La Boca & Barracas

La Boca

The south of Buenos Aires includes the colorful La Boca and Barracas neighborhoods.

La Boca (literally "the mouth", as the neighborhood is at the mouth of the Matanza River) is a working class district of Buenos Aires, considered Buenos Aires's most colorful neighborhood with a very outgoing personality. Tourists favor this picturesque district for its rich history and vibrant colors: greens, yellows, reds, and purples highlight the urban scenery.

Get in

There is no subte to La Boca, but buses go there. Walking to La Boca from other neighborhoods is not advisable due to safety concerns. Instead, take a taxi or bus. Buses 29 and 64 go there from the north and center of the city.

Regional trains connecting with the southern suburbs and Constitución railway station in the district of Centro calls in Barracas. There are frequent departures during weekdays.

• 1 Hipólito Yrigoyen railway station (Estación Hipólito Yrigoyen). (updated Jul 2023)

See

La Boca

A colorful sidewalk in La Boca

• 1 Caminito. Pedestrian street with arts and crafts. Tango dancers are in the cobblestone streets. The buildings are painted in bright colors. (updated Sep 2017)
• 2 La Bombonera. The 49,000 capacity home of Boca Juniors - the most famous football club in Argentina and club of its most famous son - Diego Maradona. The large crowd is loud and passionate - watching a match is not for the faint hearted. Besides regular football matches, La Bombonera can be visited. You will be guided through the changing rooms, the viewers areas and you will also spend some moments on the very playing field. (updated Sep 2017)
• 3 Puente Transbordador (Buenos Aires Transporter Bridge). The transporter bridge was the first link to connect Buenos Aires with the outskirts on the other side of the Riachuelo River. (updated Sep 2017)

Barracas

• 4 Calle Lanín. A street where all houses are decorated with colorful tile mosaics. (updated Sep 2017)

Do

• Football Game – Tourists are often advised to go with large, organized groups such as LandingPadBA with bilingual guides, in particular to a Boca Juniors game. This ensures that you can watch the game in peace and still have a great time. Best to purchase a (more expensive) Plateas (grandstand) ticket rather than being in the Populars (terraces). It is strongly encouraged to go with a friend or someone local you trust who knows not only the area but also supports the local side & is familiar with the way things operate on match day.
• River cruise. Among other sights a huge metal structure can be seen. (updated Sep 2017)
• Row boats. You may try to catch a row boat to Avellaneda on the other side of the water for $0.50 pesos, but the rower may not allow you to if you are a tourist, saying the other side it's dangerous (peligroso). (updated Sep 2017)

Eat

Restaurant and bar owners in the parts of La Boca away from the tourist areas are only too happy to see tourists, as their establishments are not as crowded as the popular areas. Expect quality local style food and service at a low price. Just remember that a much higher crime rate exists in these areas.

• 1 La Perla, Av. Don Pedro de Mendoza 1899, ☏ +54 11 4302-2524. A bit overpriced, but very nice if you want a view of the old bridge. 

Sleep

• 1 Versalles Palace, Dr. E. Finochietto 864, ☏ +54 11 4361-7356, +54 11 4361-7357. If you're looking for a simple, clean and affordable place, this is the one. Don't expect the services of a full hotel, it's much simpler, but much, much better than a hostel, including private clean bathrooms. It's not far away from downtown, with easy bus, cab or subte(subway) access. 

Stay safe

La Boca is one of the more dangerous neighborhoods in the city, prone to more crime than central areas. Tourist areas are relatively safe; going beyond the unmarked borders (crossing a street can be enough) of the tourist area can put you at risk of trouble. You should be able to identify the rough boundaries of the tourist area, as it'll be full of tourists, shops, restaurants, and so on. While hundreds of tourists visit the area without incident every day, tourists should exercise caution at all times. While fairly safe during the daytime, it should be avoided at night.