Activities in Buenos Aires

If there is one thing Buenos Aires has in abundance, it is activities. The city offers an inexhaustible agenda for every type of traveller: those seeking culture and art, those wanting adventure and adrenaline, those in search of unique and unrepeatable experiences, and those who simply want to wander and be surprised. Boredom simply does not exist here.

Tango is perhaps the most emblematic activity you can do in Buenos Aires. It doesn’t matter if you have never danced in your life: there are beginner classes in almost every neighbourhood, live shows at the finest theatres and authentic milongas where porteños dance until the early hours. Complejo Tango, Rojo Tango and the milongas of San Telmo and Almagro are ideal starting points for immersing yourself in a dance that is far more than movement — it is a way of understanding Buenos Aires.

Attending a football match is another experience without equal. The passion of Argentine supporters is legendary, and living a match at La Bombonera, home of Boca Juniors, or at El Monumental, the home of River Plate, is something you will never forget. Arrange tickets in advance or through a specialist tourism agency to make things easier.

For lovers of art and culture, Buenos Aires offers an endless programme. Guided tours through historic neighbourhoods such as San Telmo, Monserrat or Barracas; art workshops in Palermo and San Telmo; concerts at the Teatro Gran Rex or the Luna Park; exhibitions at the Centro Cultural Recoleta or the CCBA. The city lives in festival mode for almost the entire year.

Looking for something more active? Hire a bicycle and explore the parks of Palermo, the riverside or the Puerto Madero circuit. Buenos Aires’ network of cycle lanes is ever-expanding, and the city is wonderfully pedalable. You can also go kayaking in Tigre, just an hour from the city, or join a paddleboarding class at one of the riverside clubs.

Gastronomic tours are another activity gaining increasing prominence in Buenos Aires. Exploring the Mercado de San Telmo, trying empanadas at a neighbourhood bakery, tasting Mendoza wines at a Palermo wine bar or joining an Argentine cooking experience with local chefs — these activities combine pleasure and discovery in the very best way.

For those travelling with children, the former zoo — now transformed into the Ecoparque with a more ethical approach to animal care — the Japanese Garden and the Galileo Galilei Planetarium are ideal options. And when the weather is fine, the parks of Palermo with their lakes and green spaces are perfect for a picnic or a relaxed afternoon.

Buenos Aires also boasts an extraordinary theatre scene. Corrientes Avenue, known as “the street that never sleeps”, concentrates the country’s greatest theatrical offering: comedies, dramas, musicals and avant-garde works all within steps of each other. Pick up a last-minute ticket and experience a night of porteño theatre.

No matter how many days you have, the activities in Buenos Aires will always outnumber the time available.