5 Tips for Your First Trip to Buenos Aires

Be it a tour, a vacation or a weekend getaway. Buenos Aires is a perfect city to meet and have fun, a charming and addictive place with an inexhaustible choice of history, cultures and lots of art. This is the kind of trip you can repeat several times without getting tired of and you will always find something new to discover.

We’ve listed 5 very essential tips to plan your trip and to take advantage of all the options without worries. Additionally you can learn a few words before your trip, and you’ll enjoy much more of the city.

Best season

If you like the cold and do not mind walking with the temperature below 10ºC, your ideal travel time is the winter from June to September. The coldest days of the year occur between June and July with temperatures close to 0°. During this period, the maximum temperature rarely exceeds 10 degrees. Winter rains are moderate, as rainy seasons are in April and during the summer.

It may seem exaggerated, but the winter in Buenos Aires does not forgive or make a difference with anyone: it affects men, women and children alike and without any warning! So pack your suitcase with at least coat, hat and socks.

If you enjoy a warmer climate, summer may be a better option. Due to the humidity of the air, the thermal sensation in the city is high, which will require a lot of water and beer.

The great advantage of this time is that many Argentines travel, owing to the heat, to the beaches, the ice of the south or even to the regions of the sierras in the Argentinean interior, leaving the capital of Buenos Aires empty, with the chance to get to know all the sights with more tranquility.

The best travel times are undoubtedly Autumn and Spring, where everyone is pleased: The weather is not that warm and the temperatures are milder, which is helpful for the walks through the parks and open areas during the day. Mornings and evenings though can be pretty cold, so it’s important to bring at least one sweater.

Where to stay

The neighborhoods most sought after by tourists are Downtown, San Telmo, Recoleta and Palermo. These districts are in fact the best options — due to their location, there is a great offer of hotels and hostels excellent for your stay.

Downtown and San Telmo are very close neighborhoods, so it does not make much difference in relation to prices and distance of the sights. This helps if you want to know the city during the day, as there is always movement and many accommodations. Indeed, they is not suitable to go out at night, because the streets are deserted and the feeling of insecurity grows.

For its part, Recoleta is one of the most distinguished districts of the city. It features an excellent location with several options for a charming and luxurious stay. As a consequence of its great location the price happens to scare tourists, leaving the neighborhood without many options to stay. The restaurants in this area are also much more expensive than the rest of the city.

The best cost benefit is the neighborhood of Palermo. It is a trendy neighborhood, with a young theme and lots of art, it is possible to take a stroll just admiring the arts of the streets of Palermo Soho and Palermo Hollywood. Evenings are more vivid as it has the largest concentration of bars, nightclubs and restaurants with a well diversified audience.

Exchange and Money

A very important tip is that due to the economic crisis in Argentina, it is much better to perform the exchange directly in Buenos Aires, than to bring Argentine pesos. When you arrive at Ezeiza airport, you will find the Banco de la Nación Argentina, where you can exchange currency before leaving the airport.

The city does not yet have the debit / credit card culture. So you must carry cash with you to take advantage of the opportunities. There are only a few places that accept the card and in many cases these are just international companies.

Inside the city there is Calle Florida, where every two steps there is someone shouting “Cambio, Cambio” exchanging almost all currencies. But this is a parallel market and illegal. It is also not advised because there is no security or control of this money.

Transport

Although the city is big and some neighborhoods are distant, transportation in Buenos Aires is easy, practical and cheap, having several options of choice and convenience.

The public transport system of the capital of Argentina is quite efficient. You can get to know a good part of the city with the subway and, when that is not possible, the buses will surely take you wherever you want. The most important tip for you to use public transportation in Buenos Aires is: get a SUBE card as soon as you arrive. This is the card used to pay for bus, subway and train tickets.

If you want to take a taxi, your transport is a bit more expensive, however it is the option with the most possibilities to come from the tourist districts to the residential districts. The more distant races are on average 300 Argentine pesos (depending on the location), and can be requested by app or by calling on the street.

The Uber is a much more practical option, however due to the payment being on credit card, and having other charges and fares, the cost mostly comes out a bit more expensive than a regular taxi. Additionally, this kind of transportation has a lot of problems with local laws because they are not officially regulated.

If you want to save money and time, always compare the prices and the ease of each transport before taking it.

Where to eat

Where to eat is one of the most important questions for everyone traveling to another country. Fortunately Buenos Aires has endless choices of cuisine to suit all tastes. Make sure your stomach will enjoy your trip too.

The Argentine barbecue with best meats and a unique way to prepare is known internationally the best option to begin to know the Argentine cuisine. It includes everything from options such as a chorizo steak to the famous “Choripan”. Another very famous dish is the famous Milanesa that some places are even specialized for.

Another important part of Argentine cuisine are pizza, empanadas and croissants. Listed on all the main menus, these classics stay tuned while the pizzas are served without cutlery and eaten by hand. However croissants are made from the dough alone, without filling, whereas the empanadas have a huge variety of filling. Take use and abuse of these options.

For all sweet-eaters, the traditional Dulce de Leche, as well as Alfajores and ice cream with a variety of flavors is a must.

Bonus

If you like a lively night, good music and cool people, the neighborhood of Palermo Soho is perfect, as it is traditionally known for having one of the most vivid nights in the Argentine capital. But, get ready for the “porteño” parties that start much later, around 2 o’clock in the morning.

Our tip is to start the night in some pub and to go to a “boliche” after that to enjoy the rest of the night, which works from Monday to Monday. The party options in Palermo are huge and if you go through the night already knowing the options there is no doubt you will enjoy even more.

Now that you have the best tips for your trip, prepare your suitcase and visit Buenos Aires. Just remember to keep the documents and vaccines up to date.