Free things to do · Buenos Aires · Argentina
10 free things to do in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires without the ticket prices: sights, walks and views that cost nothing.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
You can fill at least 3 days in Buenos Aires without paying an entry fee: Plaza de Mayo and Casa Rosada, Caminito, La Boca, Obelisco and Avenida 9 de Julio and San Telmo Sunday fair are all free. Peso prices change quickly, so the ranges above are rough US-dollar equivalents.
Key facts
- Free sights in this guide
- 10
- Low-cost extras
- 5
- Cost level
- Moderately priced
- Lowest hotel prices
- May–June and August–September
Free sights and experiences
Landmark · Monserrat
1.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.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- History
- Free
- Architecture
Street · La Boca
2.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.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Photo spot
- Art
- Free
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Landmark · San Nicolás
3.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.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- After dark
- Photo spot
Market · San Telmo
4.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.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- Food
- History
Museum · Recoleta
5.Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes
Visit straight after Recoleta Cemetery; entry is free, so it is easy to drop in for an hour.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Art
- Free
- Rainy day
Architecture · Recoleta
6.El Ateneo Grand Splendid
Go on a weekday morning for photos from the upper balconies before the afternoon crowds arrive.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Architecture
- Free
- Rainy day
- Photo spot
Park · Palermo
7.Bosques de Palermo
Rent a bike or a pedal boat at the lakes and finish at the Rosedal in the late-afternoon light.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Couples
- Nature
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Landmark · Recoleta
8.Floralis Genérica
Walk here from Recoleta Cemetery and continue along the avenue to MALBA.
- Time needed
- 20 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Photo spot
- Art
- After dark
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Waterfront · Puerto Madero
9.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.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Couples
- After dark
- Kids
Nature · Puerto Madero
10.Costanera Sur Ecological Reserve
Bring water and sun protection, as shade is limited, and go early in the day for the most birdlife.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Active
- Kids
Free sights by area
| Area | Free sights | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Monserrat | Plaza de Mayo and Casa Rosada | 1–2 hours |
| La Boca | Caminito, La Boca | 1–2 hours |
| San Nicolás | Obelisco and Avenida 9 de Julio | 30 minutes |
| San Telmo | San Telmo Sunday fair | Half a day |
| Recoleta | Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, El Ateneo Grand Splendid and Floralis Genérica | 1.5 hours + 45 minutes + 20 minutes |
| Palermo | Bosques de Palermo | 2–3 hours |
| Puerto Madero | Puerto Madero and Puente de la Mujer and Costanera Sur Ecological Reserve | 1–2 hours + 2 hours |
Worth a small ticket
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Historic site · Recoleta
Recoleta Cemetery
Photograph a map at the entrance, or join a guided walk if you want the stories behind the tombs.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Photo spot
Experience · Monserrat
Café Tortoni
Order chocolate con churros and expect a short queue at the door; it moves quickly outside lunchtime.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Food
- Rainy day
Experience · Palermo and Almagro
An evening at a milonga
Take the beginners' class before the dance, and learn the cabeceo: invitations are made with eye contact and a nod, not by walking up to people.
- Time needed
- An evening
- Cost
- Low cost
- After dark
- Couples
- Off the beaten path
Museum · Palermo
Museo Evita
Pair it with Recoleta Cemetery, where she is buried, for the fullest picture of her life.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
Museum · Palermo
Galileo Galilei Planetarium
Check the show schedule online; many sessions are in Spanish, but the dome visuals work in any language.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Architecture
More ways to save
- Peso prices change quickly, so the ranges above are rough US-dollar equivalents.
- Exchange rules and card rates have changed often in recent years; before you travel, compare paying by foreign card with changing cash at a bank or official exchange house.
- ATM withdrawals often carry high per-transaction fees and low limits, so withdraw less often.
- Weekday lunch menus (menú ejecutivo) are good value compared with dinner.
- The Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, the parks, the San Telmo fair and El Ateneo are all free.
- A milonga with a beginners' class costs far less than a tango dinner show and is a more authentic night out.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Buenos Aires expensive to visit?
Buenos Aires is moderately priced for most visitors, but 10 of its best-known sights are free, which makes a tight budget workable.
+What is the best free thing to do in Buenos Aires?
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.