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Buenos Aires is a city you could get lost in for days, and I highly recommend that you do, but what if you only have a weekend or a couple of days to squeeze in everything you can? Well, we’re going to give you a jam packed itinerary that includes where to stay, eat, sightsee, and drink to your heart’s content. Warning…Buenos Aires is a very late city, dinner’s often don’t get served til after 10pm, but somehow everyone is up and running bright in early. In other words: you may need a vacay from your vacay.
Where to Stay.
You’re only going to the city for 2 nights and location is key. You’ll need access to the shops, restaurants, and nightlife in Palermo, but also the vibe and energy of La Boca. After roaming the city, I would recommend Recoleta. We used World of Hyatt points and enjoyed an incredible room at the Park Hyatt. It’s a converted Palace and readily has rooms starting at 25k per night. Other iconic hotels nearby are the Alvear Palace and Four Seasons. Want to focus your trip around food and nightlife? The Fiero would be my first look in Palermo.
Where to Eat
The restaurant scene is a foodie paradise and the prices are unbelievably attractive. In the mornings I would stumble into any number of coffee shops that are sprouting up, grab a pastry, and if you want a special treat try out the Smeterling Patisserie near the El Ateneo Grand Splendid. Want something heavier? Find any number of Bodegones, Argentinian diners, that serve revuelto gramajo, an egg dish with ham and potatoes. For lunch, check out the roof of the Alvear Palace for an incredible view of the city, or wander the market near Recoleta Cemetery.
You can’t go to Buenos Aires without standing outside Don Julio’s sipping champagne and waiting for your table to open up. The experience is social, people chat and mingle as they wait for their chance to eat the best Steak in South America. It’s a must experience on your trip. Afterwards…head on by Victoria Brown Bar for a custom cocktail.
Step aside the box?
A restaurant that you’d never think would find its delicious feet in Buenos Aires…Gran Dabbang. A restaurant that focusing on Indian food served deconstructed tapas style. It was hands down one of the most memorable meals I’ve had in the past few years. We split 7 or 8 dishes, had a couple of beers, and spent about $25 a person. Truly delicious and I would highly recommend.
Where to Drink:
Buenos Aires is turning into a speakeasy paradise.
Floreria Atlantico is a the grande dame and within walking distance of the Park Hyatt. In fact, you’ll think you’ve arrived at a random flower shop until you mention grabbing a bite to eat or enjoying a custom cocktail. Then…a trap door opens and you’re whisked downstairs. Come early, it was insanely packed. They have a kitchen too…
Other notables that we found very cool were across town in Palermo: Victoria Brown Bar and JW Bradley where you’ll enter through an old train car and emerge in a train station themed mixology bar.
What to see
Over the course of 4 days we roamed the streets, and if you want to Consolidate your time here’s what I would do. Split the city into either side of Recoleta ( if that’s where you’re staying). There are plenty more places to see, but these were my favorite and you could hit them all in two days. Just be ready to walk 7-10 miles a day.
Day 1:
- Recoleta Cemetery
- An above ground cemetery featuring some of the wealthiest former inhabitants of the city. Expect to see mausoleums the size of a house.
- El Ateneo Grand Splendid
- An old opera house that has been converted into one of the world’s coolest bookstores and cafes. Grab lunch on the former stage
- Water Company Palace
- This former water pumping station is around the corner from El Ateneo and worth snapping a quick shot
- Palermo
- The artists quarter. An area of town chalked full of local shops, boutiques, chef driven restaurants, and speakeasies.
Day 2:
- Opera House
- One of the most acoustically perfect opera houses in the world
- Plaza de Mayo/Casa Rosada
- Big city square and Casa Rosada is where the office of the president of Argentina is located. Very cool and filled with people.
- Avenida 9 de Julio
- A very busy “high street” that cuts through the central business district. One side of the Opera House faces it.
- La Boca
- another artist enclave that features incredible graffitti, cafes, and boutiques to pop your head in and out.
We loved our time in Buenos Aires and can’t wait to go back. Feel free to add any hot spots you love
Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.
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Annual Fee
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Main Cast:
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Supporting Cast:
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