If you hadn’t heard via Instagram yet [@wouldrathertravel], I am on a mission to visit 30 countries before I turn 30. I’m currently 28 and am presently at 23 countries [gulp]. So, when the opportunity to visit Argentina [a country I went to when I was 7] ahead of our initially planned Colombia trip presented itself – I was a bit hesitant.
My dad was scheduled to give a talk at a conference in Buenos Aires on August 27th and wanted to bring my mom along with him. Not one to be left out, I started playing with the idea of pushing our Colombia trip back and starting in Argentina. The thing is — flying from Buenos Aires to Bogota is more expensive than I anticipated, and being 7 countries shy of my goal… those dollars matter! But, I also realized that visiting Buenos Aires as a 7-year-old was likely a completely different experience than at 28.
I’m very glad that we said yes, if only to press you to visit Buenos Aires immediately! It’s a lively city, rich with history, French influence, an outrageous amount of green space and fantastic food and wine — all with a conversion rate that is very much in our favor right now.
Here are my 5 reasons to visit Buenos Aires as soon as possible. Plus, a custom Google map to guide you so that you don’t miss a thing!
Parks
I’m a big fan of cities with great parks. They’re perfect to bring a coffee and pastry to and just sit to people watch or read a book. Buenos Aires has no shortage of beautiful, well-maintained parks. Just look at this list! A budget-friendly itinerary could easily be based around visiting a different neighborhood + park each day.
Food
Argentina is known for its beef [parillas], but it’s not the only thing they do well! There were surprisingly a number of ethnic options — Italian, Arab, Japanese and plenty of pastry options, both savory and sweet.
I personally have a newly acquired taste for red wines and typically opt for blends and house wines that aren’t very complex. I don’t think I had ever tried a Malbec for example, but it ended up being my go-to drink during our trip.
This Google map lays out restaurants across cuisine types and areas!
Nightlife
Most restaurants don’t open until 8 pm — so you can easily dip your toe into what we Americans consider nightlife [eating past 9 pm], without committing to the full experience [staying out past 3 am].
Buenos Aires has an impressive beer culture, with many micro-breweries to choose from throughout the city. There is a concentration of restaurants, shops, breweries and cocktail bars in the “Palermo” neighborhood, which is basically what I would call hipster town.
Another popular late-night activity for tourists is tango shows! We went to a hybrid tango + musical show at Bar Sur — one of the oldest spots in town. There are plenty of dinner + shows to choose from, just depends on the grandeur you’re looking for!
Shopping
You will find no shortage of malls or markets in Buenos Aires. My favorite area was Palermo Hollywood — which had a street of upscale boutiques to bounce in and out of.
- Palermo Hollywood – restaurants, bars, and boutiques
- San Telmo Antiques Fair – weekly fair in a historic neighborhood
- Ateneo Grand Splendid – South America’s largest bookstore built-in a theatre.
- Galerías Pacífico – located off of a busy shopping street, this is an upscale mall that’s worth a visit.
Safety
Buenos Aires is a great city to visit for those who have yet to visit other Central or South American cultures. It is a developed city and offers many tourist-friendly neighborhoods to stay in — hotels and AirBnBs. While you’ll be able to get by as a non-Spanish speaker, knowing basic phrases and having access to an offline map will help tremendously.
After arriving, I highly suggest dedicating a day to the hop-on hop-off bus to orient yourself, get a feel for the different neighborhoods, and then base your itinerary off of your specific interests.
If you have any specific questions about Buenos Aires, feel free to email me!