Argentina

Written By Alex Hall

Buenos Aires is a big, elegant, slightly chaotic city with great food and long dinners. I spent almost four weeks there from mid March to early April 2023, based in Palermo and then Belgrano. It was an easy city to settle into and work from.

What I did

  • Lived in Palermo for three weeks, moving between Palermo Hollywood and Palermo Soho.

  • Finished the stay in a house facing a park in Belgrano.

  • Walked Recoleta Cemetery and its marble mausoleums.

  • Spent time in San Telmo around the old market area.

  • Visited La Boca and the colorful Caminito street.

  • Took two days out to Tigre and the Paraná Delta, and walked the Bosques de Palermo.

Where to stay

  • Palermo Soho: cobblestone streets around Plaza Serrano, with the best density of restaurants, cafes and bars in the city. I stayed here in an Airbnb.

  • Palermo Hollywood: across the train tracks from Soho, with parrillas, restaurants and nightlife. I stayed in an Airbnb here too.

  • Belgrano: quieter, leafy and residential, close to the river and Barrancas de Belgrano park. I stayed in an Airbnb here at the end.

  • Recoleta: elegant and central, a good pick for a shorter stay.

Where I stayed

Getting there and around

  • Ezeiza (EZE) is the international airport, 40 to 60 minutes from Palermo depending on traffic. Uber picks up at the terminal, and official taxis and shuttles are also available.

  • Aeroparque (AEP) handles domestic and some regional flights, right on the river in Palermo, 10 to 15 minutes from most of the city. Check which airport your flight uses, since low cost carriers use both.

  • In the city, Uber, Cabify and DiDi are easy, and the subte (metro) is cheap for longer hops. Domestic flights are the practical way to reach Patagonia, Iguazú or Mendoza.

What to eat

  • Asado and parrilla: bife de chorizo, ojo de bife, entraña and provoleta. Palermo has the best parrillas in the city.

  • Empanadas: baked and ordered by the dozen.

  • Milanesa: breaded cutlet, best "a la napolitana" with ham, cheese and tomato.

  • Choripán: a chorizo sandwich with chimichurri, great street food.

  • Medialunas and coffee: breakfast at any confitería.

  • Helado and alfajores: the ice cream is serious, and alfajores are the classic sandwich cookie with dulce de leche.

What to drink

  • Wine: Malbec is the star, and it is excellent. Mendoza is the big wine region, with the Uco Valley and Luján de Cuyo for vineyard visits. It is a short flight from Buenos Aires. Torrontés, a floral white, comes from Cafayate and Salta.

  • Wine bars: Palermo has plenty of wine bars where you can taste flights of Malbec by the glass.

  • Cocktails: Fernet con Coca is the national drink, especially in Córdoba, and a good Negroni or vermouth on ice is easy to find.

  • Mate: the herbal tea shared from a gourd, which you will see people carrying everywhere.

  • Beer: Quilmes is the classic lager, and craft breweries are popular in Buenos Aires and Patagonia.

  • Coffee: a cortado or café con leche with medialunas is the standard confitería breakfast.

Day trips and side trips

  • Tigre and the delta islands, by train or car from the city.

  • Colonia del Sacramento in Uruguay, by ferry.

  • San Antonio de Areco for an estancia day with gauchos.

Patagonia: still on my list

Patagonia is the trip I still need to do. It is at the top of my list for Argentina, and here is what I have planned.

  • El Chaltén: the hiking capital of Argentina. The day hike to Laguna de los Tres at the foot of Mount Fitz Roy is the one I want most, ideally for sunrise.

  • El Calafate: the base for Perito Moreno Glacier, one of the few advancing glaciers in the world. You can walk the boardwalks or do a guided ice trek on the glacier itself.

  • Ushuaia: the southernmost city in the world, with the Beagle Channel, Tierra del Fuego National Park and cruises to Antarctica.

  • Bariloche: northern Patagonia's lake district, with mountains, chocolate shops and the Circuito Chico drive.

  • When to go: November to March, the southern summer. Expect strong wind and four seasons in a day.

  • Getting there: fly from Buenos Aires to El Calafate, Ushuaia or Bariloche, and take the bus between El Calafate and El Chaltén. Crossing into Chile for Torres del Paine is easy from El Calafate.

Festivals and events

  • Fiesta Nacional de la Vendimia: Mendoza, usually in late February or early March. Wine harvest parades and a big open air show.

  • Carnaval: Gualeguaychú, usually January and February. The biggest carnival in Argentina, with elaborate floats.

  • Festival Nacional de Folklore: Cosquín, Córdoba, usually in January. A week of folk music.

  • Tango BA Festival y Mundial: Buenos Aires, usually in August. Shows, milongas and the world tango championship.

  • Día de la Tradición: San Antonio de Areco, usually in November. Gaucho parades and horsemanship.

  • Lollapalooza Argentina: Buenos Aires, usually in March. Big international lineup at the Hipódromo de San Isidro.

  • Cosquín Rock: Córdoba, usually in February. The main national rock festival.

  • BAFICI: Buenos Aires, usually in April. A respected independent film festival.

Music and dance

  • Tango dance: take a class at a milonga in San Telmo, Almagro or Palermo, where many run a beginner lesson before the dancing starts.

  • Chacarera: the folk dance of the interior, danced at peñas and fiestas.

  • Tango: the music of Buenos Aires. See a show, or go to a milonga in San Telmo, Almagro or Palermo to watch locals dance.

  • Folklore: chacarera and zamba from the north and the interior, played at peñas and at the Cosquín festival.

  • Rock nacional and cumbia: Argentine rock is a national obsession, and cumbia villera and trap fill the radio.

  • Live: Café Tortoni and Teatro Colón for the classic side, and the Palermo bars and clubs for electronic nights, which start very late.

Don't miss

  • A tango show or a milonga night.

  • The San Telmo Sunday fair on Calle Defensa.

  • The El Ateneo Grand Splendid bookstore and a Teatro Colón tour.

  • A parrilla dinner, booked ahead at the popular spots.

  • A River Plate or Boca Juniors match.

  • Recoleta Cemetery on an overcast morning.

Photography spots

  • La Boca and Caminito: the painted tin houses look best in soft morning light before the crowds.

  • Recoleta Cemetery: overcast days suit the marble and statues.

  • Puerto Madero and Puente de la Mujer: blue hour, with skyline reflections in the docks.

  • Obelisco and Avenida 9 de Julio: night shots with light trails.

  • Drones: registration with ANAC is required and flying over central Buenos Aires is heavily restricted. Check current rules.

My experience

Buenos Aires felt like a city you can live in, not just visit. Four weeks let me learn the neighborhoods, and Palermo made it easy with cafes and restaurants on every block. I liked Belgrano for its calm after the busier Palermo streets. I would recommend it to food lovers and anyone who wants a big city with a European feel at a relaxed pace.

Cost of living

  • Overall: Buenos Aires and Córdoba: $$, about 45% cheaper than New York. Mendoza and Patagonia run higher.

  • Coffee: about $3

  • Local lunch: about $10

  • Dinner for two at a nice restaurant: about $60

  • Beer or cocktail: about $4 / $9

  • Ride across town: about $5

  • Mid-range hotel: about $70 a night

  • Furnished one-bedroom in a good area: about $700 a month in Buenos Aires's Palermo, $450 in Córdoba's Nueva Córdoba

  • Daily budget: about $55 budget, $110 comfortable, $250+ luxury in Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires gives you very good food and wine for modest money, but the economy swings a lot, so check the current exchange situation before you go. Palermo and Recoleta cost more than neighborhoods like Belgrano or Villa Crespo. Prices are approximate in US dollars as of 2026.

Working remotely

  • Wi-Fi: Typically 50 to 300 Mbps on fiber in apartments and cafes, generally reliable. Occasional power or building outages in summer heat.

  • Coworking and cafes: Buenos Aires is the clear nomad hub, with coworking spaces and cafes in Palermo and Villa Crespo. Córdoba is cheaper with a student feel, and Mendoza suits wine lovers.

  • Time zone: UTC-3, 1 hour ahead of US Eastern during daylight saving and 2 hours ahead otherwise. Argentina does not change its clocks.

  • Visa for longer stays: US citizens get 90 days visa-free, and Argentina has a Digital Nomad Visa for remote workers, valid for six months and renewable. Check current rules.

  • Nomad rating: 4 out of 5. Great food, culture and a big expat scene, with some friction from currency rules and paperwork.

Good to know

  • Language: Spanish, in the Rioplatense style with "vos" and a "sh" sound for ll and y. English is common in tourist areas and some restaurants, but less so elsewhere.

  • Currency: The Argentine peso. Inflation is high and the exchange situation changes often, so check current rates and how foreign cards are handled. Cards are widely accepted, and cash helps for small purchases.

  • Plugs: Type I and some Type C, 220V. Bring an adapter.

  • Entry for US citizens: No visa for tourism, usually for up to 90 days. Check current rules.

  • Best time to visit: Spring (September to November) and fall (March to May) for Buenos Aires. Summer is hot and humid in the city. Patagonia is best from November to March.

  • Getting around: Uber, Cabify and DiDi work in Buenos Aires.

  • SIM/eSIM: Claro, Movistar and Personal. An eSIM is easiest for a short trip, and a local SIM from a kiosk is cheap for a month.

  • Apps: Rappi and PedidosYa for delivery.

  • Water: Tap water in Buenos Aires is generally safe to drink.

  • Tipping: About 10 percent at restaurants, in cash if you can. A cubierto (table charge) on the bill is not a tip.

Useful phrases

  • Hello: Hola or Buenas

  • Thank you: Gracias

  • Please: Por favor

  • How much?: ¿Cuánto sale?

  • The check, please: La cuenta, por favor

Nightlife

Buenos Aires goes out later than almost anywhere I have been. Dinner can start at 10, the bars come alive around midnight, and clubs do not fill until 2 or 3, which is a big shift if you are used to American hours.

  • When people go out: Dinner at 10 or later, drinks around midnight, clubs from 1 or 2 until sunrise. Friday and Saturday are the big nights.

  • Where the action is: In Buenos Aires, Palermo (Soho and Hollywood) is the main bar and club area. San Telmo has older bars and live music, and Recoleta and Puerto Madero lean upscale.

  • The music: Rock nacional, cumbia, reggaeton and electronic music at clubs, and tango in San Telmo and at milongas.

  • Must-visit: A tango milonga or show in Buenos Aires is worth planning an evening around, even if you only go once.

  • Good to know: Club entry is often a cover that includes a drink, or free on a guest list, and drinks are moderate. Dress is smart casual and sneakers are fine at most places. Take a ride app or radio taxi home and keep your phone out on the street late at night.

Meeting people

  • Social scene: Buenos Aires is very social, especially Palermo and Villa Crespo, with coworking spaces, language exchanges and late dinners. Locals are warm and chatty. Many people meet through intercambios, sports clubs and mate in the park.

  • Apps: Tinder, Bumble and Hinge are all used in Buenos Aires. Meetup, Couchsurfing hangouts and Facebook groups for expats and nomads are active. WhatsApp groups run most language exchanges.

  • Etiquette: A single kiss on the cheek is the standard greeting, even between new acquaintances. Dinner often starts after 9pm and people arrive late. Bills are usually split evenly, and it is fine to ask for separate checks.

  • Stay smart: Meet in public, watch your drink and keep your phone in a front pocket, since phone snatching happens on busy streets.

Staying safe

  • Phone snatching is the common problem. Keep your phone away at the curb and in cafes, especially in Microcentro, San Telmo and La Boca.

  • In La Boca, stay on the Caminito strip and leave by Uber before dark.

  • Palermo, Belgrano and Recoleta feel easy by day and night, but stay aware as in any big city.

Alex Hall
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