Why visit
Buenos Aires is tango in La Boca, steak dinners past midnight, Recoleta's elegant mausoleums, Palermo's parks and nightlife, and a European feel with Latin energy.
How to use this result
Use it as a capital-city prompt
Buenos Aires is useful when you want a city-level starting point in Argentina. Check whether the capital is the best arrival city, a practical transfer point, or mainly a geography and planning reference.
Check practical trip fit
Before planning around Buenos Aires, compare airport access, local transport, time zone, neighborhood choices, weather, safety guidance, and whether another city in Argentina better matches the trip style.
Buenos Aires at a glance
City population
3.1 million
Metro: 15.4 million
Elevation
25 m
82 ft
Time zone
UTC-3
America/Argentina/Buenos_Aires
Airport
EZE
Ministro Pistarini International (Ezeiza)
Founded
1536 / 1580
Getting around
Subte (6 lines: oldest in Latin America), buses, EcoBici
Signature dish
Asado, empanadas, milanesa, dulce de leche, mate culture
Neighborhoods for travelers
PalermoRecoletaSan TelmoLa BocaPuerto Madero
Argentina at a glance
Country center
-34.0°, -64.0°
Coast
Has coastline
Country area
2,780,400 km²
1,073,518 mi²
Country population
45.8 million
16/km²
Subregion
South America
Currency
Argentine peso ($)
ARS
Dial
+54
Languages
Guaraní, Spanish
Demonym
Argentine
Internet
.ar
UN
Member state
ISO code
AR / ARG
Where in the world
-34.0° - -64.0°
Argentina
Open in Google Maps
Click the map to open in Google Maps. Outline via svg-maps/world - CC BY 4.0
Did you know
- Buenos Aires has the world's widest avenue: Avenida 9 de Julio, up to 140 m wide.
- The city has 68 public libraries, 65 theatres, and reads more books per capita than any other Latin American capital.
- Tango was invented in Buenos Aires in the late 1800s. Milongas (tango halls) still run nightly.
- Argentina has the world's widest avenue: Avenida 9 de Julio in Buenos Aires: up to 140 m across.
- Argentina eats more beef per capita than any country except Uruguay.
Bordering Argentina
Traveler notes
- Sube card covers bus + metro (subte)
- Tango shows in Barrio Sur (San Telmo)
- Closed doors (puertas cerradas) dining experiences
Plan checks
- Choose a neighborhood first: many capitals have tourist centers that are not the best places to stay.
- Public transport passes usually beat taxis and rideshares for multi-day visits.
- Reserve top restaurants 2–4 weeks out and plan two standout meals per city.
Explore more
Facts last reviewed June 2026 against GeoNames and national statistics sources. See the editorial policy for how destination data is maintained.
Frequently asked about Buenos Aires
What currency is used in Buenos Aires?
Buenos Aires uses the Argentine peso ($), ISO code ARS.
What languages are spoken in Argentina?
The primary languages are Guaraní and Spanish.
What is the international calling code for Argentina?
The calling code is +54.
What airport serves Buenos Aires?
Ministro Pistarini International (Ezeiza) (IATA: EZE).
Other South America destinations
Cartagena
Cartagena is a UNESCO Spanish colonial walled city on the Caribbean. Ciudad Amurallada's plazas, Getsemaní's street art, Rosario Islands day-trips, and Colombian-Caribbean food.
Cusco
Cusco is the former Inca capital at 3,400 m. San Blas artisan district, Sacsayhuamán ruins above the city, Sacred Valley below, and the gateway to Machu Picchu.
Arequipa
Arequipa is the White City carved from volcanic stone, Santa Catalina Monastery (a city within a city), and the Colca Canyon condor viewpoints two hours out.
Rio de Janeiro
Rio is Christ the Redeemer on Corcovado, Sugarloaf cable car, Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, Santa Teresa's hillside streets, and Lapa's nightlife.
La Paz
La Paz is Bolivia's seat of government at 3,640 m, where the Mi Teleférico cable-car network doubles as public transit and sightseeing. Witches' Market stalls, cholita wrestling, and Valle de la Luna sit inside city limits.
Salvador
Salvador is Brazil's Afro-Brazilian heart. Pelourinho's colorful colonial core (UNESCO), capoeira and samba reggae, and Bahian food like moqueca and acarajé.