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Attractions

There are 47 official neighborhoods in Buenos Aires, but only five main areas are of interest to most visitors: those closest to the Río de la Plata, from La Boca in the south up to Palermo in the north, with Plaza de Mayo, Microcento, and Recoleta in between.

Do get started with an orientation tour. Reliable companies that run bus tours include Buenos Aires Visión (www.buenosaires-vision.com.ar) and Travel Line (www.travelline.com.ar). Once you've gotten your bearings, hone in on specific interests with numerous walking tours; the city-run circuits (www.bue.gov.ar) dedicated to art, architecture, Evita Perón, tango legend Carlos Gardel, and more have the added advantage of being free. For shopping, check out Curiocity (www.curiocity.com.ar); for tango, try ABC Tango Tours (www.abctango.com); Tango With Judy (www.tangowithjudy.com); or Tanguera Tours (www.tangueratours.com). For a more general nightlife tour (including tango clubs among other nightspots), a good option is the Tour Nocturno (www.tour-nocturno.com.ar).

For additional information, the Argentina Government Tourist Office (212/603-0443; www.turismo.gov.ar) is reachable from the United States; the city tourism web site (www.bue.gov.ar) is also a good source of information. For the latest local news, refer to the English-language Buenos Aires Herald (www.buenosairesherald.com).

Plaza de Mayo, Puerto Madero & Microcentro
A good a place to start your tour of the city is in it's oldest square, Plaza de Mayo, which dates from the 1580s and is rife with Buenos Aires history. Try to time your visit for 3:30pm on Thursday to witness members of the famous Madres de la Plaza de Mayo (Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo; www.madres.org) – whose signature headscarves have been rendered in the square's cobblestones – marching and pontificating as they have since 1976, in protest against the rampant kidnappings and killings of so-called dissident citizens during the military dictatorship of 1976-1983; today the issue involves the unaccounted fate of the 500 or so children born to some of the victims.

Even if you don't visit the square on a Thursday, there is still plenty to see here, the most compelling attraction being, of course, the Casa Rosada (the pink house), where Juan and Evita Perón riled up the crowds from the front balcony (and where the current president works, but doesn't live); a small museum on the south side (Calle Hipólito Yrigoyen 219; Mon-Fri 10am-6m, Sun 2-6pm; free; www.museo.gov.ar) houses presidential exhibits through 1976 (plus a good dose of Evita material as well), but try to arrive at 11am or 4pm, when free tours are given of the mansion's public areas (call ahead to arrange a tour in English). On the opposite side is the pre-independence Cabildo, site of the city council from 1580 to 1821; today it houses several small history exhibits (Calle Bolívar 65; Tue–Fri 10.30-5pm, Sun 11:30-6pm; $1). Across the way, do duck inside the 1827 neoclassical Catedral Metropolitana (Calle Rivadavia, Mon–Fri 8am-7pm, Sat & Sun 9am-7.30pm, tours daily 11.30am and 4pm) to admire its elegant, understated interior and the 1880 tomb of General José de San Martín, the Argentine equivalent to George Washington.

Heading from Plaza de Mayo towards a canal off Río de la Plata, you'll come across a gentrified red-brick warehouse complex known as Puerto Madero (www.puertomadero.com) that's best known for its many superb restaurants (see Where to Eat), as well as the modern Hilton behind it (see Where to Stay). But there are a couple of interesting attractions here, too, like the Puente de la Mujer (bridge of womankind), a dramatic, sweeping suspension bridge designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava and inaugurated in 2001, and the Fragata Sarmiento (Dique 3; daily 9am–8pm; 2 pesos), an 1897 frigate once used to train Argentine naval cadets, but which now houses a nautical museum.

West of the Plaza de Mayo, and away from the water, is the mega, 16-lane Avenida 9 de Julio, whose centerpiece, Plaza de la República, is centered around the iconic 220-foot Obelisco, which was built in 1936 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the city's founding. A couple of blocks to the north is the equally impressive Teatro Colón (Calle Cerrito 618; 1hr tours at 11am, 1pm & 3pm; 12 pesos; www.teatrocolon.org.ar), a sumptuous theater built in 1908; its acoustics are so superb that opera, symphonies, and ballet are performed without amplification of any kind.

North of the Plaza de Mayo and east of the Obelisco is the Microcentro, the city's bustling business and shopping area where commerce, not culture, is the main draw. Head down Avenida Corrientes – one of its main drags – and you're likely to feel like you're on New York's Broadway, what with all the theaters here. Window-shoppers should make a beeline for two pedestrian streets, the long Calle Florida and the shorter, intersecting Calle Lavalle (pronounced "la-vie-jay"), but keep in mind that, while prices at the many leather and shoe shops here are low by North American standards, you'll find even better deals outside of downtown (see Shopping). Even if you're not into shopping, it's worth stopping by Galerías Pacífico (Calle Florida 750; www.galeriaspacifico.com.ar) all the same; this elegantly modernized Gilded Age building dates from 1891. There is one museum of interest in this part of town, however, and that's the Museo Mitre (Calle San Martín 336; Mon-Fri 12-6pm; 1 peso; www.museomitre.gov.ar), set in the former home of the mid-19th-century president Bartolomé Mitre; while there's no collection of note, the handful of recreated rooms evoke a sense of the man's 1800s lifestyle.

Recoleta
Northwest of Microcento and the Plaza de Mayo lies Recoleta, Buenos Aires' most exclusive neighborhood. The leafy avenues here not only exemplify the city's moniker of Paris of South America, but also lead to the mausoleum that harbors its most famous citizen, Evita Perón.

For a one-stop Paris sampler, stroll Avenida Alvear, where chic boutiques share real-estate with palatial manses reminiscent of Hauptman's Paris and the ritzier parts of uptown Manhattan (indeed, this is one part of the city where prices and rents are more in line with those two cities than with Buenos Aires) and pop into the Alvear Palace Hotel at no. 1891 (see Where to Stay) to gawk at the soaring, gilded dining areas and lobby bar, where even Louis XIV would have felt right at home.

Three blocks down is the 13.5-acre Cementerio de la Recoleta (Calle Junín 1760; daily 8am–6pm; free; www.cementeriorecoleta.com.ar), a cemetery that dates from 1822 and ranks alongside Paris' Père Lachaise in terms of splendor and artistry. Over 6000 elaborate, above-ground tombs and mausoleums belonging to Argentina's illustrious and wealthy line the paved streets here, but the one you're most likely to recognize is that of María Eva Duarte (better known as Evita Perón). While her family's vault isn't the most remarkable of the lot, it still attracts throngs of tourists. On your way out, stop into Nuestra Señora del Pilar, a 1732 church with impressive cloisters.

Two fine museums round out the offerings here: Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (National Fine Arts Museum; Avenida del Libertador 1473; Tue–Fri 12.30-7.30pm, Sat & Sun 9.30am–7.30pm; free; www.mnba.org.ar) puts the accent on Argentine artists like Eduardo Sívori and Xul Solar, but also showcases plenty of international names like Degas, Goya, Miró, Monet, Picasso, Rembrandt, and Van Gogh. Nearby, the country's decorative arts museum, Museo Nacional de Arte Decorativo (Decorative Arts Museum; Avenida del Libertador 1902; Jan–Feb Tues–Sat 2–7pm, Mar–Dec Tues–Sun 2–7pm; 8 pesos; www.mnad.org), is set in an extravagant 1917 mansion and includes works by Rodin, Lalique, and Saunier.

Palermo
Recoleta gives way to a sprawling area known as Palermo (www.palermonline.com.ar), a neighborhood that's so vast, in fact, that its many subsections are tagged with qualifiers (Palermo Chico, Viejo, Hollywood, Soho, and so forth). This is where, among other attractions, you'll find the Japanese Garden (Avenida Figueroa Alcorta; daily 10am–6pm; 3 pesos; www.jardinjapones.com); the city planetarium (Avenida Sarmiento; Mon-Fri 9am–6pm, Sat & Sun 2–8pm; 4 pesos; www.planetario.gov.ar); the 18-hectare zoo (Avenida Las Heras; Tue–Sun 10am–6pm; 8 pesos); botanical garden (Avenida Las Heras; daily 8am–6pm; free); a museum of modern Argentine art, the Museo de Artes Plásticas Eduardo Sívori (Avenida de la Infanta Isabel 555; Tue–Fri noon–7pm, Sat & Sun 10am–7pm; 3 pesos, free Wed; www.museosivori.org.ar), and another dedicated to Latin America as a whole, the Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires, which everybody calls simply MALBA (Figueroa Alcorta 3415; Thu–Mon noon–8pm, Wed noon–9pm; 10 pesos, free Wed; www.malba.org.ar). The recently opened Museo Evita (Calle Lafinur 2988; Tue–Sun 2–7.30pm; 5 pesos; www.evitaperon.org), established with the aide of Eva Perón's family and partisans, tries (not always successfully) to be evenhanded in its depictions of this towering figure of 20th-century Argentina.

San Telmo
Down south of Plaza de Mayo, be prepared for a change of pace in San Telmo, the city's "gaslight district" that's retained its narrow cobblestoned streets, photogenic colonial buildings, and relatively low rents, which means a certain boho vibe now mixes with the blue collars of generations past. It's the city's most charming neighborhood to stay in, as it's mostly quiet and laid-back, with good dining, antiquing, museums, tango joints, and small hotels (with no big chains yet).

Sundays find the neighborhood at its liveliest, as the streets around the venerable, tree-lined Plaza Dorrego (Avenida Defensa/Humberto Primo) are overtaken by antiques booths for the Feria de San Telmo (10am–5pm); don't worry, plenty of antique shops and markets are open throughout the week here, too (see Shopping). Other area draws include the impressive blue onion-domed Santísima Trinidad Russian Orthodox cathedral (Avenida Brasil 315; Sat 5–8.30pm, Sun 10am–12.30pm) and a trio of museums, namely: the Museo Histórico Nacional (National History Museum; Calle Defensa 1600; Tues–Sun Feb–Apr & Oct–Dec 11am–6pm, May–Sep 11am–5pm, closed Jan; free; www.cultura.gov.ar), colonial mansion housing a wealth of historical art and artifacts; the Museo de Arte Moderno de Buenos Aires (Avenida San Juan 350; Mon–Fri 1–8pm, Sun 11–8pm; 3 pesos, free Wed), a modern art museum set in a red-brick former tobacco factory; and, our personal favorite, the modest Museo Penitenciario (Humberto Primo 378; Tue-Fri 2–5pm, Sun noon–6pm; 1 peso), a former 18th-century women's penitentiary that depicts prison conditions in those days.

La Boca
Rough around the edges but compelling all the same, La Boca is the last major part of town you shouldn't miss. Bordering San Telmo on the southeast side and named for its location at "the mouth" of a tributary called Riachuelo (a river which is unfortunately utterly unremarkable, having been used to dispose of industrial waste), the neighborhood's narrow, tree-lined streets still give a taste of the working-class neighborhood that descended from 19th- and early-20th century immigrants from Spain and Italy (especially Genoa).

Admittedly, things have been somewhat gussied up for tourists on and around La Boca's most famous street, the one-block-long El Caminito, the "little street" that owes its name to a famous tango and which is lined with colorful houses made of corrugated metal. While it can be a bit of a circus here – you're likely to have to dodge couples tangoing for cash and artisans hawking their wares – we always try and remember that El Caminito and La Boca are the real deal, regardless of how touristy they've become. If you have time to spare, also consider visiting the Museo de Bellas Artes de La Boca (Avenida Pedro de Mendoza 1835; Tue–Fri 10am–6pm, Sat & Sun 11am–6pm; 1 peso), for its collection of modern Argentine paintings, and the Museo de la Pasión Boquense (Calle Brandsen 805; daily 10am–6pm, 20 pesos including stadium tour; www.museoboquense.com), which chronicles the neighborhood and its much-adored resident soccer team, the Boca Juniors.

DAY TRIPS
Argentina is chock-full of extraordinary outings beyond Buenos Aires. However, keep in mind that while there is much to see in the rest of the country, Argentina is vast, and many of its treasures require long bus rides or flights between them. But there are several nearby destinations that can easily be visited in a day – and make great overnights, too, should time permit.

The Pampas
Besides the tango, the gaucho (cowboy) is probably the most recognizable of Argentine icons, and the subject of the defining work of Argentine literature, Martín Fierro (1872). Set on the vast grasslands of cattle ranches that cover much of the province beyond Buenos Aires, you can get a good taste of the towns and their ranch culture in about an hour's drive from the capital. The handsome 19th-century city of La Plata (www.laplata.gov.ar), about 30 miles from Buenos Aires, is a worthy destination of its own accord but, if your time is limited, you should head directly to the much older town of San Antonio de Areco (www.arecoturismo.com.ar ), about 70 miles out, where dozens of estancias (ranches) are open to visitors. We particularly recommend the Estancia El Ombœ de Areco, an 1880 manse with nine rooms and a pool (www.estanciaelombu.com), and Estancia La Bamba, a 12-roomer dating back to 1830 (www.la-bamba.com.ar); day passes at both generally start at US$40 while overnights go for around US$110 per person. The full list of area ranches is available online at www.estanciasargentinas.com.

Tigre & Paraná Delta
Nature-lovers might consider an even closer jaunt, via the Tren de la Costa (www.trendelacosta.com.ar) train that whisks visitors and locals alike off to a popular porteño weekend getaway in the town of Tigre (www.tigre.gov.ar). The local market hosts a crafts fair, a couple of small museums focus on the Argentine navy and coast guard, and an amusement park (www.parquedelacosta.com) also makes for good distraction. The main reason to come, however, is the area's marshy river delta, where a boat cruise will take you to see a slew of pretty islands presided over by houses perched on stilts. An inexpensive water bus and charters abound; try Barba Charters (www.barbacharters.com.ar) or Catamarán Delta & Co. (+54 (11) 4731-8435; www.puntodelta.com.ar/deltaco/), and Buenos Aires Outdoors Ecotours Paraná (+54 (11) 4797-1143; www.buenosairesoutdoors.com); you can also stay overnight on one of the islands.

Uruguay
How many cities can you name whose premier getaways are in another country? Few Americans know anything about it, but the small and peaceful country of Uruguay (www.turismo.gub.uy) lies right across the Río de la Plata, and its capital, Montevideo (www.montevideoinvita.com.uy), has a similarly European feel to Buenos Aires, just on a smaller, friendlier scale. While the city itself is worth visiting, one of our favorite destinations in Uruguay is La Colonia (www.colonianet.com), a laid-back riverside town at the tip of a peninsula, with a 17th-century colonial core founded by the Portuguese (not the Spaniards) that ranks as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. An hour away from Buenos Aires by high-speed ferry (www.buquebus.com), you'll find exquisite little cobblestone lanes, plazas, and waterfront promenades; several notable museums and a climbable lighthouse; good restaurants (the Mercado del Puerto, at Santa Rita 40, has parrilla better than many joints in Buenos Aires); and a variety of lodgings – try the Posada del Virrey (www.posadadelvirrey.com.uy) or El Mirador (www.hotelelmirador.com) if you're keen to spend the night. For a beach escape, we also recommend one of South America's premier beach resort towns, Punta del Este (www.vivapunta.com), some 45 minutes by air and five hours by boat and bus from Buenos Aires. You'll be rewarded with great beaches and nightlife, plus a good dose of Latin-style glamor.