5 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 Teatro Colón in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Recoleta Cemetery

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

   2. Late morning

      Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes

      Visit straight after Recoleta Cemetery; entry is free, so it is easy to drop in for an hour. (1.5 hours, free).

   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

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

   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.

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

   Plaza de Mayo and Casa Rosada, Palacio Barolo and Café Tortoni, then Obelisco and Avenida 9 de Julio in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Plaza de Mayo and Casa Rosada

      Start here and walk west along Avenida de Mayo past Café Tortoni and Palacio Barolo to the Congress building. (1–2 hours, free).

   2. Late morning

      Palacio Barolo

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

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Empanadas

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

   4. Afternoon

      Café Tortoni

      Order chocolate con churros and expect a short queue at the door; it moves quickly outside lunchtime. (45 minutes, low cost).

   5. Evening

      Obelisco and Avenida 9 de Julio

      Photograph it from the central reservation of 9 de Julio, then walk along Corrientes for pizza at one of the old pizzerias.

3. Day 3: Caminito, La Boca and La Bombonera and the Boca Juniors museum

   Caminito, La Boca, La Bombonera and the Boca Juniors museum and San Telmo Sunday fair, then Floralis Genérica in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Caminito, La Boca

      Visit by day, keep to the main tourist streets and arrive and leave by taxi or ride-hailing rather than wandering beyond them. (1–2 hours, free).

   2. Late morning

      La Bombonera and the Boca Juniors museum

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

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Choripán

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

   4. Afternoon

      San Telmo Sunday fair

      Start at the Plaza de Mayo end in the late morning and work south to Plaza Dorrego, where an open-air milonga often begins in the evening. (Half a day, free).

   5. Evening

      Floralis Genérica

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

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. Best for families, couples and quiet stays.

   3. Evening

      Back in Buenos Aires

      Dinner: try Provoleta.

5. Day 5: MALBA and Bosques de Palermo

   MALBA, Bosques de Palermo and Museo Evita, then Puerto Madero and Puente de la Mujer in the evening.

   1. Morning

      MALBA

      Combine it with the Palermo parks and Floralis Genérica, a short walk along Figueroa Alcorta. (2 hours, mid-priced).

   2. Late morning

      Bosques de Palermo

      Rent a bike or a pedal boat at the lakes and finish at the Rosedal in the late-afternoon light. (2–3 hours, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Provoleta

      Parrillas across the city, ordered to share before the meat.

   4. Afternoon

      Museo Evita

      Pair it with Recoleta Cemetery, where she is buried, for the fullest picture of her life. (1–1.5 hours, low cost).

   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.

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 5 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 20–26 hours of visiting over 5 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
• 4 days in Buenos Aires
• 7 days in Buenos Aires

Questions travellers ask