The Best Areas to Stay in Buenos Aires for Any Budget

The historic core of Buenos Aires consists of the central neighborhoods of San Nicolás and Monserrat, which are traversed by the city's main pedestrian thoroughfare Florida Street. This area contains most of Buenos Aires' main government buildings and museums and is the preferred location for the street protests that occur with startling regularity.

Attractions in San Nicolás / Monserrat

• Teatro Colón
• Café Tortoni
• Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral
• Buenos Aires Cabildo
• Galerías Pacífico
• Teatro Avenida
• Teatro Maipo
• Centro Cultural General San Martín
• Teatro Gran Rex
• Museo Mitre

Just south of the center is San Telmo, the oldest neighborhood in Buenos Aires and the location of the famous Sunday street market. San Telmo has also earned a reputation for being Buenos Aires' most bohemian and artistic neighborhood.

Attractions in San Telmo

• National Historical Museum
• Buenos Aires Museum of Modern Art
• Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, Buenos Aires
• Pablo Ducrós Hicken Film Museum

South of San Telmo is La Boca, whose brightly colored shanties are the most easily recognized symbol of Buenos Aires and frequently adorn the covers of guidebooks. Staying in La Boca means total immersion in the music and art of the city, but be aware that this neighborhood has large swaths that are not recommended for tourists after dark. The safest area is considered to be around the colorful alley El Caminito.

Attractions in La Boca

• Fundación Proa
• Ernesto de la Cárcova Museum of Reproductions and Comparative Sculpture

Buenos Aires' most upscale, modern neighborhoods are located north of the center. Retiro is a smaller district that is home to the city's main train and bus terminals as well as the large green space Plaza General San Martin. Despite its small size, Retiro is the site of many of Buenos Aires' most lavish mansions and numerous five star hotels.

Attractions in Retiro

• Teatro Cervantes
• Plaza Hotel Buenos Aires
• Hotel de Inmigrantes
• Museo de Arte Hispanoamericano Isaac Fernández Blanco

Northwest of Retiro are the stylish, residential barrios of Recoleta and Palermo. These districts have most of the embassies and are favorites of Buenos Aires' expat population. Recoleta and Palermo are among the best areas for restaurants, nightlife, and shopping but some travelers may feel they don't capture the essence of Buenos Aires as much as the neighborhoods closer to the center.

Attractions in Recoleta / Palermo

• Aeroparque Jorge Newbery
• National Library of the Argentine Republic
• Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes
• Parque Tres de Febrero
• Buenos Aires Zoo
• MALBA
• Buenos Aires Japanese Gardens
• National Museum of Decorative Arts
• Alvear Palace Hotel
• Academia Argentina de Letras