Buenos Aires is considered the Paris of the South and it’s easy to see why! The architecture, the cafes and the beautiful parks all exudes Parisian vibes. It is the second largest city in South America and a definitely must-add to any Argentinian itinerary. This post covers 12 must know tips for visiting Buenos Aires.
1. Study the Map
This is a pre-trip tip for Buenos Aires but study the city map well! Buenos Aires is a very large city. When you plan a multi-day itinerary, try to cluster attractions close together on the same day.
2. Account for Traffic
Always account for traffic in Buenos Aires, especially during the day. If you are traveling by an Uber or taxi, keep time to call one too. I was late to a reservation or two because of the traffic.
3. Taxi vs. Walk
Speaking of transport, Ubers are very cheap ($2-5 USD). If you are using Uber and don’t have a lot of luck getting a ride, try switching the method of payment to cash. I had mine set on cash and never had a problem. Just make sure you have the cash to pay. You can also use an app called Cabify, which is what is used locally. One way to ensure safety is to take an Uber or taxi verses walking across the city.
4. Stay in Safe Neighborhoods
As I mentioned before, Buenos Aires is a large city and like any large city in most places in the world, there are safe neighborhoods and not so safe ones. Paleromo Soho, Palermo Hollywood and Recoleta are areas that are generally considered safe for tourists. Avoid downtown as it tends to be dead at night.
5. Watch Out for Your Belongings
This tip may seem like a no brainer but with how big Buenos Aires is, I needed to include it. Ensure you do not wonder by yourself at night and stay out of places like La Boca at night even with if you are with a group of people. When you are walking on the streets, keep your belongings in front of you instead of behind you. If inside a taxi with open windows, secure your belongings firmly.
6. Keep Your Phone Inside
To me, this was the most important tip I learned about travel to Buenos Aires and so, I want to share it with you. Phone theft is common in the city. Here is how people have lost phones:
- Sitting on the curb, waiting for a taxi
- Walking while looking for directions
- Taking a picture at a popular tourist attractions (very common)
- Keeping your phone on the table in an restaurant or cafe with seats outside or close to the road
- Checking your phone at night inside a taxi that is stopped at a traffic light
- While at a club
Some of these have happened in broad day light and in crowded areas. The 2 most common ways it happens is that people snatch it from you and run, or they snatch it from you while on their motorbikes and speed away.
If you need your phone to look for directions or call an Uber, go inside a building or keep your back to a wall. Pay attention to your surroundings at all times.
7. Exchange Money
Money is a complicated topic in Argentina. But to keep this short, the best exchange rate can be obtained if you exchange dollars or euros for Argentinian pesos. Do not go to a bank to do this though. You need to go to a money exchanger or use Western Union. If you exchange with a money exchanger, you need to bring crisp 100 dollar bills with the blue line. I will cover money in more depth soon. However, If you are traveling to other parts of Argentina, you would be better off exchanging money in Buenos Aires for 2 reasons. 1. You probably will get better rates in Buenos Aires 2. You will find the most amount of money exchanger in Buenos Aires. Exchanging money is places like Patagonia can be a challenge.
8. Book Ahead of Time
From restaurants to tours, you should book what you can ahead of time. I especially recommend booing ahead for popular steakhouses like Don Julio and La Cabrera. Don’t waste vacation time waiting outside to eat!
9. Dinners are Late
Argentinians eat pretty late. Most restuarants are open well into 1 AM in the morning. If you can’t get a reservation for dinner for the popular 7-8 PM time slot, see if you can get a reservation later.
10. Bring Repellent
Not sure if this was specific to the time I went (summer time) but I got eaten alive by the mosquitoes. I say this as someone who was born and raised in the tropics and have been bitten by my fair share of these insects. Bring repellent!
11. Dress Casual
The dress code in Buenos Aires is very casual. Jeans are widely worn. Summers can be hot and muggy so light cotton clothes will go along way. Don’t wear any flashy jewelry and keep all designer clothing at home. Like any major city, you don’t want to scream “tourist”.
12. Check the Airport
This is another important tip for Buenos Aires! The city has 2 airports. An international airport with the code EZE and a domestic/regional one called AEP. When booking flights (especially domestic flights), check which one you are flight in and out of. EZE is about an hour away from the city while AEP is only 15 minutes away. Searching by the code BUE will pull up flights from both airports.
Want to move around with a group? Check out these highly rated tours below!
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2 comments
Thank you for the very informative posts, they are very useful.
Glad it was useful!