How Many Days Do You Need in Buenos Aires?

The Argentine capital is one of the largest cities in Latin America and offers a wide variety of cultural attractions. To be completely honest, the more time you have the better. There is so much to do in Buenos Aires, and you can always find more things to do and see.

With that said, you can experience the main attractions in about a week. So we recommend 7 days in Buenos Aires, but if you have enough time and money to plan a longer stay, that is highly recommended as well.

Must-visit attractions in Buenos Aires

There are some attractions that everyone should see in Buenos Aires. If you’re still in the process of planning, you need to have enough days in the city to experience all of these:

• Teatro Colón
• Recoleta Cemetary
• Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes
• El Ateneo
• Casa Rosada & Plaza de Mayo
• Botanical Gardens
• La Boca & Caminito
• Tango show in San Telmo or La Boca
• Feria de San Telmo (that means be there on a Sunday)
• Bosques de Palermo

These are all important to experience from a cultural viewpoint.

There will obviously be more things to do, depending on the things you like.

Since Argentina is cheap at the moment, shopping is a great option. Calle Florida is the place to go, or one of the many shopping centers in the city such as the Patio Bullrich.

If you’re a football/soccer fan, then you have to visit the stadiums of Boca Juniors (La Bombonera) and River Plate (Más Monumental).

If you love partying, then you need to experience some nights out in the Palermo area where it’s absolutely loaded with bars and clubs.

And if you want to do day trips to other places in the vicinity of Buenos Aires, then you have to add La Plata and Tigre to your list.

Foods and drinks you have to try

Don Julio is the most famous restaurant in Buenos Aires. Book a table ahead of your trip.

There are some Argentine dishes, snacks and treats you have to try:

• Asado
• Milanesa a la napolitana
• Matambre a la pizza
• Empanadas
• Choripán
• Provoleta
• Medialunas
• Alfajores
• Rogel cake

As for drinks, you have to try the mate tea. When it comes to alcoholic drinks, the most authentic options would be Malbec wine and Fernet with Coke. The wine is mostly from Mendoza and the fernet is mostly from Córdoba. But both can easily be found in Buenos Aires where they are very popular.

Make sure you have enough days in Argentina to try some different foods and drinks every day – and enough time to get more of what you like the most.

Iconic places to stay

For the most luxurious stay, make a booking with Four Seasons Buenos Aires. Best of the best, but very expensive as Four Seasons always is.

Alvear Palace is beautiful as well – really high standards and a great location.

Affordable holiday apartments can be found all over the Palermo area. You will lack the services of a hotel, but prices are typically lower.

For those who want to socialize and save money at the same time, look for one of the many hostels in Buenos Aires. The Viajero Hostel is a great option, in the magical neighborhood of San Telmo.

Why you need a full week

Buenos Aires has so many awesome attractions and activities. If you only plan a 3-4 day stay, you’ll regret it later and you’ll have to plan a new trip to experience more.

The city is massive so even in a week you can’t get the full experience. But it is possible to see the tourist attractions, try the main Argentine foods and snacks, and have enough time for a night out.

So a week is great for a tourist. However, if you’re absolutely fascinated with Argentine culture, you obviously need more than that, and you have to see other places around the country too.

Check some of our other articles about Argentina for more information!

The best places to start would be our articles about where to stay in Buenos Aires, how to travel around Argentina, and our list of the best destinations in the country.

Photo by Benjamin Rascoe on Unsplash.