I arrived in Buenos Aires in mid-October having done almost no research. My boyfriend at the time had been there for a month already — he’d gone after some travel, I’d spent the summer bartending in New Jersey, and when it became clear he wasn’t coming home I booked a direct flight instead. No time change, no planning, just Argentina.
I landed knowing almost nothing about what I was landing into. What I found was one of the most surprising cities I’ve been to — not because it was difficult or strange, but because it was nothing like what I expected.
The European City You Don’t Expect
I was expecting Central America. What Buenos Aires actually feels like is Europe. The architecture, the outdoor cafe culture, the people — it has the DNA of an old-world city more than anything else in South America. This makes sense once you learn the history: massive waves of European immigration in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, primarily from Italy, Spain, Germany, and Eastern Europe, shaped the city’s culture, food, and aesthetic in ways that are still completely visible today.
Walking through Recoleta — the neighborhood where we stayed, upscale and beautiful with ornate apartment buildings and tree-lined streets — felt more like Paris than anything I associated with South America. That was the first surprise. It was not the last.
Getting Around
Buenos Aires has a great metro system that gives you access to most of the major neighborhoods. You need a SUBE card — a reloadable transit card that works on all the metro lines and actually throughout Argentina, not just Buenos Aires. Get one early and reload it as you go.
For more direct travel, both Uber and Cabify operate in the city and are reasonably priced. Cabify is arguably more popular locally. From the airport there’s no metro line, but you can grab Wi-Fi at the McDonald’s in the terminal to download Cabify and get a ride into the city. The drive to central neighborhoods like Recoleta runs about an hour depending on traffic — factor that in both ways.
Speaking of traffic: Buenos Aires is a large city and the traffic is real. If you’re catching a flight, give yourself more time than you think you need.
The Neighborhoods
Buenos Aires has 48 official barrios and each has its own personality. A few worth knowing:
Palermo is the most popular for bars and restaurants — young, energetic, lots of options. Recoleta is upscale and architecturally stunning, with a more old-world feel and still plenty of good food nearby. La Boca is famous for its colorful houses, the Caminito street, and the Boca Juniors soccer club. It is worth seeing during the day in the tourist district but venture beyond that carefully and avoid it at night.
As with any large city, do your research on neighborhoods before you go. There are areas that are genuinely sketchy, especially at night. The majority of the city is safe and welcoming to tourists but common sense applies.
Finding Your Footing: The Running Trick
Cities overwhelm me when I stay in tourist mode too long. My trick, wherever I am, is to find somewhere to run. It turns an intimidating place into something manageable — you move through it at your own pace, you see it the way locals see it, and your brain calms down.
In Buenos Aires I found Plaza Lavalle, near the Teatro Colón. It has a proper running path that keeps you off the streets, outdoor gym equipment, and enough space to stretch a real workout. On weekends there are yoga and stretching classes happening in the park. It became my morning routine and made the city feel smaller in the best way.
Puerto Madero — the dockside area lined with restaurants and cafes — is the other great running spot. You can build your own loop crossing different bridges and running along the waterfront paths. Very walkable, very scenic.
The Food: What You Actually Need to Eat
I am not normally someone who builds a trip around food. Buenos Aires changed that.
Start with fugazetta at El Cuarito. Fugazetta is the famous Argentine pizza — thick crust, heavy on mozzarella, topped with onions. El Cuarito is the classic spot for it, beloved by locals, and it fills up fast. Go early. It is exactly what it sounds like: cheesy, heavy, delicious. The decor and the local vibe are part of the experience.
Every cafe in Buenos Aires offers medialunas — small Argentine croissants, shaped like half moons, buttery and slightly sweet. Almost every cafe has a deal: coffee and two medialunas for a few dollars. I took this deal every single time it was available. Sitting in a cafe with a good coffee and a plate of fresh pastries watching the city go by is one of those travel moments that costs almost nothing and stays with you.
You have to eat at a parrilla. This is non-negotiable in Argentina. The country is famous for its beef and the parrillas — traditional grilling restaurants — are where you experience it properly. We went to Parrilla Peña based on local recommendations and were not disappointed: solid portions, simple preparation, steak cooked exactly right, good wine list, warm service. Come early, come hungry.
The Italian influence is everywhere and worth leaning into. We found a local Italian restaurant in Recoleta where the pasta was handmade and genuinely excellent. With the immigration history this city has, the Italian food authenticity is real.
The Best Meal I Had in Argentina: Mercado de San Telmo, Puesto Nro. 53
Mercado de San Telmo is one of the oldest markets in Buenos Aires — an indoor market near La Boca with antique stalls, local artisans, and a collection of small food vendors and parrilla stands that represent some of the best eating in the city.
We found Puesto Nro. 53 because the grill was going and the smell alone made the decision. We grabbed two bar seats, watched the all-female team of grill masters work, and ordered a choripan — a sausage sandwich with chimichurri and other sauces — and a ribeye sandwich. Both were phenomenal. The choripan specifically is something I still think about. The bread, the char on the meat, the way you can pick your sauce ratio, the whole thing coming together at a bar-style counter with good music and fast service.
We went back before we left the country. That tells you everything.
On the second visit we added proveta — melted cheese with vegetables and bread for dipping. Also exceptional. Mercado de San Telmo is a must visit in Buenos Aires and Puesto Nro. 53 specifically is worth seeking out.
Note: the market sits near La Boca. Great for lunch, not a neighborhood to explore beyond the market itself.
Things to Do Beyond Eating
The Nazi History Walking Tour sounds intense and it is — but in an educational way that is genuinely fascinating. Argentina became a refuge for European immigrants fleeing WWII, including, according to some well-documented accounts, Nazi war criminals. The tour visits hotels, clubs, and embassies connected to that history while also covering the significant Jewish history of Buenos Aires. Our guide was a Jewish academic working in history at a university and ran a completely neutral, deeply knowledgeable tour. Highly recommend if you are interested in WWII history, espionage, or just want a completely different lens on the city.
The Feria de San Telmo weekend market is primarily antiques with a mix of artisan gifts and a few food vendors. It sits right next to the Mercado de San Telmo so you can do both in the same outing — browse the market, then go find lunch inside.
See a soccer game if you can time it. The atmosphere in this city around soccer is unlike anything else and I regret not making it happen. The secondary ticket market has scam risks so go through a packaged deal with a reputable guide for the best experience. When we were near one of the stadiums on a game day the surrounding area had transformed into a full street party — food, bars, energy everywhere. Even without tickets it was something.
Walk. Seriously just walk. One of the best days we had started with a metro ride to a new neighborhood and ended eight-plus miles later having seen the city come alive — people heading to games, couples going to dinner, the shopping district lighting up at night. The best way to feel a city is to move through it at street level with no agenda.
The Money Situation: Read This Before You Go
Argentina has a significant inflation problem and the exchange rate situation is genuinely unusual. The short version: the official exchange rate and the actual purchasing power of a US dollar in Argentina can be very different, and this changes constantly based on the political and economic situation at the time you travel.
What was true when we went — and worth verifying before your trip — is that crisp, clean US $50 and $100 bills exchange at significantly better rates than using ATMs or credit cards. Damaged bills are often refused. There is a black market exchange but I would be cautious about that route given the number of tourist scam stories around it. Western Union was a commonly recommended legitimate exchange option at the time.
The result when things work in your favor: your dollar goes very far. Steak dinners for $10, cafe stops for $2. Research the current situation before you go because it changes, but budget flexibility is real here in a way it is not in most countries.
One other practical note: when shopping at supermarkets, some will ask for your passport number when you pay by credit card. It happened to us more than once and is apparently normal. Just be aware.
On the Language
Spanish is the primary language and the Argentine accent and dialect are distinct — faster than most Latin American Spanish and closer in some ways to Spanish from Spain. English is less common here than in some other tourist destinations. Learning a few key phrases before you go is worth it: directions, basic questions, and — genuinely useful — how you like your steak cooked.
Final Thoughts
I am not a city person by nature. I last maybe a week before I need to be somewhere I can move through something that isn’t museums and restaurants. Buenos Aires held my attention for exactly the right amount of time — about a week — and left me with some of the best meals I have had anywhere and a genuine appreciation for a city I had completely underestimated.
The food alone is worth the trip. The steak is everything people say it is. The medialunas will ruin all other croissants for you. And Puesto Nro. 53 — if you go to Buenos Aires and you do not find those two bar stools — you missed something.
Practical Notes
Neighborhoods: Stay in Palermo or Recoleta for the best access to food, transport, and safety. La Boca is worth visiting during the day in the tourist area only.
Getting around: SUBE card for the metro. Cabify or Uber for direct transport. Allow extra time from the airport.
Money: Research the current exchange rate situation before you go. Bring crisp $50 and $100 bills for better exchange rates. ATMs work but may not give you the best rate.
Food priorities: Fugazetta at El Cuarito. Medialunas at any cafe, every morning. Parrilla Peña for a proper steak dinner. Mercado de San Telmo and Puesto Nro. 53 for the best sandwich of your trip.
Activities: Nazi History Walking Tour for something genuinely different. Feria de San Telmo on weekends. A soccer game if you can make it happen. Running at Plaza Lavalle or Puerto Madero. Walking more than you think you need to.
Language: Learn basic Spanish before you go. The dialect is distinct from other Latin American Spanish. Knowing how you like your steak cooked in Spanish will serve you well.