can see a souvenir shop in the background, many of those can be found here.

Getting to La Boca Safely

The area around La Boca is dangerous (the touristy parts are fine in the day). This means you should not walk to or from the area.

The best way to get to and from here by far is with Uber. It’s very cheap in Buenos Aires and you can easily find rides. Don’t bother waiting around for buses here or even looking into public transport. Just use Uber.

Argentina is mostly very safe, but La Boca’s surrounding areas are a rare exception.

Afternoon: Lunch in San Telmo and San Telmo Market (and an Antiques Fair on Sundays)

San Telmo is surprisingly cheap to eat in, given how touristy it is.

Our favourite restaurant here was El Rincon de Dorrego which is tucked into the corner of Plaza Dorrego. Look for Almacen Hotel next to it, as the restaurant doesn’t have its name displayed clearly outside.

I highly recommend the parrilla for two: a selection of four different meats (vacio, tira de asado, bife de chorizo and bondiola) which tasted absolutely fantastic. I miss this place so much and will definitely be back during my next Buenos Aires trip (and there will be a next trip).

Make sure you’re an expert in ordering Argentine steak so you know exactly what to ask for.

If you arrive on a Sunday, I have good news for you. Just outside the restaurant is a large antiques fair selling all sorts of treasures and trinkets from the past ranging from books, to board games, to random objects you will put on your shelf and probably never touch again.

Just around the corner you have San Telmo Market which is open everyday and sells all sorts of foods, drinks and even little crafts.

My girlfriend sitting with a big smile on her face as she sees the delicious parrilla that just arrived at our table in San Telmo, Buenos Aires, Argentina. — My girlfriend has a massive smile on her face… and if you knew just how delicious this parrilla at El Rincon de Dorrego was, you would understand why

Getting to San Telmo Safely

Remember from La Boca, you need to take Uber to San Telmo as it’s dangerous to walk outside the tourist spots.

If coming from Plaza de Mayo or Palacio de Congreso, then you can walk here.

If coming from Palermo or Recoleta, it is safe to walk although the long distance may mean you prefer to take a taxi regardless.

Evening: Tango Dancing in Plaza Dorrego (Best on Sundays)

Plaza Dorrego is famous for one thing much more than the antiques fair. And that’s tango dancing.

You can see regular performances taking place in the plaza, with locals displaying their skills throughout the day.

But on a Sunday evening it is particularly special here.

Where the performers during the day normally dance tango for a living. On Sunday evenings, the plaza turns into a milonga which is where normal everyday people and tourists come to dance together.

As experiences go, this is as Argentinian as it gets.

A man in a suit and a woman in a purple dress dancing tango in Plaza Dorrego, San Telmo, Buenos Aires. — Tango dancers in Plaza Dorrego, San Telmo, Buenos Aires

Day 3: Visiting the Upmarket Neighbourhoods of Buenos Aires

After 2 days in Buenos Aires, you would have experienced the city’s most famous sites, as well as its cultural. Day 3 is a blend of the two with the opportunity to enjoy the best of both worlds, whilst still seeing places you’re yet to explore.

Morning: Start the Day in Recoleta

There are a few things to do in Recoleta including visiting the free-to-enter Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (fine arts museum) and seeing the impressive theatre-turned-bookshop Libreria El Ateneo Grand Splendid.

But the most famous activity in this part of Buenos Aires is visiting the Recoleta Cemetery, most famous for being the resting place of Eva “Evita” Peron, one of the most powerful figures in 20th-century Argentinian politics.

The cemetery is known for its beauty, just like many graveyards across Latin America which generally have large impressive tombs for the rich and famous.

Take a detailed tour of Recoleta Cemetery with an expert local guide!

Outside the graveyard, you can find several bars with outdoor seating, where you can enjoy a nice lunch and a bottle of Quilmes (the most popular beer in Argentina).

A nice way to start the day.

A pint of Quilmes beer in Recoleta, Buenos Aires. — For some reason I’ve been to Recoleta twice, and only ever taken pictures of my beer…

Afternoon: Jardin Japones: Buenos Aires’ Most Beautiful Spot

Continuing this list of Buenos Aires’ best activities is Jardin Japones.

Now if you speak a little Spanish, you will know that means Japanese garden. And the Japanese are famous for their colourful, well-maintained gardens.

Sure enough, that’s exactly what you will see at Jardin Japones, arguably Buenos Aires most Insta-friendly spot with its ponds, flowers and scenery making it a popular attraction.

I went here with my girlfriend, and whilst it’s a spot dominated by couples and all-female groups, it was worth the detour.

A pond surrounded by pink, red and purple flowers as well as green trees at Buenos Aires' Jardin Japones. — Jardin Japones is one of the more tranquil places to see in Buenos Aires

Evening: Asado at Don Julio Followed by Drinks in Palermo

To round off your 3 days in Buenos Aires, I would recommend following in the footsteps of Lionel Messi and eating at the world-famous restaurant Don Julio.

Ranked the 10th-best restaurant in the world in 2024, Don Julio is Buenos Aires’ most famous steakhouse. You should book months in advance however, as this popular spot gets booked up fast. Although you may be able to walk in on the night of your choosing if you’re lucky. That’s a gamble however.

Round off your Buenos Aires trip, by drinking at Palermo’s upmarket nightlife spots, which start just a couple of blocks from Don Julio, between Costa Rica and Nicaragua (these are road names, not the countries!).

The Argentine capital is home to many great activities, and in my opinion, far better than Rio de Janeiro which is another of South America’s most famous cities.

The Best Things to do in Buenos Aires: A 3-Day Itinerary