Buenos Aires

Abuela Pan

It feels cosy, homey. It’s off the tourist frenzy. Amazing authentic home-made cooking. A wonderful vegetarian restaurant with great food and service. Try the Giant espanada. The food is made with full of love. Service is friendly.

Alvear Palace Hotel

One of the most traditional and luxurious hotels in Buenos Aires, it has been home to notable guests such as Sofia Loren, and Nelson Mandela. Its restaurants (La Bourgogne and L'Orangerie) are among the top ones in Buenos Aires for eating. You can also go for tea time.

Association of Friends of the Tramway

Asociación Amigos del Tranvía

The museum has a collection of old trams and subway (subte) cars stored at the subway system workshop Taller Polvorin. Trams operate for a limited time on weekends and holidays, and run through nearby streets on a 2 km loop. Check Horarios in the link for operating days and times.

Bahrein

One of the trendiest clubs in Buenos Aires with a good selection of electronic music. Tuesdays are popular among locals, with accelerated drum & bass rhythms. Thursdays are also a good option. The club is located within an old bank building, check the vault in the bottom floor.

Barrio Chino

Chinatown

A largely commercial section about five blocks long in the barrio of Belgrano. Despite the designation as a Chinese ethnic enclave, the area is populated by different Asian communities, with a predominance of Taiwanese people and, to a lesser extent, Japanese and Thais.

Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar

Iglesia del Pilar

A beautiful church, built in 1732 in Baroque style, as part of a Franciscan monastery which closed in 1821.

Basílica Santuario de Santa Rosa de Lima

Romanic-Bizantine style church from the 20th century. The main altar has a replica of Michelangelo's Pietá.

Buenos Aires Botanical Garden

Jardín Botánico

The trees and other plants, organized by part of the world, fill the park densely enough that you may almost forget you're in the middle of a city. The quintessential "cat" garden is also filled with many flowers and a 19th-century glass house.

Buenos Aires Japanese Gardens

Jardín Japonés

A public space administered by the non-profit Japanese Argentine Cultural Foundation. One of the largest Japanese gardens of its type in the world outside Japan.

Cabaña Las Lilas

Probably the best place to eat meat in the Puerto Madero neighborhood. It's a highly rated restaurant among travel guides and sites, although not a local's favorite. Don't miss the ojo de bife! This place had the reputation of being the best place to eat steak in Buenos Aires. The steaks are enormous and succulent. If you eat here, count on them having to roll you out as you will be near explosion (probably best to wear trousers with elasticated waists!) It's a constant struggle not to stuff yourself with the mouth watering appetizers before your steak even arrives. When it does, you may chuckle at the little plastic cow figurine jabbed into the meat, smiling at you and bearing the words “Estoy jugoso," - "I am juicy" (meaning rare). You can also share an order of steak, which the restaurant will serve on separate plate. The doneness is different in Argentina than in the U.S., for medium rare, order rare.

Cabildo of Buenos Aires

During colonial times, this building served as the government house of Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata. Today, the building, now a museum, is much smaller than it once was, due to the construction of 2 avenues but remains an attractive building. The classic white facade dates from the 18th century. The balcony on the second storey provides a good view of the Plaza.

Wed-Sun 10:30-18:00·Free

Cafe Tortoni

Opened in 1858, one of the most traditional coffee houses in Buenos Aires. It has been restored to its original style, which dates back to 150 years ago. It was a cultural meeting point of many famous people, like Borges, Quinquela Martin, Molina Campos, among others. The hot chocolate is incredible. This cafe suffers from its popularity - people queue on the footpath and are called in two by two as in the ark to have a cup of tea or even a coca cola and leave again.

Calle Lanín

A street where all houses are decorated with colorful tile mosaics.

Caminito

Pedestrian street with arts and crafts. Tango dancers are in the cobblestone streets. The buildings are painted in bright colors.

Casa Bar

Popular Recoleta bar with a fantastic international beer and liquor selection, excellent American-style bar food, DJs and live music and all international sporting events on two floors. Happy hour specials 19:00-23:00.

Open from 19:00 nightly

Casa Rosada

Casa Rosada is owned by the government of Argentina and houses the Presidential offices, it is the President's workplace. It looks out from the eastern side of the Plaza de Mayo to the River Plata. The salmon coloured building is one of Argentina's iconic sights.

Casa de Esteban de Luca

Once inhabited by the Argentine poet, soldier, Esteban de Luca.

Casa de la Cultura

Buenos Aires House of Culture

This is the Government Cultural House of Buenos Aires. Check out the "Salon Dorado", which design is inspired by the Palace of Versailles. Also, the Salon Dorado hosts music performers every Friday 19:00.

Casa de los Pavos Reales

In Avenida Rivadavia this modernist building by architect Colombo is an iconic piece of Buenos Aires original early 20-century architecture. There is a bed & breakfast in the building and you can arrange visits too.

Catedral Metropolitana

A neoclassical cathedral containing the tomb of José de San Martín. The tomb is protected by a ceremonial armed guard. A most unusual sight to see inside a church and leads one to wonder about the relationship of the church and the state in Argentina. The exterior of the church has papal symbols affixed as a reference to the Argentinian Pope Francis (who criticised the relationship of the church and state).

Churrasquería La Planchita

The attention is excellent as is the quality of its products. A fantastic variety on the menu. Homemade and fresh flavor. The lentil dish is very good. Generous portions. The food is delivered quickly. Excellent treatment by all the staff.

Confiteria Ideal

A famous tango venue featured in many films. The building has beautiful architecture, and there are tango lessons and Milongas (dance parties) offered there daily.

Confiteria London City

A London-style bar. The original building was completely destroyed by a huge fire. It was rebuilt and opened again in 1954. Good place to stop by for a coffee before continue your walk along Av. de Mayo.

Confitería del Molino

This art nouveau coffeehouse (now closed) used to be the meeting point for many cultural and political figures. The coffeehouse was built in 1917 and closed in 1997, year in which was declared National Historic Monument.

Dadá Bistro

This small restaurant makes the top lists among locals, and is a highly recommended one in tourist guides. Try the Lomo Dadá, one of the house specialities. Recommended to arrive before 21:00, otherwise you'll have to wait.

ESMA Museum and Site of Memory

During the military rule in Argentina (1976-83), the Navy School of Mechanics (Escuela Superior de Mecánica de la Armada, abbreviated as ESMA) was turned into a prison and torture center for people opposing the regime. Today the complex is a memorial to the cruelties that took place there, and since 2023 it's listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Edificio Kavanagh

It is considered as the first skyscraper built in Buenos Aires. The story behind the construction of the building is interesting: Corina Kavanagh had a fight with another lady, Mercedes de Anchorena, both from Buenos Aires high society. Corina's daughter was about to get married with Mercedes son, but because of Corina's opposition to the wedding, it never happened. As a revenge, Corina spent all her inheritance in building what would become the tallest South American building of that period. The reason: Block the sunrise and the view to the Sacramento Church from the Anchorena's home. It was declared as national historic monument in 1999.

El Alamo

Al's Moe

Free beer for girls M-F until 23:00 and cheap prices all the time. Satellite quality feed on 10 large flat screen TVs.

El Ateneo

originally a theater (Teatro Grand Splendid), has now become in one of the top 5 most beautiful bookstores in the world. It has a reasonable offering of books in English.

El Ateneo Grand Splendid Bookstore

If you like books (or even if you don't), don't miss this beautiful bookstore. Back in the old days used to be a theater; now it is considered one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world. It has several floors of books of several different genres, including a section of English-language books.