3 Days in Buenos Aires – A Complete Itinerary

The Argentine capital is a huge city with an enormous list of attractions and experiences. Therefore, spending 3 days in Buenos Aires is going to be just about enough time to see all the major highlights. In this 3-day guide we included many must-see places, but it wasn’t easy to narrow everything down into a realistic itinerary.

We spent two weeks in Buenos Aires and even after that time we felt like we could’ve spent longer. So, it won’t surprise us if at the end of your trip you will feel slightly exhausted and wishing to have had more days to spare.

If you’d like to see what we got up to in the Argentine capital, then watch our dedicated Buenos Aires video, which we shared on our YouTube channel Kitti and Jon. For more videos from the country, check out our Argentina playlist.

How to Spend 3 Days in Buenos Aires

The itinerary below assumes that you stay in Recoleta. If you’re staying in another barrio, then just swap your days around. For each neighbourhood we also wrote a more detailed guide which we suggest flicking through for more activities.

Day 1. Recoleta and Palermo Neighbourhoods

Morning: Wander around Recoleta

If you’re staying in Recoleta, then it makes sense to start your day in this barrio. We suggest heading to the most popular place in Buenos Aires first: the Recoleta Cemetery. The cemetery is the resting place of many important people including presidents, businessmen, poets and writers. Eva Perón’s mausoleum is possibly the most visited one. She was the First Lady of Argentina from 1946 until she died in 1952.

Next make your way towards the National Museum of Fine Arts. This area is filled with public parks which are exceptionally beautiful in November when the Jacaranda trees are blooming. Take your time, enjoy the greenery, and try to count how many dogs a single dog walker have with them. The museum itself is free to visit and it displays European works, including Goya and Van Gogh, as well as a collection of Argentine art.

If you want to spare some extra time to any of the nearby parks then we suggest the United Nations Square featuring the impressive Floralis Generica sculpture. It is a steel flower in the middle of a fountain that opens its petals in the morning and closes them at night.

As you make your way towards Palermo, keep your eyes peeled for the buildings around you in Recoleta. Buenos Aires is often referred to as the “Paris of the South” and Recoleta is definitely the most European-looking neighborhood thanks to the French architectural styles.

Afternoon: Parks and Museums of Palermo

Palermo is the largest barrio in Buenos Aires and is divided into multiple sub-barrios. Each area has its own distinct character, from bohemian vibes to cultural and economic centres, as well as incredible green spaces. We could’ve easily spend a few days just here, but if you only have about half a day, then we suggest doing the following:

Visit at least one or two of Palermo’s beautiful parks:

• Carlos Thays Botanic Garden is well-kept botanic garden that has a large collection of plant and tree species from Argentina. It’s free to enter.
• Buenos Aires Eco-park is a large green space that used to be a zoo until 2016. Thankfully, they transformed the area into a modern eco-park to raise awareness of the current environmental issues and importance of protecting our wildlife. It’ also free to visit.
• Tres de Febrero Park is massive with many different areas to wander around such as the Rose Garden, the Andalusian courtyard, the Poet’s Garden and there’s even a man-made lake. There’s also no admission.
• Japanese Garden is a much smaller but very beautiful park filled with typical Japanese structures. It has a small entry fee though and is usually much busier than the other parks.

Apart from green spaces, Palermo also has some great museums. They are scattered around the parks, so you won’t need to do a detour.

• Museo Evita is housed in an early 20th century townhouse where you can learn more about Eva Peron’s life and accomplishments.
• Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (MALBA) is a modern art museum displaying numerous artworks by Latin America’s most prominent artists.
• National Museum of Decorative Art is located in the Errazuriz Alvear Palace and showcases how the richest people furnished their homes at the time.

Evening: Enjoy the Atmosphere and Street Art of Palermo Soho

One of the most popular sub-barrio of Palermo is Palermo Soho. It’s a trendy area of Buenos Aires, similar to places like Soho in New York and London. The sub-barrio is filled with cafes, bars and restaurants and it really comes alive in the evenings and at night. (We wouldn’t recommend being here too early, unless you want to photograph the area.)

Apart from all the eateries, another reason to visit Palermo Soho is for its street art. It may not be as colourful as La Boca neighbourhood, but there are definitely some beautiful murals adorned the walls of many buildings.

Day 2. Downtown Buenos Aires (Microcentro)

Morning: Highlights of Barrios San Nicolas

The next morning we recommend visiting Downtown Buenos Aires, also known as Microcentro. Your first stop could be Ateneo Grand Splendid, which technically still within the boundaries of Recoleta, but can be easily incorporated into your second day. Ateneo Grand Splendid is one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world and is housed in an old theatre building. Definitely worth a quick visit, even though the books are quite pricey.

After that we suggest heading further south towards Teatro Colón located across from a lovely Plaza Lavalle. Colon Theatre is often considered one of the best opera houses in the world and hosted many famous performers over the years. Apart from admiring the exterior, you can also book a guided tour of the building or go and watch a play there. (The latter would be more of an evening activity though.)

Just across from Teatro Colon is the 3km long Avenida 9 de Julio, or 9th July Avenue. With a width of 140 m and 14 lanes of traffic, it’s one of the world’s widest streets. Along the avenue is the most recognisable landmark in Buenos Aires: the Obelisk (El Obelisco).

Afternoon: Important Landmarks in Barrio Monserrat

South of the Obelisk is where Monserrat neighbourhood is located. This area is home to many important landmarks of BA. You can start at Plaza del Congreso where you can take a take a guided tour of Palacio Barolo and enjoy 360-degree views of the city from its viewing platforms. Another important building here is the National Congress of Argentina. You can just admire its impressive exterior or take a free tour inside if you reserve it in advance.

From the plaza we suggest following Avenida de Mayo towards Plaza de Mayo. If the queues aren’t too long then consider popping in to Cafe Tortoni for a coffee and alfajores along the way. It’s the oldest cafe in Buenos Aires, so expect it to be quite busy. If you’re staying in this neighbourhood you can always come here first thing in the morning to avoid queuing time.

Plaza de Mayo is the capital’s main square. It is surrounded by many iconic historical buildings such as Casa Rosada, the iconic pink building, or Metropolitan Cathedral, which houses the mausoleum of General José de San Martín, or the Cabildo Museum. Every day you can also witness the Changing of the Guard at the plaza.

Day 3. La Boca and San Telmo Neighbourhoods

Morning: La Boca, the Most Colourful Neighbourhood

Start your last day in Buenos Aires by visiting La Boca, the city’s colouful neighbourhood. To get the absolute most of your experience we suggest visiting La Boca with this FREE walking tour.

If you decide to wander around on your own, then start with a stroll down Caminito. It is a pedestrian street and open-air museum lined with the neighbourhood’s iconic colourful houses, or conventillos, which are made from industrial materials such as metal plates. Keep your eyes peeled for murals and street art adorned many buildings. There are often street performers dancing tango too.

You can also visit Benito Quinquela Martin Museum located along Don Pedro de Mendoza Avenue. It displays a large collection of Quinquela Martin’s work and personal belongings, as well as other Argentine artists’ works.

La Boca is also popular because it’s where the Boca Juniors Stadium “La Bombonera” is located. There’s a small museum right next to the stadium if you wish to learn more about the history of the club. You can also try to get a ticket to a football match here.

Afternoon: Watch Tango or Shop in San Telmo

Just north of La Boca is one of Buenos Aires’ oldest and most traditional neighbourhoods: San Telmo. The barrio is a great place to end your 3 day Buenos Aires itinerary in. It doesn’t have a long list of landmarks and attractions like Microcentro so you can definitely take it easy by strolling along its cobblestone streets, check out its colonial buildings, watch tango at Plaza Dorrego, or go antique shopping. If you’re here on a Sunday, then you’ll experience the weekly open-air Feria de San Telmo. Otherwise, you can always browse the indoor San Telmo Market.

The most popular place to visit in San Telmo is the El Zanjon de Granados Underground Tunnels. You can also combine the tunnels with a tour of Casa Minima, narrowest house in Buenos Aires.

How Many Days Do you Need in Buenos Aires?

Buenos Aires is massive and the list of things to do in the capital is endless. And it’s not even taking into account some fantastic day trips. Therefore, spending 3 days in Buenos Aires is just about enough time to see the absolute highlight.

We appreciate that some of you won’t even be able to spare 3 full days for the city. If that’s the case then we put together a one-day and two-day itinerary with our personal suggestions on how to make the most of the short timeframe.

However, if you have some spare time, then we suggest allocating a few more days to Buenos Aires. This will allow you to see and experience more without feeling rushed. In addition, if you have more than 5 days in Buenos Aires, then you can easily go on a few days trips. Our favourites were to the Tigre and Parana Delta and to Colonia del Sacramento in Uruguay.

Tips on How to Make the Most of Your 3 Days in Buenos Aires

Less is More. Our main tip to really enjoy a short stay in Buenos Aires is that accept that fact that you won’t be able to see everything! Pick the places that you really want to visit and experiences that you really want to have instead of trying to see and do it all. It’s unrealistic and you don’t want to feel overwhelmed.

Don’t underestimate free walking tours. If you’re short on time, they are a great way to see many iconic landmarks and learn more about the city.

Museums are closed on Mondays. When you’re planning your itinerary we would avoid visiting on Monday, especially if you enjoy museums.

Buy a SUBE Card. Find a kiosk or an underground station on your first day and buy yourself a SUBE card. This allows you to use the incredible public transport network not just in Buenos Aires but everywhere else in Argentina. Read our Buenos Aires Transport Guide for more information.

Get an eSIM. We recommend buying an eSIM, so you have data that you can use to plan your travel route on the go. Our personal favourite eSIM providers are Holafly, Airalo, and Sim Local.

Have travel insurance. You should never travel without travel insurance. There are many different companies out there offering different levels of coverage depending on your needs. We personally use SafetyWing which offers coverage for digital nomads at an affordable price. You can also check out World Nomads which is good for backpackers or those on shorter trips.

Where to Stay in Buenos Aires for 3 Days

If you only have 3 days in Buenos Aires we recommend booking your stay either in Palermo, Recoleta or Downtown BA. These neighbourhoods are close to most of the attractions that you would have time to see and have many excellent bars, cafes and restaurants. We put together a more detailed guide on the best neighbourhoods to stay in Buenos Aires with many hotel recommendations, however, below is a quick list of places to consider:

Final Thoughts on 3 Days in Buenos Aires Itinerary

Even though we had a much longer stay in Buenos Aires then most visitors, we still felt like we haven’t seen or experienced it all. In fact, the last time we felt like this was when we spent 4-days in Istanbul being out and about from dusk till dawn. We definitely enjoyed Buenos Aires and wouldn’t hesitate to return in the future.

Have you ever been to Buenos Aires before? If so, how many days did you spend in the Argentine capital? If not, how many days would you want to spend there? Let us know in the comments below. If you found this blog post useful and want to show your support you can buy us a coffee here.