4 days in Buenos Aires

Day by day

1. Day 1: Recoleta Cemetery and Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes

   Recoleta Cemetery, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes and El Ateneo Grand Splendid, then Floralis Genérica in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Recoleta Cemetery

      Allow 1.5–2 hours (low cost). Photograph a map at the entrance, or join a guided walk if you want the stories behind the tombs.

   2. Late morning

      Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes

      It sits on Avenida del Libertador a few minutes' walk from Recoleta Cemetery.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Asado and bife de chorizo

      Parrillas in every barrio, from neighbourhood grills to celebrated Palermo restaurants such as Don Julio; families grill their own asado on Sundays.

   4. Afternoon

      El Ateneo Grand Splendid

      Allow 45 minutes (free). Go on a weekday morning for photos from the upper balconies before the afternoon crowds arrive.

   5. Evening

      Floralis Genérica

      Walk here from Recoleta Cemetery and continue along the avenue to MALBA.

2. Day 2: Plaza de Mayo and Casa Rosada and Palacio Barolo

   Plaza de Mayo and Casa Rosada, Palacio Barolo and Café Tortoni, then Teatro Colón in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Plaza de Mayo and Casa Rosada

      The Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo have walked around the square on Thursday afternoons since 1977 in memory of the disappeared.

   2. Late morning

      Palacio Barolo

      Allow 1–1.5 hours (mid-priced). Choose an evening tour to see the lighthouse lit and the city at dusk.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Empanadas

      Empanada shops and pizzerias everywhere, sold by the unit or the dozen for takeaway.

   4. Afternoon

      Café Tortoni

      It also stages tango shows in a room at the back.

   5. Evening

      Teatro Colón

      If your dates allow, see a performance rather than only touring; upper-tier seats still give the full experience of the hall.

3. Day 3: Obelisco and Avenida 9 de Julio and Caminito, La Boca

   Obelisco and Avenida 9 de Julio, Caminito, La Boca and La Bombonera and the Boca Juniors museum, then Puerto Madero and Puente de la Mujer in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Obelisco and Avenida 9 de Julio

      Allow 30 minutes (free). Photograph it from the central reservation of 9 de Julio, then walk along Corrientes for pizza at one of the old pizzerias.

   2. Late morning

      Caminito, La Boca

      Tango dancers perform for tips outside the cafés, and the Fundación Proa contemporary art centre and the Benito Quinquela Martín museum are a few blocks away.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Choripán

      Street carts along the Costanera Sur promenade near Puerto Madero, and as a starter at any parrilla.

   4. Afternoon

      La Bombonera and the Boca Juniors museum

      Allow 1.5 hours (mid-priced). Match tickets are largely reserved for club members, so a reputable tour operator is the realistic way to see a game.

   5. Evening

      Puerto Madero and Puente de la Mujer

      Walk the docks at dusk, then cross to the Costanera Sur promenade for a choripán from a street cart.

4. Day 4: Day trip to Tigre and the Paraná Delta

   About 1 hour by train each way. Getting there: Mitre line train from Retiro.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Tigre and the Paraná Delta

      About 1 hour by train (Mitre line train from Retiro); about 30 km.

   2. Day

      Tigre and the Paraná Delta

      Tigre sits where the Paraná Delta's maze of channels and islands meets the northern suburbs. Wooden river launches serve stilt houses and riverside restaurants among the islands, and the Puerto de Frutos market sells wicker, furniture and crafts by the water.

   3. Evening

      Back in Buenos Aires

      Dinner: try Provoleta.

Before you go

Reserve timed tickets for Teatro Colón and Palacio Barolo before you travel; the rest of this plan needs no advance booking.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 4 nights, Palermo Soho keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Recoleta ($$$$) suits first-timers, couples, luxury, culture and families. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 12–16 hours of visiting over 4 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9.8 hours in June to 14.5 hours in December, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in Buenos Aires
• 2 days in Buenos Aires
• 3 days in Buenos Aires
• 5 days in Buenos Aires
• 7 days in Buenos Aires

Questions travellers ask