49 Best Sights in Buenos Aires, Argentina

The ominous gates and labyrinthine paths of the city's oldest cemetery, founded in 1822, is the final resting place for the nation's most illustrious figures. Covering 13½ acres and said to be the most expensive real estate in town, the cemetery has more than 6,400 elaborate vaulted tombs and majestic mausoleums, 70 of which have been declared historic monuments. Architectural styles run the gamut from chapels to Greek temples to pyramids to art deco and miniature mansions. The biggest name is Eva Duarte de Perón, after 17 years of posthumous wandering, found in the Duarte family vault. Other highlights include the tombs of landowner Dorrego Ortíz Basualdo, who resides in Recoleta's most monumental sepulcher, complete with chandelier, and Rufina Cambaceres, the girl who died twice. Entombed on her 19th birthday in 1902, she awoke inside her casket and clawed the top open, dying of a heart attack before she could be rescued. The names of many key players in Argentina's history are chiseled over other sumptuous mausoleums: Alvear, Quintana, Sáenz Peña, Lavalle, Sarmiento. There are guides for hire at the entrance or the administrative office can provide a free photocopied map if you wish to wander at your own pace. On weekends catch the open-air market known as La Feria de Artesanos de Plaza Francia outside the cemetery. It's usually teeming with shoppers eager to stock up on quality crafts.

All of Buenos Aires' history is packed into this unusual house. The street it's on was once a small river—the zanjón, or gorge, of the property's name—where the first, unsuccessful attempt to found Buenos Aires took place in 1536. When the property's current owner decided to develop it, he discovered all sorts of things below: pottery and cutlery, the foundations of past constructions, and a 500-foot network of tunnels that has taken over 25 years to excavate. With the help of historians and architects, they've now been restored, and the entire site has been transformed into a private museum that's valuable urban archeology. Excellent 50-minute-long guided tours in English Monday through Friday and Sunday at 12 pm and 4 pm take you through low-lighted sections of the tunnels. Expect few visitors and plenty of atmosphere on weekdays; you can also visit next-door property Casa Mínima.

Plaza Dorrego is the heart of the Feria de San Pedro Telmo—an open-air market that stretches for more than a kilometer (0.6 mile) along Calle Defensa each Sunday. Thrust your way through the crowds to pick through antiques and curios of varying vintages as well as tango memorabilia, or watch professional tango dancers perform on the surrounding cobbled streets. The unofficial "stalls" (often just a cloth on the ground) of young craftspeople stretch several blocks up Defensa, away from the market proper. As it gets dark, the square turns into a milonga, where quick-stepping locals show you how it's done.

Wedged between three busy Palermo streets, this unexpected haven has 18 acres of gardens filled with 5,500 varieties of exotic and indigenous flora. Different sections re-create the environments of Asia, Africa, Oceania, Europe, and the Americas. An organic vegetable garden aims to teach children healthy eating habits, and winding paths lead to hidden statues and a brook. The central area contains an exposed-brick botanical school and library, plus a beautiful greenhouse brought from France in 1900 but unfortunately not open to the public.

Comprising works of 19th- and 20th-century Latin American art collected by founder Eduardo Constantini, the fabulous Museum of Latin American Art of Buenos Aires (MALBA) is one of the cornerstones of the city's cultural life. Early works in the permanent collection reflect the European avant-garde experiences of artists such as Diego Rivera, Xul Solar, Roberto Matta, and Joaquín Torres García. These, in turn, gave rise to paintings like Abaporu (1928) by Tarsila do Amaral, a Brazilian involved in the "cannibalistic" Movimento Antropofágico. Geometric paintings and sculptures from the 1940s represent movements such as Arte Concreto, Constructivism, and Arte Madí. Argentina's undisputed modern master, Antonio Berni, is represented by a poptastic collage called The Great Temptation (1962) and the bizarre sculpture Voracity or Ramona's Nightmare (1964). Pieces by local greats Liliana Porter, Marta Minujín, Guillermo Kuitca, and Alejandro Kuropatwa form the end of the permanent collection. The MALBA also hosts world-class temporary exhibitions—recent examples include Yoko Ono and Jeff Koons—and two small basement galleries show art by cutting-edge Argentines.

The world's largest collection of Argentine art is contained in this neoclassical wine-color building, which once housed the city's waterworks. Here, you can see many lesser works by big-name European artists from the 12th through 20th centuries, and the MNBA also hosts high-profile temporary exhibitions on its refurbished second floor. The European collection and 19th-century Argentine works are on display in the 24 ground-floor galleries; highlights include Cándido López's panoramic battle scenes, which he painted with his left hand after losing his right arm in the 1870s during the War of the Triple Alliance. His work spearheaded contemporary primitive painting and is showcased in Gallery 23. A whole room (Gallery 8) is given over to European master Goya’s dark, disturbing works. The room behind the entrance hall (Gallery 10) contains Rodin sculptures. The right wing includes paintings by Manet, Degas, Monet, Pissarro, Gaugin, and Toulouse-Lautrec. The large modern pavilion behind the museum also hosts excellent temporary exhibitions, often showcasing top local artists little known outside Argentina. Free one-hour guided visits in English are offered on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 12:30, and Saturday at 2.

Since its construction in 1580, this has been the setting for Argentina's most politically turbulent moments, including the uprising against Spanish colonial rule on May 25, 1810—hence its name. The square was once divided in two by a recova (gallery), but this reminder of colonial times was demolished in 1883 and the square's central monument, the Pirámide de Mayo, was later moved to its place. The pyramid you see is a 1911 extension of the original (which is hidden inside), erected in 1811 on the anniversary of the Revolution of May. The bronze equestrian statue of General Manuel Belgrano, the designer of Argentina's flag, dates from 1873.

The plaza remains the traditional site for ceremonies, rallies, and protests. Thousands cheered for Perón and Evita here; anti-Peronist planes bombed the gathered crowds in 1955; there were bloody clashes in December 2001 (hence the heavy police presence and crowd-control barriers); but the mood was jubilant for the nation's bicentenary in 2010. The white head scarves painted around the pyramid represent the Madres de la Plaza de Mayo (Mothers of May Square) who have marched here every Thursday at 3:30 for nearly four decades. Housewives and mothers–turned–militant activists, they demand justice for los desaparecidos—the people who were "disappeared" during Argentina's dictatorial military government (1976–83).

Tango dancers inspired the sweeping asymmetrical lines of Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava's design for the pedestrian-only Bridge of the Woman. Puerto Madero's street names pay homage to famous Argentine women, hence the bridge's name. (Ironically its most visible part—a soaring 128-foot arm—represents the man of a couple in mid-tango.) The $6-million structure was made in Spain and paid for by local businessmen Alberto L. González, one of the brains behind Puerto Madero's redevelopment; he was also for building the Hilton Hotel here. Twenty engines rotate the bridge to allow ships to pass through.

Its magnitude, magnificent acoustics, and opulence earn the Teatro Colón a place among the world's top five opera houses and an ever-changing stream of imported talent bolsters the well-regarded local lyric and ballet companies.

After an eventful 18-year building process involving the death of one architect and the murder of another, the sublime Italianate structure was inaugurated in 1908 with Verdi's Aïda. It has hosted the likes of Maria Callas, Richard Strauss, Arturo Toscanini, Igor Stravinsky, Enrico Caruso, and Luciano Pavarotti, who said that the Colón has only one flaw: the acoustics are so good that every mistake can be heard.

The theater's sumptuous building materials—three kinds of Italian marble, French stained glass, and Venetian mosaics—were imported from Europe. The seven-tier main theater is breathtaking, and has a grand central chandelier with 700 lights to illuminate the 3,000 mere mortals in its red-velvet seats.

The opera and ballet seasons run from April through December, and performances include symphonic cycles, chamber music concerts, and avant-garde music, opera, and dramatic performances at the ultraminimal Centro Experimental.

You can get in on the behind-the-scenes action on a guided tour, which takes you up and down innumerable staircases to rehearsal rooms and to the costume, shoe, and scenery workshops, before letting you gaze at the stage from a sought-after box. (Tours are daily 9–5, every hour on the hour and at 11, 1, and 3 in English; arrive at least a half hour before the tour starts, as they fill up quickly.)

Buy performance tickets from the box office on Pasaje Toscanini. If seats are sold out—or beyond your pocket—you can buy 600-peso standing-room tickets on the day of the performance. These are for the lofty upper-tier paraíso, from which you can both see and hear perfectly.

When they tried to shut down ultravintage Bar Británico, the whole city rallied to its defense. Rub elbows with bohemian students and wizened old-timers as you perk up with a cortado (espresso "cut" with a dash of milk) or unwind with a ginebra (ginlike spirit). The area can be sketchy, so it's best to grab a cab.

Regulars insist that the picadas (snacks such as cold cuts and bread) at Bar El Federal are some of the best in town—and you can linger over them for hours, no questions asked.

Wood-paneled, dust-festooned Bar Plaza Dorrego is right on San Telmo's main square. Sip your cafecito (espresso) or icy beer at one of its window tables for some prime people-watching, all the while shelling your pile of peanuts.

Tango musicians often perform at Bar Seddon, an otherwise quiet bar with a beautiful checkered floor and old-fashioned cash register.

This basilica beside the famous Cementerio de la Recoleta is where Buenos Aires' elite families hold weddings and other ceremonies. Built by the Recoleto friars in 1732, it is a national treasure for its six German baroque–style altars. The central one is overlaid with Peruvian engraved silver; another, sent by Spain's King Carlos III, contains relics. The basilica's cloisters house the Museo de los Claustros del Pilar, a small museum that displays religious artifacts as well as pictures and photographs documenting Recoleta's evolution. There are excellent views of the cemetery from upstairs windows.

Bought from England in 1874, the oldest ship in the Argentine fleet has been around the world several times and was used in the nation's Antarctic campaigns at the turn of the 20th century. You can see what the captain's cabin and officers' mess looked like at that time; there are also displays of artifacts rescued from shipwrecks. A stroll around the decks affords views of the vessel and of Puerto Madero.

The navy commissioned this frigate from England in 1898, and meant for it to be used as an open-sea training vessel. The 280-foot boat used up to 33 sails and carried more than 300 crew members. The beautifully restored cabins include surprisingly luxurious officers' quarters with parquet floors, wood paneling, and leather armchairs; cadets had to make do with hammocks.

Nothing sums up the chaotic Microcentro better than this pedestrian axis, which has fallen from grace and risen from the ashes at least as many times as Argentina's economy. It’s a riotous spot on weekdays, when throngs of office workers eager for a fast-food or high-street retail fix intermingle with buskers and street vendors. You can wander it in less than an hour: start at the intersection with Av. de Mayo, and a bench or patch of grass in shady Plaza San Martín will be your reward at the other end.

En route, take in the surrounding buildings. At the ornate Edificio Bank Boston (No. 99) attention tends to focus on the battered, paint-splattered 4-ton bronze doors—unhappy customers have been taking out their anger at corralitos (banks retaining their savings) since the economic crisis of 2001–02.

The restoration process at Galería Güemes has left the soaring marble columns and stained-glass cupola gleaming, and the tacky shops that fill this historic arcade do nothing to lessen the wow factor. Witness Buenos Aires' often cavalier attitude to its architectural heritage at Florida's intersection with Avenida Corrientes, where the neo-Gothic Palacio Elortondo-Alvear is now home to Burger King. Go upstairs to check out the plaster molding and stained glass.

Milan's Galleria Vittorio Emanuele served as the model for Galerías Pacífico, designed during Buenos Aires' turn-of-the-20th-century golden age. Once the headquarters of the Buenos Aires–Pacific Railway, it's now a posh shopping mall and cultural center. Head to the central stairwell to see the allegorical murals painted by local greats Juan Carlos Castagnino, Antonio Berni, Cirilo Colmenio, Lino Spilimbergo, and Demetrio Urruchúa. The Centro Cultural Borges, which hosts small international exhibitions and musical events, is on the mezzanine level.

Past the slew of leather shops in the blocks north of Avenida Córdoba is Plaza San Martín, where you’ll see a bronze statue of the namesake saint atop a rearing horse. It's overlooked by several opulent Italianate buildings and South America's tallest art deco structure, the Edificio Kavanagh.

Cobblestones, tango dancers, and haphazardly constructed, colorful conventillos have made Calle Museo Caminito the darling of Buenos Aires' postcard manufacturers since this pedestrian street was created in 1959. Artists fill the block-long street with works depicting port life and the tango, said to have been born in La Boca. These days it's commercial, but it can make a fun outing if you embrace it. The name "Caminito" comes from a 1926 tango by Juan de Dios Filiberto. It was chosen by local artist Benito Quinquela Martín, who helped establish the street as an open-air museum.

Painters peddle their creations from stalls along Caminito. Quality varies considerably; focus on the mosaics set into the walls, such as Luis Perlotti's Santos Vega. Brightly colored scrollwork known as fileteado adorns many store fronts; another highlight here are the tango dancers. Expect to be canvassed aggressively by rival restaurant owners touting overpriced menus near the start of Caminito.

The Campo Argentino del Campo (Argentine Polo Ground), is commonly known as the Cathedral of Polo. The venue opened in 1928 and hosts polo, field hockey, and pato matches throughout the year. The grounds are most popularly known for the Argentine polo finals in December.

The eclectic Casa de Gobierno, better known as the Casa Rosada or Pink House, is at Plaza de Mayo's eastern end. The building houses the government's executive branch—the president works here but lives elsewhere—and was built in the late 19th century. Its curious hue dates from the presidency of Domingo Sarmiento, who ordered it painted pink as a symbol of unification between two warring political factions: the federales (whose color was red) and the unitarios (white). Legend has it that the original paint was made by mixing whitewash with bull's blood.

The balcony facing Plaza de Mayo is a presidential podium. From this lofty stage, Evita rallied the descamisados (the shirtless—meaning the working class), Maradona sang along with soccer fans after winning one World Cup and coming second in another, and Madonna belted out her movie rendition of "Don't Cry for Me Argentina." Look for a small banner hoisted alongside the nation's flag, indicating "the president is in."

On weekends, hour-long guided tours in English leave at 12:30 and 2:30 (book in advance, take ID), taking in some presidential offices and the newly opened Galería de los Patriotas Argentinos del Bicentenario (Bicentennial Gallery of Patriots), a pictorial who's who of Argentina's national heroes. The country's heroines have a room of their own here, the Salón Mujeres Argentinas, where an impassioned Evita presides over black-and-white photographs of Argentina's other great dames.

The columned neoclassical facade of the Metropolitan Cathedral makes it seem more like a temple than a church, and its history follows the pattern of many structures in the Plaza de Mayo area. The first of six buildings on this site was a 16th-century adobe ranch house; the current structure dates from 1822, but has been added to several times.

There's been a surge of interest in the building since February 2013, when Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, then archbishop of Buenos Aires, was elected Pope Francis. The sanctuary now includes a small commemorative display of the pope's personal objects, watched over by a grinning life-size fiberglass statue of the pontiff in full regalia.

The embalmed remains of another local hero, General José de San Martín—known as the Liberator of Argentina for his role in the War of Independence—rest here in a marble mausoleum lighted by an eternal flame. Soldiers of the Grenadier Regiment, an elite troop created and trained by San Martín in 1811, permanently guard the tomb. Guided tours (in Spanish) of the mausoleum and crypt leave Monday to Saturday at 11:45 am.

This cemetery is home to Carlos Gardel's tomb, which features a dapper, Brylcreemed statue and dozens of tribute plaques. It's treated like a shrine by hordes of faithful followers who honor their idol by inserting lighted cigarettes in the statue's hand. On June 24, the anniversary of his death, aging tangueros in suits and fedoras gather here to weep and sing. Fellow tango legends Aníbal Troilo and Osvaldo Pugliese are also buried in this cemetery, which is about equidistant from Palermo and Almagro. If you're heading from Almagro, hop on subte Line B at the Carlos Gardel Station for a 10- to 15-minute ride north to Federico Lacroze. Depending on where you are in Palermo, a cab here will cost 300–400 pesos.

There's something very low-key about this cultural center, despite its considerable size and prime location above the posh Galerías Pacífico mall. With a minimum of pomp and circumstance it has hosted exhibitions of Warhol, Kahlo and Rivera, Man Ray, Miró, Picasso, Chagall, and Dalí, as well as local greats Seguí, Berni, and Noé. Occasional group shows focus on new local artists and art students. Small, independent theater and dance performances are also staged here.

Art exhibitions, concerts, fringe theater performances, and workshops are some of the offerings at this cultural center; one must-visit is Fuerza Bruta, a fantastic water and acrobatics collective that pops up in summer and for one-off shows. The rambling building it occupies was converted from the cloister patios of the Franciscan monks.

The late Amalia Fortabat was a cement heiress, so it's not surprising that the building containing her private art collection is made mostly of concrete. It was completed in 2003, but after-effects from Argentina's 2001–02 financial crisis delayed its opening until 2008. Amalita (as she was known locally) was closely involved in the design, and her personal touch continues into the collection, which includes several portraits of her—a prized Warhol among them—and many works by her granddaughter, Amalia Amoedo. In general, more money than taste seems to have gone into the project. The highlights are lesser works by big names both local (Berni, Xul Solar, Pettoruti) and international (Brueghel, Dalí, Picasso), hung with little aplomb or explanation in a huge basement gallery that echoes like a high-school gym. The side gallery given over to Carlos Alonso's and Juan Carlos Castagnino's figurative work is a step in the right direction, however, and so are the luminous paintings by Soldi in the glass-walled upper gallery. They're rivaled by the view over the docks below—time your visit to end at sunset when pinks and oranges light the redbrick buildings opposite. The views from the dockside café are also excellent.

Each weekend, artisans sell handmade clothes, jewelry, and housewares as well as traditional crafts at this sprawling open-air market that winds through several linked squares outside the Recoleta Cemetery.

The business conducted in hip Palermo Viejo's Feria de Plaza Cortázar (also known as Plaza Serrano) rivals that done in the neighborhood's trendy boutiques. In a small square—which is actually round—artisans sell wooden toys, ceramics, and funky jewelry made of stained glass or vintage buttons. This is also a great place to purchase art: the railings around a playground here act as an open-air gallery for Palermo artists, and organizers control the quality of art on display. The feria continues on the sidewalks of Honduras and Serrano, which intersect at the square, then down the former on weekends and inside the bars on the square itself, which push their tables and chairs aside to make room for clothing and accessory designers: expect to find anything from cute cotton underwear and one-off T-shirts to clubbing dresses. Quality is often low, but so are prices.

The gleaming steel and aluminum petals of this giant flower look very space age, perhaps because they were commissioned from the Lockheed airplane factory by architect Eduardo Catalano, who designed and paid for the monument. The 66-foot-high structure opens at dawn and closes at dusk, when the setting sun turns its mirrored surfaces a glowing pink. The flower stands in the Plaza Naciones Unidas (behind El Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes over Avenida Figueroa Alcorta).

This thoroughly modern art museum continues to nudge traditional La Boca into the present. Its facade alone reads like a manifesto of local urban renewal: part of the original 19th-century Italianate house-front has been cut away and huge plate-glass windows accented by unfinished steel stand alongside it. The space behind them now includes three adjacent properties. The luminous main gallery retains the building's original Corinthian-style steel columns, artfully rusted, but has sparkling white walls and polished concrete floors. With every flight of stairs you climb, views out over the harbor and cast-iron bridges get better. On the roof, an airy café serves salads, sandwiches, and cocktails. Grab one of the outdoor sofas around sunset and your photos will rival the work below. English versions of all exhibition information are available. The museum also runs guided tours in English, with two days' notice.

Like the bonsais in the nursery within it, this park is small but perfectly formed, and maintained by the Argentine-Japanese Cultural Foundation. A slow wander along the arched wooden bridges and walkways is guaranteed to calm frazzled sightseeing nerves. A variety of shrubs and flowers frame ornamental ponds that are filled with friendly koi carp—you can actually pet them if you feel so inclined (kids often do). The restaurant, where you can enjoy sushi, adzuki-bean sweets, and tea, overlooks the zen garden.