Buenos Aires – Paris of South America

Buenos Aires is one of the most exciting and enjoyable capitals in all of Latin America. Often dubbed the region's New York, this thriving hub of three million is Argentina at its best. With its friendly locals, outstanding gastronomy, amazing architecture, awesome shopping, and fascinating history, Buenos Aires is the kind of city that captures your heart at first glance.

The only catch? A weekend layover simply won't do. Sprawling, busy, and filled to the brim with world-class museums and sensational cultural experiences, Buenos Aires is a city that demands your undivided time and attention for an entire week if you can spare it.

And spare it, you should!

Top things to see and do in Buenos Aires

The wonderous interwebs is awash with a bunch of detailed guides of the very best things to see and do in Buenos Aires. We think the Crazy Tourist's Guide is arguably the best, covering the whole gamma of experiences unique to the city. We'll let them guide you from museums to malbec, tango dancing, and open-air markets while we offer some insider tips on the city's best neighbourhoods for tourists.

From experience, we know that choosing a good area to stay in when visiting Buenos Aires can be a little confusing.

Here's our concise rundown of the best areas to stay in Buenos Aires:

Downtown (Microcentro)

Buenos Aires' CBD is filled with some of the city's most unmissable highlights, like Plaza de Mayo, the Obelisk, and Evita Peron's Casa Rosada, among many others. During the day, this area is a buzzing hive of activity, one that comes to a near-complete standstill at night. If you're early to rise and early to bed and are most active during the day, this area will be perfect. But, if you do want to get out and about and check out the city's exceptional nightlife, you'll have to get around in taxis all the time, which can get weary.

San Telmo

The best barrio for night owls and anyone who dreams of wandering cobbled streets in the evening, catching tango shows, and feasting well into the night. San Telmo is the birthplace of the most sensual dance in the world and is a historic hood that oozes charm – and vibrant socializing – at every turn (and at any time of day or night).

Recoleta

If you wish to indulge in a luxurious stay while in Buenos Aires, Recoleta is for you. The suburb is home to one of the world's most famous cemeteries as well as flamboyant avenues flanked by eye-popping mansions that have been turned into amazing 5* boutique hotels. Haute cuisine and haute couture define Recoleta best, and you'll love the central location that allows you to easily reach every corner of the city. Besides, Recoleta is home to the Museo Nacional de Bellas Arte, arguably the most exquisite fine art museum in all of Latin America. If you’re a culture vulture, you will want no other base in Buenos Aires!

Palermo

Considered the best barrio to stay in for first-time visitors to Buenos Aires, the city’s largest neighbourhood boasts an abundance of eateries, clubs, shops, and accommodation options. Subdivided into four mini-barrios (Old, Hollywood, Soho, and Chico), Palermo is certainly the trendiest area in which to stay, with nightlife to rival any city in the world and plenty of daytime highlights. Our tip? Stay in Palermo Viejo if you'd love to walk out of your hotel after dark and enjoy a leisurely walk and nightcap nearby. Palermo is safe, tourist-friendly, trendy and incredibly enticing!

Honourable mention – Belgrano

Next door to Palermo but quieter and more laid-back, Belgrano is a family favourite. Here, you'll still find those enchanting cobbled streets and trendy eateries, yet you will also see families walking their dogs after dinner and will enjoy an overall more relaxing stay when you have little ones in tow.

Have you also fallen madly in love with Buenos Aires? Join the club!

Tell us in the comments what you’ve loved most about your visit to this magical city