Is Buenos Aires worth visiting? Our honest take after nearly three weeks
We spent nearly three weeks in Buenos Aires and completely fell in love with it. It is the kind of city that sneaks up on you: world class steak, cafés you want to move into, the best vintage shopping we have found anywhere, and a football atmosphere that genuinely gave us goosebumps. We rated it a straight 10 out of 10. Here is our honest take on whether it is worth it, and what we would tell a friend before they booked.
Our Buenos Aires verdict at a glance
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| Our rating | 10 out of 10 |
|---|---|
| Minimum stay | 7 days |
| Where we would stay | Palermo Hollywood or Palermo Soho |
| Best for | Food, cafés, neighbourhoods, football and vintage shopping |
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Where to stay: Palermo Soho or Palermo Hollywood?
This is the question everyone asks, so here is the honest answer. We stayed in both, and they are only about a 15 minute walk apart. You genuinely would not notice the moment you cross from one into the other. Hollywood was our favourite, purely because it was a little more lively with more restaurants and cafes to choose from. Soho was quieter, and we loved that too. You really cannot go wrong with either.
Browse and book a stay in Palermo
We stayed in one Airbnb in Palermo Soho and another in Palermo Hollywood, with both linked in the guide. If you would rather a hotel, here are the bookable stays right in the area, tap any to check dates and prices.
The steak really is that good
Argentina's reputation is fully earned. We ate a lot of steak and it never got old, from the first place that instantly became our favourite to the one that buries your table in free side dishes before the meat even arrives. Add the choripán, the pizza and a traditional asado and it is one of the best eating cities anywhere.


The cafe culture is the real surprise
We did not expect Buenos Aires to have one of our favourite cafes in the entire world, but it does. There is a whole spectrum here, from tiny specialty coffee spots run by people who became genuine friends, to a grand classic cafe that has been open since the 1800s, to one built inside an old convent. If you work remotely, this city is a dream.
A La Boca game is the most electric thing we have done
If you can get tickets to a game, go. It is genuinely the most electric sporting atmosphere we have ever been part of, the entire stadium bouncing and singing for ninety minutes straight. Even outside the football, La Boca and Caminito street are worth an afternoon for the painted houses, the street tango and the famous Messi statue.


The vintage shopping is genuinely world class
This is the thing nobody tells you about Buenos Aires. The San Telmo Sunday market is enormous, full of antiques, records and artisan stalls, and there are boutiques and second hand shops all over Palermo. We even found a restaurant with a vintage store inside it that had a second hand Birkin sitting on the shelf.


And the rest of the city
Recoleta Cemetery is one of the most famous in the world and genuinely worth seeing, with the cultural centre right next door. El Ateneo Grand Splendid, a grand old theatre turned bookshop, is about a thirty minute walk away and is regularly called one of the most beautiful bookstores on earth. And you cannot come to Argentina and skip a tango show, we loved ours and you can book a brilliant one here.
Is Buenos Aires safe, and how do you get around?
We felt really safe. We had heard there was crime here, but in nearly three weeks we did not experience any of it. The one thing we saw was a phone taken off a table, so just be sensible about leaving yours out, and you will be fine.
Getting around is easy. It is a genuinely walkable city, we were doing 10,000 steps a day without trying, and there are ebikes and escooters everywhere. Ubers are cheap and turn up fast. Money was simple too, we used our international cards for almost everything and the only time we needed cash the entire trip was to pay for the gym.
Buenos Aires FAQs
Is Buenos Aires worth visiting?
For us, absolutely. It earned a straight 10 out of 10 because it felt like a city we could actually live in, not somewhere we were simply ticking off sights.
How many days do you need in Buenos Aires?
We recommend seven days as a minimum. A shorter stay covers the highlights, but a full week gives you time for Palermo, San Telmo, Recoleta, La Boca and the slower café-and-dinner days that made us love the city.
Where should you stay?
Palermo Soho and Palermo Hollywood are both excellent. We stayed in both and slightly preferred Hollywood for its livelier choice of restaurants and cafés.
So, is Buenos Aires worth it? A 10 out of 10.
This blog is the inspiration. The guide is the plan. Inside you get both apartments we stayed in with links, every restaurant and cafe by name, the vintage spots, the gyms for a longer stay, and a clickable Google Maps link on every single spot. A live, interactive Notion guide you can use on the go, for $9.99.
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