Solo travel · Buenos Aires · Argentina
Solo travel in Buenos Aires
How to enjoy Buenos Aires at your own pace.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Phillip Capper from Wellington, New Zealand, CC BY 2.0
.jpg){kind=link}
Quick answer
Buenos Aires is a sociable city for solo travellers: tango classes, language exchanges, walking tours and late-night bars make it easy to meet people, and eating alone at a café table or parrilla counter is normal. Many solo travellers base themselves in Palermo Hollywood.
Key facts
- Base
- Palermo Hollywood
- Getting around
- Metro
- Emergency number
- 911 police, 107 ambulance (SAME)
- Language
- Spanish
Solo travel tips
- Join a group tango class; partners rotate, so you don't need to bring one.
- Palermo Soho and San Telmo have the best choice of hostels and social guesthouses.
- A walking tour of the centre and Recoleta is a good first-day orientation.
- Keep your phone in a front pocket or zipped bag, especially on the Subte and on Florida street.
- Many restaurants will split a large steak or pasta portion if you ask, which helps when eating alone.
Where to stay
$$$ · Best for food lovers, nightlife and solo travellers
Palermo Hollywood
Across the railway and Avenida Juan B. Justo, Palermo Hollywood took its name from the TV and radio studios that settled here. Streets such as Fitz Roy, Humboldt and Arévalo are now lined with many of the city's newer restaurants, wine bars and cocktail bars. It is quieter by day than Palermo Soho and close to Aeroparque airport.
- Good
- Dense choice of restaurants and bars; Close to Aeroparque; Quiet residential streets by day
- Watch out
- Few sights within walking distance; Late-night noise near the bars
- Nearby
- Palermo Soho, Aeroparque airport, Bosques de Palermo
Great on your own
.jpg){kind=link}
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
Landmark · Monserrat
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
Architecture · San Nicolás
Teatro Colón
If your dates allow, see a performance rather than only touring; upper-tier seats still give the full experience of the hall.
- Time needed
- 1 hour for a tour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
- After dark
Street · La Boca
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
Landmark · La Boca
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.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Kids
- Iconic
Market · San Telmo
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
Meeting people
- Parrilla dinner — Order cuts by name, add a provoleta and a salad to share and a bottle of Malbec, and expect generous portions. Book popular parrillas ahead and arrive after 9pm to eat with the locals.
- Merienda in a café notable — The late-afternoon merienda of coffee with medialunas or cake fills the gap before a late dinner. The city's historic 'bares notables', such as Café Tortoni and Las Violetas, are the setting for it.
- Palermo Soho and Hollywood — Cocktail bars, wine bars and speakeasies, many behind unmarked doors, plus the busy bars around Plaza Serrano.
- San Telmo — Historic bars, tango halls and live music around Plaza Dorrego and Calle Defensa.
Sensible precautions
Pickpocketing and bag or phone snatching, sometimes by thieves on motorbikes, are the main risks, especially on the Subte, around Florida street, in San Telmo and at La Boca. A common trick involves a stranger 'helping' after someone spills mustard or another liquid on you; walk away and keep hold of your bag.
- Emergency number
- 911 police, 107 ambulance (SAME)
- Staying connected
- Free Wi-Fi is common in cafés, hotels and many public squares, and local SIM cards and eSIMs are easy to buy.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Buenos Aires good for solo travellers?
Buenos Aires is a sociable city for solo travellers: tango classes, language exchanges, walking tours and late-night bars make it easy to meet people, and eating alone at a café table or parrilla counter is normal.
+Where should solo travellers stay in Buenos Aires?
Palermo Hollywood: Restaurant streets and late bars north of Avenida Juan B. Justo.