How to plan your trip to Buenos Aires!
- Plan your days of the week
- Then plan your meals and evening entertainment plans
- Decide what you want to see and do
- Plan your money
- Converter/Adapter
1) Plan your days of the week:
- Saturdays and Sundays have craft booths at various parks in the city, including Alvear Park near the Recoleta Cemetery, Plaza Serrano in Palermo, and Caminito in La Boca. On Sunday is the famous market — Feriada San Telmo at Plaza Dorrego — and make sure to also go to the Mercado de San Telmo (inside).
- Sunday is the Feria de San Telmo Market in Plaza Dorrego
- Thursday at 3:30pm is the March of the Mothers in Plaza de Mayo.
- Weekends are harder to get into hotels and restaurants, and tourist sites can be more crowded.
- Go to a futbol/soccer game in the stadium (typically on Sundays Mar-Dec). Book the experience with a tour company — do not go on your own as it can be unsafe for tourists.
2) Then plan your meals and evening entertainment plans.
Options for evening are (book in advance):
- Steakhouse (book 3-6 months in advance for Don Julio and La Cabrera)
- Tango Show (with or without dinner and tango lessons)
- Opera or ballet at the Colon Theater (Mar-Dec) — See schedule (only in Spanish): https://teatrocolon.org.ar/es/calendar/month
Great neighborhoods for dinner and nightlife:
- Palermo (weekends can be noisy)
- Recoleta (many restaurants near the cemetery)
- Puerto Madero (Women’s Bridge, walk along the waterfront, museum on a frigate ship)
Lunch options:
- San Telmo Market – lunch or casual dinner, fun shopping too
- Caminito area in La Boca – lunch or casual dinner, fun shopping too
Steakhouses:
- Don Julio (Palermo)
- La Cabrera (Palermo) – happy hour at 6:15pm
- Fervero (Recoleta)
- Rufina Steak Restaurant (Mio Hotel in Recoleta)
- Cabinas La Linas (Puerto Madera)
- Top 5 Buenos Aires Steakhouses >>
Eat inside, not outside (temperature, people selling things, theft)
If you do not have a reservation, ask the front desk at your hotel for suggestions. There are many excellent steakhouses in Buenos Aires!
3) Decide what you want to see and do
Many of these sites (and more!) can be seen on a city tour!
Top Sites to See:
- Recoleta Cemetery (craft booths on Sat/Sun/Holidays)
- Municipal Cathedral (changing of the guard every 2 hours starting at 9am)
- Plaza de Mayo (Thursday at 3:30pm is Mother’s Protest)
- Colon Theater (1 hour tour, book in advance)
- MALBA Museum (1 hour) or other museum
- Top 5 Museums To Visit In Buenos Aires
Other good sites:
- El Ateneo Bookstore (in an old theater – beautiful!) – Walking distance from Recoleta neighborhood
- San Telmo Market (antique shops, produce, pastries, lots of cute dining spots)
- Caminito area in La Boca – fun shopping (Sat/Sun has most craft booths)
- Women’s Bridge (can also walk along the riverfront and visit the frigate museum)
- Japanese Garden and Rose Garden (near each other)
- Florida Avenue (pedestrian mall, street performers)
- Day trip to Colonia, Uruguay
4) Plan your Money
Exchanging Money:
Do not exchange money before your trip, and do NOT use an ATM in Argentina. The best exchange rate is found at the Western Union exchanges. There are many around the city. Alternatively, ask you guide or hotel front desk where to find the best exchange place in the area. Exchanges are closed on Sundays. Bring $100 bills for exchanges. They must be in the new style with no tears.
Budget:
- $2-3/day for drivers – USD easiest
- $10/person/day for guides – USD easiest
- $1/person/lunch $3/person/dinner for tips for meals (10% of meal price) – local currency easiest (You cannot add tip to a bill and charge it – tips must be left separately on the table.)
- Small purchases – ARS easiest
- I just have some USD and ARS in my pocket at all times.
Bring USD cash in 1’s, 5’s, 10’s, and 20’s for tipping. You can spend either USD or ARS, but you may want to use local currency if you need change. Bring $100 bills for exchanging.
5) Converter/Adapter
Type “I” – like Australia. Bring a multiplug and/or multiple adapters – in case there are only a few outlets or the plugs are a tight fit.
Contact us to book your next trip to Buenos Aires!