48 hours in Buenos Aires: a weekend guide

Buenos Aires isn’t a city to rush, but if you only have a weekend you can build an itinerary that mixes the must-sees with the moments that make the city stay with you. After years welcoming travelers in Recoleta, this is the 48-hour plan we usually recommend at the Verdot bar.

Day 1: Recoleta and the classic heart

Morning

Start at the Recoleta Cemetery right as it opens, while there’s still silence among the mausoleums. A few blocks away you’ll find the Recoleta Cultural Center and the Plaza Francia craft fair (on weekends), perfect for a first coffee in the open air.

Walk over to MALBA or the National Museum of Fine Arts —the latter is free entry— for a dose of Argentine and Latin American art without the rush.

Afternoon

Have a light lunch and save room for the evening. The afternoon is for getting lost along Recoleta’s tree-lined streets and, if the weather is kind, sitting in a patio. It’s the perfect time for a wine tasting: a quick way to understand, in an hour, why Argentine Malbec became so loved around the world.

Evening

Keep the first dinner relaxed, with a good wine list. Buenos Aires dines late —rarely before 9 pm— so use the sunset for an aperitif beforehand.

Day 2: Palermo, San Telmo and the long table

Morning

Cross over to Palermo: the Palermo Woods, the Rosedal rose garden and the cafés of Palermo Soho for breakfast. It’s the neighborhood of bookshops, design and terraces.

Afternoon

If it’s Sunday, San Telmo is a must: the San Telmo Fair along Defensa street, the antique shops and live music in Plaza Dorrego. Any other day, San Telmo is still worth it for its cobblestone streets and history.

Evening

Close the trip the way Buenos Aires does: eating well and without a clock. A board of cheeses and cured meats with a glass worth drinking is the best way to linger and look back on everything you saw in two days.

Practical tips

• Getting around: the subway network and taxis/apps cover almost everything. For Recoleta, Palermo and San Telmo, walking is part of the plan.
• Timing: here lunch is after 1 pm and dinner after 9 pm. Book ahead for dinner, especially on weekends.
• Tipping: 10% in restaurants is customary if you were happy.
• Wine: order by the glass to try several regions —Mendoza, Salta, Patagonia— without committing to a whole bottle.

If your weekend runs through Recoleta, at Verdot we’ll help you close the trip with a good glass. Below are two ways to do it.