Things to Do & Must-See Attractions in The Pampas

An elegant residential district just north of downtown, Recoleta is Buenos Aires at its most polished—think luxury apartments, upscale boutiques, and perfectly manicured parks. The grand centerpiece is Recoleta Cemetery, a mini city of marble mausoleums and ornate crypts, where Eva “Evita” Perón was laid to rest.

With its intimate shows (only 100 seats, gourmet cuisine, and lavish surroundings, Rojo Tango is arguably the most luxurious venue to experience Argentina’s sultry dance—the tango—while in Buenos Aires. The venue, inside the Hotel Faena, enlists some of the nation’s best dancers, singers, and musicians for its tango performances.

The beloved Boca Juniors soccer team plays its games at the Alberto J. Armando stadium, affectionately known as La Bombonera (Spanish for “the chocolate box”), which is also home to a museum and behind-the-scenes tour opportunities. With a capacity of 49,000, the stadium is known for vibrating when fans start jumping about—either out of excitement or frustration—as well as for its unusual shape.

The Buenos Aires Obelisk (Obelisco de Buenos Aires), among the city’s most iconic landmarks, towers over the intersection of two main thoroughfares. Erected in 1936 to commemorate the quadricentennial of the city’s founding, the pencil-like column stands a striking 220 feet (67 meters) tall and marks the spot where the nation’s flag was first flown.

Tango Porteno, housed within a former movie theater, stages one of the best tango shows in Buenos Aires. The art deco theater is the perfect place for a trip back to the 1940s, considered the golden age of tango in Argentina. The show mixes clips of old tango footage with a live orchestra, sensual dancers, and elaborate costumes and settings.

The dramatic centerpiece of the Plaza de las Naciones Unidas—the park that bridges the Palermo and Recoleta neighborhoods—is the Floralis Generica. This gigantic, 18-ton metallic flower sculpture has become one of Buenos Aires’ most instantly reboldcognizable landmarks.

El Cabildo, a modest, two-story colonial building along the edge of Plaza de Mayo, once served as Buenos Aires’s original city hall. Today, it’s one of the few colonial structures still standing in Buenos Aires. The facade now houses a small museum showcasing paintings, furniture, antiques, and costumes from the colonial period.

Puente de la Mujer, or Women’s Bridge, is a footbridge in the Puerto Madero district of Buenos Aires. It was designed by the renowned Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava and modeled after very similar bridges spanning the rivers in Seville, Spain and Redding, California. The prominent feature that all three bridges share is the big steel needle jutting at a sharp angle into the sky. The needle functions as an anchor for the suspension cables and holds up the entire span. According to the creator, the whole structure is supposed to show a couple dancing the tango, with the needle representing the man and the curved body of the bridge embodying the woman being lowered to the ground. Additionally, many of the streets in this Buenos Aires district have women’s names, a fact that Calatrava wanted to honor when he named Puente de la Mujer.

An interesting function of the bridge is its rotating feature to let water traffic pass through. The mobile section making up the center of the bridge is able to rotate 90 degrees, when it is working that is. Since the city has left the responsibility of maintaining the structure with the family that sponsored the construction, the 160 meter long pedestrian bridge is not in operation while matters of upkeep are being sorted out.

Presiding over the historic town of San Isidro in the northeast region of Buenos Aires Province, the San Isidro Cathedral is the crown jewel of suburban Buenos Aires. It is a popular pilgrimage site for those taking the famous Train of the Coast (Tren de la Costa) along the Rio de la Plata.

Porteños often boast about 9 de Julio Avenue (Avenida 9 De Julio) as the world’s widest boulevard, and with a width of 460 feet (140 meters) with 12 lanes of traffic, they might just be right. Construction on the avenue began in 1937, modeled after the Champs Elysees but twice as wide, and built to commemorate Argentina’s Independence Day, July 9, 1816. It wasn’t fully completed until 1980.

Neo-classical and Beaux Arts buildings line the monumental street, but it’s most recognizable feature is the iconic Obelisco that towers over a small park at the intersection of Avenida 9 De Julio and Avenida Corrientes.

Visitors to the Palermo Woods can’t miss the Galileo Galilei Planetarium (Planetario Galileo Galilei), with its futuristic silver dome towering over the surrounding park and lake. Inaugurated in 1966, the planetarium remains a popular family attraction, hosting a space-themed museum and daily shows.

The Latin American Art Museum of Buenos Aires (Museo de Arte Lationoamericano de Buenos Aires, MALBA) is Buenos Aires’ leading modern art institution. Since opening in 2001, the museum has amassed a varied collection of paintings, drawings, sculptures, photographs, and installation works by artists from all corners of Latin America.

Retiro is a study in contrasts. The barrio got its start as one of the capital’s wealthiest neighborhoods, evidenced by the belle époque embassies, 5-star hotels, and high-end retailers scattered throughout. It’s also one of Argentina’s busiest transportation hubs and home to the overcrowded and under-serviced Villa 31.

One of the biggest tango shows in town, Senor Tango is a much glitzier affair than the more traditionalmilongas (dance halls) of Buenos Aires. It’s a sizzling show featuring dance routines and visual effects combining light, color, and sound. With dinner served beforehand, it also makes for a complete night out.