4 Days in Buenos Aires: Steak, Tango, and the Best Exchange Rate in a Decade

Start on Calle Defensa and walk the cobblestone streets past crumbling colonial mansions, antique shops, and corner cafes. The indoor Mercado de San Telmo (open daily 8am-8pm) is a restored 1897 iron-frame market hall with specialty food vendors, fresh pasta counters, and some of the best empanadas in the city. If this is a Sunday, the Feria de San Telmo street fair runs from 10am to 5pm along Defensa with 270+ vendors.

Walk north from San Telmo along Defensa to reach Plaza de Mayo in 10 minutes. The pink Casa Rosada (presidential palace) anchors one end. The Cabildo and Metropolitan Cathedral (where Pope Francis served as Archbishop) frame the other sides. Free guided tours of Casa Rosada run on weekends, book online in advance.

A bodegon is a no-frills neighborhood restaurant serving generous portions of home-style food. Look for a menu del dia (daily set lunch) that includes a main, drink, and dessert for about 5,000-8,000 ARS ($3.50-5.50). El Banco Rojo in San Telmo or El Federal on Carlos Calvo are solid choices. Do not order from the English menu if one exists, as prices are often higher.

Walk west from Plaza de Mayo along Avenida de Mayo, one of the city's grandest boulevards. The architecture mixes Spanish, French, and Art Nouveau. Stop at Cafe Tortoni (open since 1858), the city's most famous cafe. It is touristy, but the building is beautiful and the coffee is fine. End at the Congreso building (Argentina's Congress).

For your first steak, go to a traditional parrilla rather than a trendy restaurant. Order a bife de chorizo (sirloin strip) or ojo de bife (ribeye) cooked 'jugoso' (medium-rare). A bottle of Malbec runs 8,000-15,000 ARS ($5.50-10). La Brigada in San Telmo is famous (they cut the steak with a spoon to prove tenderness), but you need a reservation. For a no-reservation local spot, try El Desnivel on Defensa.

Over 5,000 ornate mausoleums arranged in a grid of tiny streets that feel like a miniature marble city. Eva Peron's tomb is the most visited (look for the fresh flowers), but the architecture is the real draw. Go early (opens at 9am) to avoid tour groups. A guided tour helps you find the most interesting tombs and understand the history, but you can explore on your own with a map from the entrance.

After the cemetery, walk through the weekend craft fair (Saturdays and Sundays on the plaza outside), past the Basilica de Nuestra Senora del Pilar, and through the parks. Recoleta feels like a Parisian arrondissement with ornate facades, wide sidewalks, and elderly couples walking tiny dogs. Window-shop along Avenida Alvear for Buenos Aires' most upscale boutiques.

The best museum in Buenos Aires. The permanent collection includes works by Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and Xul Solar. The building itself is a sharp modern contrast to the rest of the city. The gift shop is excellent. Wednesday is the cheapest day to visit.

The green lung of Buenos Aires. Walk through the Rosedal (rose garden, free entry) with over 18,000 rose bushes, a Japanese Garden (small entry fee), and wide paths shaded by jacaranda and tipuana trees. On weekends, joggers, mate drinkers, and families fill every patch of grass. Rent a paddleboat on the lake if you want to slow down.

Palermo Soho has the highest concentration of interesting restaurants in the city. For a splurge, Don Julio is consistently ranked among the best steakhouses in the world, but expect a 1-2 hour wait without a reservation (book weeks ahead). For no-wait alternatives, Fogon Asado does excellent fire-roasted meats, or try Las Pizarras for a more creative, non-steak menu. After dinner, the bars around Plaza Serrano stay open late.

Visit in the morning when the light is best and the crowds are thinnest. Caminito is a short pedestrian street of brightly painted corrugated-metal buildings, originally an immigrant neighborhood. It is photogenic but small. You can see it all in 30-45 minutes. Do not wander more than a block or two off the main tourist path, as the surrounding streets are not safe. Do not bring valuables you cannot afford to lose.

The home stadium of Boca Juniors, one of the most passionate football clubs in the world. The Museo de la Pasion Boquense inside offers a stadium tour and interactive exhibits. If you can get tickets to an actual match, it is one of the most intense sporting experiences on the planet. Book through the official Boca Juniors website, never from scalpers.

Head back to San Telmo from La Boca (15-minute taxi, $2-3). Try the empanadas at La Cocina inside Mercado de San Telmo, or grab a choripan (grilled chorizo sandwich with chimichurri) from a street vendor. A choripan and a beer is about 3,000-5,000 ARS ($2-3.50) and might be the best cheap meal in the city.

Many hostels and cultural centers offer free beginner tango classes. La Glorieta de Belgrano hosts free outdoor tango on Saturday and Sunday evenings. For a more authentic experience, attend a practica (informal practice session) at a milonga like La Viruta in Palermo, which offers a class before the social dancing starts.

You have two choices. A tango dinner show (El Querandi, Cafe de los Angelitos) is a polished production with professional dancers and a set-menu dinner. It is theatrical but undeniably impressive. A milonga (La Viruta, Salon Canning, La Catedral) is where locals actually dance. You watch from the tables, order drinks, and see tango as social dance rather than performance. Milongas are cheaper, more authentic, and run until 4am.

Buenos Aires has embraced brunch culture, especially in Palermo. Cuervo Cafe, Ninina Bakery, and Pain et Vin all do excellent coffee and pastries. Most places open around 9am on weekdays, 10am on weekends. The avocado toast trend is alive and well here, but try a tostado (grilled ham and cheese on white bread) for a more local option.

The streets around Plaza Serrano (Plaza Cortazar) are packed with independent designer boutiques, leather shops, and vintage stores. For cheaper leather, cross into Villa Crespo along Calle Murillo, where outlet stores sell jackets, bags, and shoes at factory prices. Street art is everywhere. The blocks around Thames and Honduras have some of the best murals.

Argentine helado is closer to Italian gelato than American ice cream, and Buenos Aires takes it seriously. Cadore (on Corrientes) and Rapanui (multiple locations) are consistently excellent. Dulce de leche is the essential flavor. Order a 'cuarto kilo' (quarter kilo) with two flavors. Luciano's in Villa Crespo is the current local favorite.

If you have a fifth day, take the Mitre train from Retiro station to Tigre (1 hour, less than $1). The Parana Delta is a network of islands and waterways with restaurants, kayaking, and a completely different pace from the city. The Puerto de Frutos market in Tigre sells crafts and local products. Boat tours of the delta channels leave from the Tigre dock.

For a memorable last night, book a puerta cerrada (closed-door restaurant). These are private dining experiences in someone's home, typically a multi-course meal with wine pairings for a fixed price. Casa Saltshaker and iLatina are well-known options (book days ahead). If you prefer steak, Parilla Don Julio with a reservation, or the less famous but excellent La Carniceria in Palermo Hollywood, will send you home with the right last impression.