Buenos Aires 5-Day Itinerary

How this 5-day Buenos Aires plan works

BA + Tigre + Colonia (Uruguay)

Each day below is grouped geographically so you spend your time in Buenos Aires rather than in transit. SUBTE (6 metro lines A/B/C/D/E/H) covers most of the city for AR$757. SUBE card (AR$1,500 + credit) taps SUBTE + bus + Tren de la Costa. Uber + Cabify + DiDi all work — much safer than street taxis (which are mostly fine but scam risk exists). Radio taxis ordered by app or through hotel are reliable. Palermo, Recoleta, Puerto Madero all walkable.

Day by day

• Day 1

  Day 1–3 — Full BA highlights above.

• Day 2

  Day 4 — Tigre delta boat trip half-day + Museo de Arte Tigre.

• Day 3

  Day 5 — Buquebus ferry to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay (1h) for cobblestone UNESCO day trip.

Where to base yourself

• Recoleta

  Grand mansions, cemetery, museums — Alvear Palace, Palacio Duhau Park Hyatt, Four Seasons Buenos Aires.

• Palermo Soho / Palermo Hollywood

  Best restaurants + boutique hotels — Home Hotel, Legado Mítico, Vain Boutique, Fierro Hotel.

• Puerto Madero

  Waterfront, high-rises, Ecological Reserve — Faena Hotel, Alvear Icon, Hilton Buenos Aires.

• San Telmo

  Cobblestone tango barrio, Sunday antiques market (Feria Dorrego), Mercado San Telmo — best local atmosphere.

Best time to run this itinerary

October–November + March–April are the sweet spots — 18–25°C, jacaranda bloom (November), fewer crowds. December–February is southern-hemisphere summer, 25–33°C + humid, porteños escape to the coast. June–August is winter — 8–15°C dry, museum + tango season, hotels 30% cheaper. Watch for currency swings that reshape prices monthly.

Before you go

• Foreign Visa/Mastercard now automatically use tourist rate (≈ MEP) since Nov 2023 — no more Western Union pilgrimage.

• Argentines eat late — 9pm is early, 10pm normal, midnight standard weekend dinner.

• 10% propina (tip) at restaurants; small bills for taxi rounding.