Buenos Aires in 5 Days: Art, Tango and Neighbourhood Walks

Start with the city’s political square, taking in the Casa Rosada frontage and cathedral. The museum behind the palace is a separate optional visit; then walk west along Avenida de Mayo.

Visit the presidential-history museum behind Casa Rosada for the exhibitions and archaeological remains. Then return to Plaza de Mayo and continue west along Avenida de Mayo.

Step inside the cathedral beside Plaza de Mayo for the interior and San Martín’s mausoleum. Continue along Avenida de Mayo towards Café Tortoni after this short visit.

Stop for coffee in the historic café on Avenida de Mayo if the queue is reasonable. The room and its cultural history are the attraction; another nearby café works just as well for a simple breakfast break.

Walk north towards the Obelisk and Avenida 9 de Julio after lunch. Pause at the surrounding viewpoints, then continue to Teatro Colón for a booked tour or an exterior visit.

A guided tour is the best way to see the opera house interior during the day. Book through the theatre’s official site; afterwards have dinner around Corrientes, with a performance as a separate evening choice.

Begin with breakfast or an early lunch in the covered market, then browse the food and antiques stalls. The market is useful on ordinary weekdays too; Sunday adds the wider street fair along Defensa.

Spend time around San Telmo’s old square after the market. Sunday brings antiques stalls and street performances; on other days, the surrounding cafés and streets make the stop worthwhile.

Browse the former mansion’s courtyard and small shops during the San Telmo walk. Continue south for lunch, then take a taxi to La Boca in the afternoon.

Visit the painted houses and pedestrian lanes in daylight after San Telmo. Keep the La Boca visit around Caminito and the nearby museum streets, with a taxi back to your next neighbourhood.

Start Recoleta with a walk among the mausoleums, finding Eva Perón’s tomb and a few striking monuments. The lanes reward a focused hour or so, followed by the church and a nearby lunch.

Visit the white colonial church beside the cemetery before lunch. The church and cemetery form one compact morning, with the art museum and Floralis sculpture further north in the afternoon.

Pause beside the giant metal flower in the park during the museum afternoon. The scale of the sculpture and surrounding lawns make this a good outdoor break before Bellas Artes.

Make the Argentine and international art collection the main indoor visit in Recoleta. Choose a few rooms for the afternoon, then head south towards the bookshop and dinner.

End the Recoleta day inside the former theatre, now a bookshop with balconies and a painted ceiling. Browse or have a coffee before dinner along Santa Fe or the nearby streets.

Start with MALBA’s Latin American art collection, then have lunch before the Japanese Garden. It closes on Tuesdays, so use the San Telmo or historic-centre day then.

Walk the ponds, bridges and planted paths after MALBA and lunch. Continue towards the lakes and Rosedal for the rest of the afternoon.

Start the final day with the botanic garden’s paths and plant collections near Plaza Italia. Continue south into Palermo Soho for lunch, independent shops and an easy afternoon before the evening show.

Use the square and surrounding streets as the centre of the Palermo Soho walk. Browse the shops and stop for lunch, with the afternoon kept free for the neighbourhood.

Spend the afternoon on small shops, cafés and design stores around the side streets. Take a break at your hotel before a booked tango evening; Rojo Tango is across the city in Puerto Madero.

Trade the Rojo Tango dinner show for a beginner class followed by a neighbourhood milonga, where people come to dance socially. Villa Malcolm, near Palermo, is one option for Day 5; the city’s milonga directory lists venues, nights and which sessions include classes.

Optional history museum for Eva Perón’s life and political legacy. Choose it instead of MALBA or some garden time if the subject interests you more.

Optional replacement for part of the garden afternoon if a planetarium programme interests you. Book a suitable show; the exterior dome can also be seen during a simple walk around the lakes.

La Bombonera is an optional La Boca visit for football fans, usually centred on a booked museum or stadium experience. Replace the art museum or part of San Telmo with it; match tickets are a separate plan.

Optional contemporary-art stop beside Caminito, replacing some of the San Telmo browsing or the football museum. Choose an exhibition that interests you, with the riverside terrace as a break afterwards.