The Best Neighborhoods in Buenos Aires

Visiting Buenos Aires isn’t about checking off a list of landmarks, it’s about the barrios.

The neighborhoods in Buenos Aires are what make this city what it is and the best way to experience this city is by wandering its streets and letting yourself getting lost.

Are you wondering where to stay in Buenos Aires or just want to know which areas of the city to explore?

This local’s guidewill leave you prepared to choose and plan your stay in the best neighborhoods in Buenos Aires.

10 Top Neighborhoods in Buenos Aires

Exploring Buenos Aires’ neighborhoods is my favorite way to spend a beautiful day in the city.

I’ll choose one and research its iconic corners and bars to plan my route. There are always a couple cafe stops for people watching.

Here are ten neighborhoods in Buenos Aires.

If you’re wondering which one to stay in, live in, or wander in, then I know this guide will help.

For a more complete guide on hotels, hostels, and apartments, read my incredibly detailed guide on where to stay in Buenos Aires.

Microcentro (Montserrat/San Nicolas)

Microcentro is the name for Buenos Aires’ downtown. This is the business district, the financial center.

It’s actually made up of more than one neighborhood: mostly Montserrat and San Nicolas, and a bit of Retiro.

For the purpose of this article, where a tourist may choose to stay in Buenos Aires, we’ll just lump all of these areas together. This is a popular place to stay and you’ll see a lot of chain hotels on Avenida 9 de Julio.

But, honestly, I don’t love it as a home base. I love to visit but I’d prefer to sleep elsewhere.

It doesn’t feel as safe at night and on weekends (when the offices are closed). And Avenida Corrientes feels like Time’s Square, which is a great place to visit but not very relaxing to sleep.

But for every rule there’s an exception. If your trip is particularly short, think 1-2 days, then yes, this is a great place to stay to see all of the main sites and to see them quickly.

Where to Stay in Montserrat & San Nicolas

• Buenos Aires Marriott – Right on Avenida 9 de Julio you’ll be in the heart of the action. This hotel is a classic in Buenos Aires and its rooftop pool and terrace have the best views of the obelisk.
• La Fresque Hotel – A budget friendly option, this boutique hotel housed in a colonial building is right on Avenida de Mayo, steps from the Casa Rosada, Plaza de Mayo, and the city’s top sights.
• Parla Hostel – Beautiful hostel in this area in a historic building.

Palermo Soho & Hollywood

Palermo is the trendiest neighborhood in Buenos Aires (but Chacarita is nipping at its heels).

It is so large that it’s divided into mini neighborhoods, each with its own draw. The two main areas in Palermo that you’ll hear the most about are Palermo Soho and Palermo Hollywood.

What to do in Palermo? It has the highest concentration of street art, cafes, restaurants, bars, and boutiques. On the weekends you can shop in the artisan markets on Plazas Serrano and Armenia.

Palermo Soho’s alleyways (pasajes) like Pasaje Russel, Pasaje Soria, and Sta. Rosa, house some of the best street art in Buenos Aires.

For activities in Palermo, gain context for about the artists on these street art tours, try a sampling of the barrio’s famous restaurants on the Sherpa food tour or dig into an authentic family-style meal on the famous Asado Adventure.

Palermo Hollywood borders Soho, separated by Avenida Juan B. Justo. It owes its name to the number of film and radio studios located here.

Today Hollywood is filled to the brim with hip restaurants, cafes, and bars. There are less boutiques, with Soho taking the prize for shopping.

Both are so close that choosing between the two isn’t a make or break decision.

Palermo is a great homebase. Go into the busy city center to tour during the day then come home to unwind on Palermo’s leafy cobblestone streets at night.

Where to stay in Palermo? I love Home Hotel for a modern and stylish boutique hotel. It has a great spa and a lush garden and pool for the summer. BE Jardin by Coppola is a restored historic home, think of it as authentic luxury. And for a more laid back boutique hotel, my go-to is the Magnolia Boutique Hotel. Younger travelers will love Casa Caravan.

San Telmo

San Telmo is the oldest in the city, dating back to the 17th century.

Some of the best tango shows in Buenos Aires are located here, along with historic churches, cobblestone streets, and antique shops. For example, the country’s oldest bookstore (Libreria Avila) and oldest pharmacy (La Estrella) are both right here.

Defensa Street turns into a world-famous market every Sunday where you can pick up one-of-a-kind antiques and handicrafts and try the best street food.

Read More: A Guide to San Telmo

There’s also an indoor market on Dorrego (between Carlos Calvo and Estados Unidos) that used to sell antiques and groceries. But since the pandemic it has largely changed into a more modern food hall.

My advice? Try to see San Telmo on both a Sunday and a weekday to see two different sides to my favorite Buenos Aires neighborhood.

Where to stay in San Telmo? L’Adresse Hôtel Boutique is a boutique hotel in a beautifully restored historic building. Backpackers or younger travelers will love the hostels here – both America del Sur and Viajero are great hostels with a lot of social activities and tours.

Recoleta & Retiro

Are you coming to Argentina to experience the Paris of South America? You’ll find it Recoleta (and its neighboring barrio, Retiro).

These are the wealthiest neighborhoods in Buenos Aires with luxury hotels, mansions, and Parisian-influenced apartment blocks.

Recoleta got its name from the Franciscan Order that build the cemetery and its adjoining church in the 18th Century. Touring the cemetery is a must, to see Evita’s grave (among many other historic figures).

Read More: The Best Things to do in Recoleta

Other sites include the Floralis Generica, the impressive law school, and the Museo de Bellas Artes (Fine Arts Museum). On weekends the plaza in front of the cemetery comes to life with an artisanal market.

Where to stay in Recoleta? Recoleta is the best neighborhood in Buenos Aires to stay in if you want to be central but in a quiet, residential area. It’s the perfect balance of Palermo and Microcentro.

Luxury hotels like The Four Seasons, Palacio Duhau, and the Alvear Palace. Mid-range options like Wyndham’s Dazzler and the Melia are also great options here.

La Boca

The most iconic Buenos Aires neighborhood is La Boca. If you bought a guidebook, its open air museum – Caminito, seen above – is likely what’s on the cover.

La Boca literally translates to The Mouth and that is exactly what this neighborhood was. This port was the gateway to the city’s largest wave of European (largely Italian and Spanish) immigrants in the late 19th/early 20th centuries.

Many of these impoverished families looking for a better life lived in in tenement houses called Conventillos.

These shared living spaces were common in the southern barrios, particularly after affluent families abandoned their homes during the yellow fever epidemic.

Entire families would live in one bedroom and the multiple families would share the living spaces (mostly in outdoor patios). You can see conventillos all over the Caminito, now serving as touristy souvenir shops.

La Boca is one of the most colorful Buenos Aires neighborhoods because families here used leftover paint from the docks, resulting in the patchwork you still see today (some authentic, some re-created in homage/tradition).

Everything you want to see in La Boca is on or around the Caminito area. This outdoor museum is admittedly the most touristy area in town but it is very worth the visit. Go on a walking tour to learn about the history and get deeper than the tourist-trap veneer.

SAFETY TIP: La Boca is not the safest neighborhood in Buenos Aires. Stay in the Caminito and don’t wander too far off in any direction. Leave before the sun goes down. Don’t take public transportation here and do not bring valuables that call attention. Leave your passport, most of your credit cards and cash at the hotel (good travel rules to live by in general).

Read More: Is Buenos Aires Safe for Tourists?

Puerto Madero

Puerto Madero is the city’s youngest neighborhood, having been completely restored in the 90’s.

Its port originally dates back to 1911, developed to allow large cargo ships to dock without having to use ferries and barges to bring the cargo to shore.

Despite the massive investment, however, the port only functioned for about 10 years before being rendered obsolete by the new port, Puerto Nuevo, taking its place.

After decades of abandon, the 1990’s renewal converted Puerto Madero into one of the most modern, affluent areas in town.

Warehouses were converted into loft apartments, upscale restaurants, and even a private university. Skyscrapers house luxury hotels, pricey apartments and some of the best views in town.

Personally, I don’t like Puerto Madero. While it is the safest neighborhood in Buenos Aires (due to annoying infrastructure blocking quick access in and out), I find it sterile, lacking the grit and culture of the rest of Buenos Aires.

Come and see the architectural wonder that is the Puente de la Mujer, but don’t come here to eat.

The only other saving grace for Puerto Madero waterfront is the Reserva Ecologica, one of the best green spaces in Buenos Aires. There are also a lot of food trucks along the reserve selling some of the city’s best street meat sandwiches. See my favorite Costanera Sur choripan here.

Where to stay in Puerto Madero: You may already guess that I don’t love staying in Puerto Madero but there ARE some great luxury hotels here. Hotel Madero is in a modern sky-rise with a spa and pool. The Alvear Icon Hotel has incredible views from its 32-floor tower.

Chacarita

As Palermo Soho’s popularity soured so did its rent. New restaurants and boutiques are looking elsewhere to open their doors and Chacarita has seen a major influx of specialty coffee and wine bars.

This working class neighborhood is quickly gentrifying but still retains most of its original charm and grit.

Read more: A Buenos Aires Neighborhood Guide to Chacarita

So while you will probably come here to eat and maybe to shop, don’t miss Chacarita’s iconic sites. Namely its namesake cemetery, which much much larger than its Recoleta counterpart.

This is the people’s cemetery, where everyone is still buried to this day. Recoleta may have Evita but Chacarita is the final resting place of tango star Carlos Gardel.

Most of the new restaurants (Georgie’s, Sifon Soderia, Ulua, and La Fuerza to name just a few) are on or near Avenida Jorge Newberry. Base yourself and your wanderings in this area and you’re in for a treat, day or night.

Almagro

Almagro is a working class residential neighborhood that’s perfect if you want to “see how the locals live.”

In fact, I remember a few of my co-workers back in 2010 priding themselves on their Almagro addresses, touting them as if it made them a superior expat to the English speakers of Palermo. Whether they were superior is debatable but they did choose a pretty great place to live.

Almagro is conveniently located, central and close to everything, a 10 minute drive from Palermo and walking distance to every shop or restaurant you may need.

I always manage to follow the same walking route when I wander Almagro, so I wrote it out in my Almagro neighborhood guide.

The stunning San Carlos y Maria Auxiliadora Basilica is always my start (arguably the most beautiful church in Buenos Aires), then I wander in and out of historic pizzerias and cafes (eating is always a priority).

Villa Crespo

Villa Crespo, before Chacarita grew in popularity, was the original Palermo alternative. It borders both Palermo Soho and Chacarita.

It’s a beautiful place to stay, I recommend renting an apartment between Cordoba and Corrientes avenues.

This classic Buenos Aires barrio has some of the best street art in town. I recommend wandering its cobblestone streets on a sunny afternoon to hunt down the many, many murals here.

Calle Murillo is also home to the city’s leather district with a few blocks dedicated to the craft. If you want to shop for leather in Buenos Aires (on a budget), this is the spot.

Villa Crespo is also where you’ll find all of the city’s outlets. You may find deal or two but don’t expect bargain basement prices like in the US.

There are plenty of new restaurants opening here every year but the classics reign supreme. Get the best Armenian food at Sarkis (prepare for a wait, it’s worth it).

Bar 878 has mixed up some of the city’s best cocktails since 2004. For a coffee and pastry, don’t miss Malvon or Cafe Crespin.

Belgrano

Belgrano is a residential neighborhood on the northern side of the city. Like Palermo, it’s a behemoth of a barrio that covers a lot of ground.

It’s a wonderful neighborhood for families (and I’d know, I lived near here with mine for years).

The commercial area are the blocks surrounding Avenida Cabildo. This area is characterized by shopping, high rise apartments, and crowded sidewalks.

The Juramento and Cabildo intersection is the major meeting point for Belgrano. The square here in front of the church converts to an artisan market on the weekends.

Barrancas de Belgrano, a lovely park, is just a few blocks further down Juramento. This sloped park on the hillside then leads the gates of Buenos Aires’ Barrio Chino, a small but mighty four blocks of Chinese restaurants and shops offering the best variety of imports in town.

For a more residential, family-friendly vibe I like Belgrano R on and around the blocks surrounding Plaza Castelli and its aptly named Belgrano R train station.

This area has wider sidewalks and larger homes (peaking with the mansions that line Avenida Melian, one of the most beautiful streets in the city).

If you’re looking for somewhere to live (or stay like a local), I suggest also looking at Núñez. Bordering Belgrano to the north, this area has stunning homes.

New restaurants and cafes are opening here more and more, greatly improving the quality of life here (for those who prioritize stylish wine bars and sourdough pastries).

More Buenos Aires Neighborhood Guides

Read more about Buenos Aires with the links below, including neighborhoods not included in this article (Once and Caballito).

Tour the neighborhoods mentioned with lists of the best tours like bike tours and food tours or plan your own trip with my detailed Buenos Aires itinerary.

• Where to Stay in Buenos Aires
• The perfect 3 days in Buenos Aires Itinerary
• The 20 Best Things to do in Buenos Aires
• Caballito, Buenos Aires: A Neighborhood Guide
• A Neighborhood Guide to Once, Buenos Aires
• The Best Buenos Aires Bike Tours
• The Best Buenos Aires Food Tours