Outskirts

The less touristy communes 3 to 15 of Buenos Aires are summarized in Outskirts.

Understand

Barrios

These are a few of the noteworthy neighborhoods in the outskirts of Buenos Aires.

Belgrano is one of the more interesting neighborhoods in this part of the city. It's a residential and peaceful neighborhood with silent streets that lead to different shops, restaurants, architectural relics, and large green spaces. Belgrano is one of the most distinguished districts, and it's ideal for day walks along the wooded tile sidewalks.

Almagro is an original middle-class neighborhood, not catered for tourists, Almagro is a barrio in the very center of the capital, with cheap empanadas, Chinese supermarkets, and greengrocer's, the smell of grilled meat from plentiful parillas, and a very big circular park that transforms into a market on Sundays.

One of the main Tango and historical spots in the city, the streets of Boedo offer to native and tourist public a huge variety of cafes in the best “porteño” style, cultural centers, Tango houses, libraries, theaters, nice pubs, and restaurants. Places that please people from all ages and tastes.

An average, middle-class neighborhood, the barrio of Caballito has plentiful amenities, spacious parks, and a good selection of shops. On the other hand, there are cluterred, very busy, and unpredictable areas of Caballito that should require more thought for the average travellers to go there. Overall, it is a pleasant residential and commercial hub.

A large immigrant population, mainly from Argentina's neighbors Bolivia and Paraguay, lives in Once (which is part of the neighborhood of Balvanera). The streets are always busy with people, markets, and outdoor vendors.

Urquiza is between the barrios of Villa Pueyrredón, Belgrano, Villa Ortúzar, Coghlan, Saavedra, and Agronomía. It is a residential neighborhood of both old houses and apartment buildings, quiet streets, and a few fast-traffic, crowded avenues. It has several parks that make it very pleasant. It is not uncommon to see neighbors talking to each other, comfortably sitting on their chairs on the sidewalk. It is also home of several institutions of importance to the Buenos Aires culture, such as the tango and milonga ballrooms Sunderland and Club Sin Rumbo, and Club Pinocho.

Get in

The outskirts of Buenos Aires are partly connected to the city center via subte. The bus network is dense though. Another option is to hail a taxi.

See

The basement of the former Naval school and torture center - now a memorial

• 1 Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti (River Plate Stadium), Avenida Figueroa Alcorta 7597 (take the train from Retiro to Ciudad Universitaria), ☏ +54 11 4789-1156. This football temple was opened on 25 May 1938 and named after former club president Antonio Vespucio Liberti. It is the largest stadium in Argentina with a capacity of 62.000 and also home of the Argentina national football team. In 2009 a museum was opened. The entrance fee to Museo River including a stadium tour costs ARS210. The River Plate stadium is located in Belgrano. (updated May 2017)
• 2 Barrio Chino (Chinatown). A largely commercial section about five blocks long in the barrio of Belgrano. Despite the designation as a Chinese ethnic enclave, the area is populated by different Asian communities, with a predominance of Taiwanese people and, to a lesser extent, Japanese and Thais. (updated May 2017)
• 3 Museo de Arte Español Enrique Larreta, Vuelta de Obligado 2155. A museum of Spanish art, which resulted from the purchase by the city of the Buenos Aires home of Enrique Larreta, perhaps the most prominent Argentine exponent of Hispanic modernism in literature. Only the gardens are accessible while the museum is undergoing renovation. 10ARS. (updated May 2017)
• 4 Museo Histórico Sarmiento (Sarmiento historic museum), Juramento 2180, ☏ +54 11 4782 2354, info@museosarmiento.gob.ar. M-F 13:00-18:00; Sa,Su 14:00-19:00. Museum dedicated to Argentine history, and in particular to the Generation of '80 and the life of President Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, a writer and political figure who was President of Argentina between 1868 and 1874. (updated May 2017)
• 5 Parque Chacabuco (Chacabuco Park). The park is well known for its floral variety and selection of decorative sculptures. (updated May 2017)
• 6 Plaza Miserere. One of the main plazas (squares) of Buenos Aires. The square's current design is from 1923. The mausoleum of Bernardino Rivadavia, the first Constitutional President of Argentina, was created by sculptor Rogelio Yrurtia and added in 1932, where his ashes remain despite his wish that they not stay in Argentina. (updated May 2017)
• 7 Basílica Santuario de Santa Rosa de Lima, Av. Belgrano 2216, ☏ +54 11 4308-5313. Romanic-Bizantine style church from the 20th century. The main altar has a replica of Michelangelo's Pietá. (updated May 2017)
• 8 Parroquia Nuestra Senora de Balvanera (Our Lady of Balvanera), Bartolomé Mitre 2411, ☏ +54 11 4951 2218. Built between 1799 and 1860 this is the parish that gives the original name to the district. Very popular among local people from all the city that comes to pray to San Expedito, Saint of impossible causes. (updated May 2017)
• 9 Casa de los Pavos Reales, ☏ +54 11 4867 2199. In Avenida Rivadavia this modernist building by architect Colombo is an iconic piece of Buenos Aires original early 20-century architecture. There is a bed & breakfast in the building and you can arrange visits too.  
• 10 Gran Templo de Paso, Paso 423, ☏ +54 11 4951 2306. Founded in 1930 is one of the oldest synagogues in the country and a traditional cultural centre for the Jewish community. 
• 11 Estadio José Amalfitani (El Fortín, Vélez Sarsfield Stadium), Avenida Juan B. Justo 9200, ☏ +54 11 4649-9100. This football temple in Liniers, opened in 1951, is home to another of the city's prominent sides in Vélez Sarsfield. Much like River Plate's ground, it bears the name of a longtime president of its associated club. El Fortín ("The Little Fort") is equally prominent as a rugby union stadium—it's home to the Jaguares, the country's entry in the southern hemisphere Super Rugby competition, and is also a frequent home venue for Los Pumas, the country's national team. (updated Feb 2020)
• 12 ESMA Museum and Site of Memory, Av. del Libertador 8151. During the military rule in Argentina (1976-83), the Navy School of Mechanics (Escuela Superior de Mecánica de la Armada, abbreviated as ESMA) was turned into a prison and torture center for people opposing the regime. Today the complex is a memorial to the cruelties that took place there, and since 2023 it's listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (updated Sep 2023)

Learn

• 1 EAD, Campos Salles 2155, ☏ +54 11 4701 1772. A photography school offering academic courses and workshops to help you hone your skills 
• 2 Centro Universitario de Idiomas, Junín 222, ☏ +54 11 5352-8000. 
• 3 Linguaschools Buenos Aires, ☏ +34 93 176 1536. The school is open all year round. Students can start any Monday. 
• 4 Gisela Giunti, Pte. José Evaristo Uriburu 541, ☏ +54 9 11 5626-0162. Buenos Aires-based Spanish tutor, offering a range of personalised courses, focusing on the individual needs of the students. She also works with her team of teachers which also follows the same teaching style. 
• 5 Verbum Spanish school, Jerónimo Salguero 553, ☏ +54 9 11 5580-3711. A people-oriented school located close to Palermo and downtown. They offer group courses and private Spanish lessons, Spanish for specific purposes (medical, literature, Business, etc.), volunteer opportunities and free social and cultural activities. 

Buy

Once

The Once neighborhood, home to a large immigrant population (mainly from Argentina's neighbors Bolivia and Paraguay), includes many cheap shopping streets

• Lavalle street has lots of shops for fabrics, and also for costumes.
• Paso street for clothes shopping of any kind.
• Azcuenga street has Chinese wholesale shops, selling everything from plastic flowers to kitchen knives. Ask first for "compra minima" the minimum amount they accept to sell.
• Belgrano avenue has furniture shops and carpets. Ranges from cheap plywood to expensive Luoise XV chairs.
• Pueyrredón The block of Pueyrredón avenue across Plaza Once features a busy bazaar-like commercial area known as La Recova.
• Spinetto Shopping Founded as a city market in 1894 selling fruits and vegetables until the 1980s. Afterwards became a mall with a supermarket belonging to El hogar Obrero, a consumer coop that was at the time the biggest in South America. After going bankrupt it was sold and now belongs to the COTO branch of supermarkets. Only a shadow of better times, it still has cinemas, bowling and food court.

Eat

• 1 El Farol, Estado de Israel 4488 (y Rocamora), ☏ +54 4866-3233. "Typical Argentinian food": Spanish + Italian + meat. Very high quality. 
• 2 La Conga, La Rioja 39. Peruvian food. (updated May 2016)
• 3 Los Sabios, Corrientes 3733, ☏ +54 11 4865-9585. Vegetarian/vegan. 

Drink

• 1 Las Violetas, Av. Rivadavia 3899 (Esquina Medrano). A lovely cafe, a bit off the beaten (tourist) path but you can take the oldest subway line in the city, Line A, to get there. Well worth the trip. 

Sleep

Budget

• 1 Giorgio's House Bed and Breakfast Guesthouse, Avenida Rivadavia 5012, ☏ +54 9 11 5464-5323. In front of the subway and next to the park. Furnitures in wood, large rooms common kitchen, free tango classes,Breakfast, wi-fi, tours and cooking classes. 

Mid-range

• 2 Nuñez Suites Hotel, Nuñez 2129, ☏ +54 11 4519 0191. All rooms amply furnished with modern comforts to complete a lovely stay such as air-conditioner, cable TV, and Internet connectivity. Some of the amenities they offer are airport transfer, laundry service, and wake-up call. Rates start at US$60. 
• 3 Hotel Boutique Racó de Buenos Aires, Yapeyú 271, Cod, ☏ +54 11 3530 6075, reservas@racodebuenosaires.com.ar. Surrounded by a nice and quiet atmosphere, historical cafés and buildings keeping their original façades. Every room is delicately decorated with style and unique vanguard design. They are all equipped with a private bathroom, air conditioner and a 32” LCD cable TV. 
• 4 Luey Hotel, Av. Rivadavia 2902. The Luey is a convenient city hotel in the heart of Buenos Aires, located on the commercial Rivadiva Avenue. It offers classical rooms with free Wi-Fi and complimentary parking. 
• 5 Hotel La Perla, Ave Jujuy 36 (corner of Jujuy and Rivadavia avenues, next to the Plaza Miserere). Three-star hotel. 
• 6 El Edificio de los Pavos Reales, Av. Rivadavia 3230, ☏ +54 11 4867-2199. Accommodations are something in between a Bed & Breakfast and an apartment rental. 
• Lo de Costa B&B, Gaspar Campos 1550, Vicente Lopez, ☏ +54 11 4795-1993, reservas@lodecosta.com.ar. Located in the renowned neighbourhood of Vicente Lopez, this family house offers ample rooms and a quality service in a quiet street 20 minutes away from Buenos Aires. 

Splurge

• 7 Espacia Suites, 1135 Amenabar St, ☏ +54 11 4786 8687. Espacia Suites is in the residential neighborhood of Belgrano. Some of its services includes swimming pool and solarium, Wi-Fi in public areas, Cable TV, electronic locks with chip technology cards, safety box in all suites (laptop size), bilingual personnel, and luggage room. Room rates starts at US$110. 

Go next

Back to the north, centro, or south of the city, or head north to Tigre and the Paraná Delta.