15 'not to miss' things to see in Buenos Aires

Lonely Planet Buenos Aires city guide

Buenos Aires city guide

- hang out at Plaza de Mayo, BA’s historic heart surrounded by some of the city’s most important buildings

- take a tour of the Manzana de las Luces during the day and return on Friday night to dance tango at the atmospheric milonga

- escape the city’s hustle and bustle with a walk or bike ride through the Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur, where you can spot birds or perhaps a nutria or iguana

- see the Puente de la Mujer lit up at night and stroll around the cobbled lanes next to Puerto Madero’s dikes

- peek behind the scenes of Teatro Colón on a backstage tour or catch a performance at this historical venue

- learn about the symbolic architecture of the Dante-inspired Palacio Barolo and take in the views from the rooftop lighthouse

- jostle with fellow shoppers at Feria de San Telmo, the Sunday fair, where vendors sell all manner of goods, and buskers and tango dancers entertain

- stroll the cobblestones and admire the colorful houses of El Caminito, where art vendors and buskers vie for your spare change

- wander around the grand Plaza San Martín and get an eyeful of the impressive surrounding buildings

- wander among the tombs in the astonishing Cementerio de la Recoleta where, in death as in life, generations of the Argentine elite rest in ornate splendor

- dance the tango – or watch it – at La Glorieta, the most romantic milonga in BA

- check out the contemporary artwork at the modern Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires, where you can commune with Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo.

- dance tango at la Catedral, BA’s most bohemian milonga (dance hall), after taking a class at DNI Tango nearby

- take a laid-back boat ride along the peaceful backwaters of the Paraná Delta: interesting museums and a nearby outdoor market are pluses

- visit Colonia, a pleasant colonial town, lined with cobbled streets and charming old buildings

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