Buenos Aires Vacations & Travel

Overview

Buenos Aires is not only the capital of Argentina, but the steak capital of the world. In fact, Porteños have perfected the art of grilling at a plethora of parillas (steakhouses). Visitors can also dance the tango in La Boca, the birthplace of tango, or Abasto, one of the most tango-centric neighborhoods of the city; marvel at the majestic homes in Recoleta, the most affluent barrio in Buenos Aires; and breathe in the intoxicating aromas of the Buenos Aires Botanical Garden, located in Palermo.

Most of the city’s population are descended from Spanish and Italian immigrants, which gives the city a distinctly European feel with large spaces of greenery, wide boulevards, plazas, and distinctive architecture.

What To Do

The Casa Rosada, or Pink House, is one of the most visited and photographed sites in Buenos Aires. Located in the Plaza de Mayo in central Buenos Aires, it serves as an excellent starting point to get a feel for the city.

Visit the Fería De Mataderos where gauchos (South American cowboys) wander on horseback, market vendors offer a colorful array of crafts and food, and elaborately costumed tango dancers line the streets.

Puerto Madero once served as a major destination for European trade, now it’s a popular location to take an evening stroll and enjoy local cuisine at neighborhood steak and seafood restaurants, and tango at festive dance clubs.

The chic, sprawling neighborhood of Palermo in North Buenos Aires has something for everyone. Wander through museums and urban parks, walk cobblestone streets, and browse through a trove of high-end boutiques, bustling cafés and bars.

Shopping

Shopping is one of the most pleasant pastimes of any Buenos Aires vacation.

Recoleta is one of the city’s most sought-after neighborhoods and features stylish shopping and notable landmarks.

Palermo is one of the capital’s trendiest districts, with boutique shops nestled alongside upscale restaurants and nightclubs.

Make sure to sample some of Argentina’s famous leather products, often considered to be among the best quality in the world.

Nightlife

Be prepared to stay up all night because this city doesn’t sleep. Restaurants get going at 9pm, bars at midnight, and clubs at 2am at the earliest. The diverse range of bars, clubs and live-music venues means there is something for everyone, whether you want DJs playing EDM or live jazz bands.

Food and Drink

Buenos Aires has a strong café culture, which serves as a living embodiment of the city's past as a literary hub.

Satisfying carnivorous cravings isn’t hard to do in the land that has perfected grilling flavorful sides of beef. The parrillada, or mixed grill, is a longtime tradition and the prime cuts are plentiful. When ordering don’t expect the waiter to offer a steak knife and sauce and call it a day because locals smother their beef with colorful salsa criolla, a side dish of tomato, onion and parsley, or chimichurri, a tasty sauce made of olive oil, garlic and parsley.

No visit to Buenos Aires is complete without sampling some of the local street food favorites. The Choripan, affectionately called the “chori,” is essentially a sausage served between two pieces of fresh bread. The Lomito sandwich is a steak sandwich that features the famous beef that Argentina is renowned for. The most famous of them all is the Empanada, a small savory pastry filled with a selection of meat, cheese, and other ingredients which can be found everywhere.