Buenos Aires itinerary: 3 days for a first visit

Buenos Aires is a city of wide avenues, European-looking buildings and long dinners. It was built by immigrants from Italy and Spain, and it shows in the architecture, the food and the way people talk. It is a city for walking in the day and staying out late at night, and each of its neighbourhoods, called barrios, has a distinct character.

Three days is enough for a first visit: the old centre and San Telmo, the grand streets and parks of Recoleta and Palermo, and the colour of La Boca and the waterfront. Each day stays in one part of the city, so you can walk more and ride less. Eat late, since dinner is rarely before nine.

Before you go: the short version

• How long: three full days, plus a fourth for a day trip to the Tigre delta or across the river to Uruguay.
• Where to stay: Palermo or Recoleta for a first visit, safe, leafy and full of restaurants; San Telmo for history and a more bohemian feel; the centre for the monuments.
• From the airport: Ezeiza, the international airport, is about 45 minutes to an hour from the centre by taxi or ride-hail, and longer in traffic. Aeroparque, used for domestic flights, is close to the city. See airport to city.
• Getting around: walk, and use the subte (the subway), buses and taxis. More in the Argentina travel guide.
• Book ahead: a tango show, a table at a well-known parrilla (steakhouse) on weekends, and any tickets to the Teatro Colón.

Rules on cards and cash have changed often in Argentina; check before you go, and read the money section of the Argentina travel guide.

Day 1: Plaza de Mayo, the centre and San Telmo

Morning. Start at the Plaza de Mayo, the historic main square, with the pink Casa Rosada, the presidential palace, on one side and the Metropolitan Cathedral on another. The mothers of the disappeared have walked the square for decades, and white scarves are painted on the stones. Walk along Avenida de Mayo, a grand boulevard lined with Belle Époque buildings, to the Congress, then north to the Obelisco and the Avenida 9 de Julio, one of the widest avenues in the world.

Afternoon. Walk to the Teatro Colón, one of the great opera houses of the world, whose interior is a marvel of marble, gilt and velvet. Tours run in several languages, and you should book them ahead. Then make your way south to San Telmo, the oldest barrio, with cobbled streets, antique shops and colonial houses. The Mercado de San Telmo is a covered iron market where you can have a coffee or a sandwich amongst the stalls, and on Sundays the main street, Defensa, fills with an antiques and craft fair.

Evening. Dinner in San Telmo or in the nearby barrios can start late. Order empanadas, provoleta (grilled cheese), and a steak or a parrilla mixed grill, with a glass of Malbec. Finish with dulce de leche, the caramel spread that sits in everything from pancakes to ice cream.

Day 2: Recoleta and Palermo

Morning. Begin in Recoleta Cemetery, a city of marble tombs and mausoleums laid out in lanes, including that of Eva Perón. It is one of the most unusual places in the city, with ornate tombs and stray cats. Next door is the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pilar, a colonial church. Walk through the nearby park to the Floralis Genérica, a giant steel flower sculpture that opens and closes its petals.

Afternoon. Walk or take a short ride to Palermo, the largest barrio, split into Palermo Soho and Palermo Hollywood for their cafes, boutiques and murals, and the Bosques de Palermo, a large park with lakes and a rose garden. On the way, the El Ateneo Grand Splendid is a bookshop in a former theatre, with the stage now a cafe and bookshelves in the boxes. The MALBA museum is a good choice for Latin American art if you have time. Sit with a cup of mate, the bitter herbal drink that Argentines share from a gourd, or buy an alfajor, a sandwich biscuit filled with dulce de leche, for the road.

Evening. Palermo is the place for dinner. Argentine beef is the draw, and a good parrilla grills it over wood or charcoal; ask for the cut and how you want it cooked. Other options include Italian food, since pasta and pizza are staples here, and modern restaurants that mix local ingredients with global styles. After dinner, bars stay open late. Dinner after 9pm is normal, and many places do not fill until 10.

Day 3: La Boca and the waterfront

Morning. Go to La Boca, a working-class port neighbourhood known for the painted corrugated-metal houses of Caminito, a short street museum. It is touristy, so go early and stay on the main streets: the area around the visitor strip is safe in daytime, but the side streets are not for wandering. If you like football, the stadium of Boca Juniors, La Bombonera, is nearby and has a museum.

Afternoon. Take a short ride north to Puerto Madero, the redeveloped docks, a modern district of converted brick warehouses, waterfront restaurants and glass towers. Cross the Puente de la Mujer, a white pedestrian bridge shaped like a tango couple, and walk or hire a bike in the Costanera Sur Ecological Reserve, a large reserve of marshes and grassland on the edge of the river, where you can see birds and the skyline together.

Evening. End your trip with a tango show or a milonga, one of the dance halls where locals dance. A show includes dinner and a performance of dancers and musicians and is the easy choice for a first visit, but a milonga is the real social dance, and many offer a lesson early in the evening. Book ahead. Afterwards, walk home through the lit-up streets, which are lively late at night.

With more time

• Tigre and the delta: a train from Retiro station reaches Tigre in about an hour, and boats run through the channels and islands of the Paraná delta.
• Colonia del Sacramento: a ferry crosses the Río de la Plata to this old Portuguese town in Uruguay in about an hour. Check the entry rules for your passport before you book.
• An estancia day: a day on a ranch outside the city, with a barbecue, horse riding and folk music.
• Further on: Iguazú Falls, Mendoza and Patagonia are all short flights away, as laid out in the 14-day route.

Where to stay

• Palermo (Soho and Hollywood): the best first base. Cafes, restaurants and nightlife, safe and well connected.
• Recoleta: elegant, quieter, close to the cemetery and museums, and calm at night.
• San Telmo: atmospheric and good value, but the cobbles are rough and it is quieter after dark.
• The centre (Microcentro): convenient for the monuments, but it empties in the evening and on Sundays.
• Puerto Madero: modern and safe, with water views, but away from the barrios' character.

For a group, apartments in Palermo or Recoleta give you space and a kitchen. See where to stay with a group.

Getting around

Buenos Aires is built on a grid, so it is easy to navigate on foot. The subte has six main lines and is the quickest way across the centre; most journeys use a rechargeable card. Buses cover everything, and are crowded at peak times. Taxis are plentiful, and ride-hailing works in the city. Stay aware of your phone and bag on public transport and in crowds, and use common sense after dark, as in any big city.

Planning Buenos Aires as a group

Buenos Aires suits a group well, with large tables, shared plates and long dinners. Book the tango show and any parrilla for a weekend at the same time, since both fill up. Late dinners can be hard on children and early risers, so agree a plan for the evenings. Because money rules have been unpredictable, decide before you leave how you will pay for shared costs, and keep them in one place so nobody has to add them up at the end.

What to pack

Comfortable walking shoes for cobbles and long avenues. Layers: the evenings can be cool even in summer, and winter days are chilly and damp. Smart-casual clothes for dinner and the theatre, since people dress up in the evening, and a light jacket. Bring a plug adapter and a small bag that closes. The city break packing list covers the rest.