In a city that has - everywhere - blocks-long, free, clean, ultra-green parks and plazas in which…read moreto hang out one would be right to question why anyone would ever choose to pay to enter a similar environment. Chalk it up to curiosity. Days earlier we'd been intrigued when driven past Jardín Japonés and when we stumbled upon it while trekking back from somewhere else an immediate decision was made: we're going to this Japanese garden. It was late afternoon and summer in Buenos Aires and it felt like I was walking through fire. The green grass in this park is entirely off-limits as you stroll along sun-baked asphalt paths to view the Japanese structures, sculptures, and water features. There's benches to sit on but they, too, are placed almost entirely in full-sun locations. So my time here was rather brief; I literally couldn't get comfortable. In addition to koi ponds, food/drink stands, and gift shops, this well-curated park also features performances. As I enjoyed a cold drink a gaggle of kimono-clad women passed by en route to the stage where they performed (dance). I can't say I found this park enjoyable but I could see that it would be had I been there on a day and time that wasn't boiling.

Beautiful garden and a nice stroll overall. (I walked the whole thing in about 30-45min) Came here…read moreafter visiting the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, and it was a nice, peaceful walk over. While it's not as large or elaborate as some of the famous Japanese gardens I've visited in the U.S. and Japan, this one still has its own charm. There's pretty little bridges to cross over, plenty of spots to take photos (you'll often see people lining up for selfies), and some nice traditional structures scattered throughout. I totally missed seeing the koi in the pond! Perhaps it had been drizzling all day? Even though the weather was damp, there was still a decent crowd wandering around. The visitor center is handy if you want a drink, snack, or souvenir. All in all, it's a beautiful little escape from the city noise. You get a taste of Japanese landscaping and that peaceful, Zen feeling right in the heart of Buenos Aires. Worth stopping by if you're nearby.

We had a private Tour Guide that arranged for us to attend one of the one hour tours given by the…read moretheater staff. Our assigned time was 2 PM so we arrived 10 minutes prior and began the lineup process. If you've never toured this theater, I would highly recommend you do so. It is absolutely stunning, so many ornate details to see. We were taken into several different areas of the theater, including the main grand entrance, the theater itself where we were able to sit in one of the box seating and the French styled room where the upper level patrons rest during intermission. Not only did she cover the history, but she also covered many stories of some of their famous attendees, where people sit, including the widows area back in the day where widows couldn't be seen at social functions It's definitely worth your time!

Really great tour and such a beautiful theater. Bought tickets through their web site. Very easy…read moreand show up 15 min before assigned time. Make sure to get the language you speak for your tourney your tickets. Tour is 40-50 minutes. Perfect to see in that timeframe. Everyone enjoyed the tour but sorry but most did not give a small tip to the guide.

This is one of the coolest artist fairs I've ever been to! It literally goes on and on and on and…read moreon... Seriously- there's something for everyone here. It seems to happen on Saturdays and Sundays, and is run by the city. There's some order to this- people seem to have assigned booths, that are rented to them by the City of Buenos Aires. There's a food court in the middle of the artist fair, along with street performers. As you meander through the artists' booths, it feels safe. I'd keep an eye out for pick pockets anyhow, but there was a healthy police presence and vendors don't want to see anything bad happen to all the visitors. The range in artwork is diverse! It's not like it's all the same stuff- it's all very unique, and it's the actual artists there showing off their stuff. Everything is negotiable. There's restrooms in the restaurants off the main street here. Feel free to have a bottle of malbec or a quillmes beer, ain't nobody stopping you! Why not?

The Feria de San Telmo is a huge street market where you can find the perfect souvenirs. It…read morehappens sundays only. Come early and bring comfortable shoes, because you will walk a lot! Have a quilmes beer and a choripan in the street where you will see the old couple dancing tango. Appreciates lots of artisans selling their crafts. I'm not sure about the antiquities that are sold them, but some of them are interesting. Enjoy a little tango on the park, is free just til the dancer and remember a tango/milonga show can cost $$$$. You will spend almost an entire day here, therefore, be patient and enjoy!

One of our favorite experiences of the trip! We didn't understand the storyline, but it was amazing…read moreregardless. The tickets were reasonably priced, and the tables were clean, and they had various food and drink items. It was a lovely energy, and I'd absolutely recommend it!

The Tango show itself was great but the seating situation was odd. We paid for the better seats…read more(without the dinner package) and were sat all the way in the back (the front row of the back section). Thankfully our view wasn't obstructed but we still felt a little annoyed that the upgraded seats were all the way in the back.

El Zanjón de Granados in San Telmo offers a fascinating glimpse into a very different side of…read moreBuenos Aires--hidden tunnels, restored ruins, and layered history beneath the city streets. The guided tour was especially memorable thanks to an energetic and engaging young guide who brought the space to life with great storytelling. It felt intimate and unexpected, like discovering another city under the one you think you know. Definitely worth visiting if you want a more unique, off-the-beaten-path experience in Buenos Aires. Also thankful for AC on a hot day outside.

It's a pretty structure and the tour was okay, but I personally didn't think it was worth the money…read moreand the time spent. I didn't find it super interesting, but maybe that's because I'm not typically that into history.

The irony of visiting a botanical garden in Buenos Aires - possibly the greenest city I've ever…read morebeen in - was not lost on me. It most certainly is not a must-do experience as, if you walk there from wherever, you're likely to pass so many expansive, grassy, tree-filled parks that you'll question why you're not just stopping now. I'm actually a much bigger fan of green parks than botanic gardens (even free ones like this) as I generally care little about plant species or origins. But I came here and found it to be a nice experience. Ample benches in the shade of trees provide a nice spot to hang out and many were doing just that. I spotted a couple sitting on a bench reading actual paperback books and thought "my tribe" before I noticed that I was feeling things bite me ever so often as I strolled through. So I'm probably not hanging out here for long. There were several places that should have held water (ponds, I guess) but they were, sorrowfully, dry on this visit. I do like a water feature. There's also statues and greenhouses (not open to visitors). There's absolutely no reason to head here but if you do, it's a nice place to stroll through on your way to, perhaps, areas with more grass and fewer insects.

Interesting free garden. There are lots of different plant varieties and specimens to view. The…read moreonly thing that holds this attraction back from a 5 star experience, is the neglect that some areas of the garden are experiencing. I'd say about 80% of the garden is well-maintained, but there are some areas of overgrowth that need some attention. In addition to the plants and trees, there's some beautiful sculptures and seating areas to admire all the natural beauty. Also, you get a real sense of how Argentinians spend their free time. You'd be hard pressed not to find the locals socializing and admiring the natural beauty without their ubiquitous Mate in hand. There are also several hauntingly beautiful glass greenhouses on site dating to the Belle Epoch era. It's fun to get a close up look and not only see into the greenhouses themselves, but take in all the architectural details that make these buildings so unique. Overall a Jardín Botánico is a wonderful place to spend a couple of hours, it just needs more upkeep. There are free restroom facilities as well, so you really can enjoy at your own pace.

Not only is Buenos Aires a great city, but it's also a great museum city. Not all great cities are…read more MALBA, the Latin American Art Museum of Buenos Aires, sets the bar high. Not only is the collection compelling, but the building housing it is a stunner. You might be compelled to photograph the space rather than the artworks. Begun in 2001 with one man's personal collection of 220 works by Latin American artists, the collection now has over 750 pieces and, though they don't identify the works as modern or contemporary, I'd identify the collection exactly that way. This is not a place to see the old masters and I like it all the more as a result. Regardless of how slowly you move through the collection, make time for the cafe. Basking in the light and the architecture of that space are guaranteed to enhance your overall experience. Come for the art and architecture, stay for the cafe and gift shop. MALBA is a world-class museum.

I don't usually go for modern art but this was very pleasant. The whole place was clean and…read morewell-maintained. My only gripe is that I wish the online ticketing system worked better, we gave up after several technical glitches which meant waiting 20 minutes in a long line.

Art is life! This is such a cool cultural center for…read moreRecoleta. This place is located right next to the infamous Buenos Aires cemetery, where there are so many (morbid) works of art. But next door to Recoleta's church, there's a fantastic cultural center. Look for the giant painting of a bird man on the front of the place. When I went, it was free! They had a wide variety of works of art, in various media- from sculptures, to paintings, to mixed media works. My favorite was a Michelin Tire Man that someone had made out of tires! There were rock n' roll bands putting on shows, there was a class on twerking (awesome!) and they were even giving out free works of art! There's plenty of air conditioning, and places to hang out and just be creative, cool sculptures to contemplate, and lots of works of art to take in. This seems like a place that really nurtures the creative spirit of Recoleta! Parking looks like it might be a challenge, since it's located next to the country's most famous cemetery and a big ol' park. Bonus- the park is transformed into an artists' market on the weekends! I highly recommend checking this place out! I loved it!

The admission fee is so minor that there's little reason not to check out Centro Cultural Recoleta…read moreif you're nearby (it's beside the Recoleta Cemetery) . The guidebook I had pretty much said the same, so I made time for this place and set my expectations accordingly. Your feelings about this cultural center will likely vary depending on the exhibits currently running. There's a wide variety of art on display and it just keeps unfolding. I found my sweet spot in the building that sits across the courtyard from the building in which you enter. It was in that building, in a food-adjacent show, that I watched a video on hummus that amused me beyond reason. I liked a lot of other things here too and appreciated that each new room I entered featured something totally unique from what preceded it. Buenos Aires is a great museum town and I'm not suggesting that this should replace visits to any of those. But if it does, you might not even care. I was super-glad to have made time to experience Centro Cultural Recoleta.