What to do in Buenos Aires

Even though I am originally from Brazil, this was my very first time in Argentina! I guess I had to move far away (I've been living in Canada for 8 years) from South America to finally visit this neighbouring country.

I spent a week in Buenos Aires and felt that it was plenty of time to see and feel the city. If you don't speak Spanish, I'd recommend having Google Translate ready on your phone. Other than that, I did find it pretty easy to navigate through the city.

Read on to see my recommendations on the top things to do in Buenos Aires:

1. Visit Puerto Madero & cross Puente de la Mujer

Puerto Madero is a port-side neighbourhood, which means it is perfect to walk around and do some bar hopping. It’s also home to Puente de la Mujer, a bridge inspired on a couple dancing Tango. How cool is that?

Tip: If you are planning on taking public transportation, find a Loterica to buy your SUBE card. We went to a dozen Kioskes and none of them had it! You can find more information about it here.

2. Go to Feira de San Telmo

Not far from Puerto Madero, you’ll find an open air crafts market on Sundays. You can set the Mafalda monument on the map to find it.

You will find some lovely handmade crafts in the market, which were perfect for gifts and original souvenirs! The prices were also very fair, and I'd recommend having some cash on you, although many vendors did accept credit cards as well.

3. Watch a Tango show

I know this is a bit of a cliché, but it's for good reason. After researching for the best Tango show in Buenos Aires, we found Piazzolla Tango to be one of the best rated.

I booked it through Trip Advisor since the price was a bit better, and it worked out pretty well. We opted for the dinner option, which includes a 3-course meal: I chose empanadas, steak, and cheesecake; beverages like wine and non-alcoholic drinks are also included. The show was so amazing to watch!

4. Taste local food

Buenos Aires is a paradise for eating good and inexpensive food! If you eat meat, I'd say Parrilla is a must-try when visiting Argentina. I was quite surprised at the lack of seasoning and yet how delicious the meat tasted. Spruce Eats explained parrilla beautifully.

I'd also highly recommend trying out both local and Venezuelan empanadas. They are delicious and can be either a snack or a light meal, and are available in many different flavours (fillings).

For those who like sweets, a dulce de leche alfajor is also a must-try as a dessert or light snack.

5. Visit Casa Rosada + Plaza de Mayo + Obelisco

If you don't mind walking a bit (~15 min), you can visit all of these places at the same time. These are some classic sightseeing spots that you shouldn't miss out on!

Bonus tip: Go to Uruguay for a day

If you have the time, why not visit Uruguay for the day? I will do another post with more information on this, but you can actually go to another country in just a couple of hours by taking the ferry. We went to Colonia del Sacramento for a day and had a great time experiencing a slower vibe and chatting with locals.

And that's a wrap! This trip was very special for me as it was my first time traveling together with my twin sister. If you'd like to check out more of my adventures, check out my YouTube and TikTok.