Walking through Buenos Aires is a way to get to know the city up close. The route varies depending on where you start: the city center and the river, wide avenues and theaters, or the historic district and San Telmo.
When walking through Buenos Aires, you notice details that often go by too quickly when traveling by car: the domes, the corner bars, the bookstores, the scents, the buildings from different eras, and those streets where the atmosphere changes from one block to the next. Many areas of downtown are connected, making it easy to plan comfortable walks, especially when your starting point is well-located.
The three HTLs open the door to different itineraries.
Is Buenos Aires a walkable city?
Absolutely. Downtown, the historic district, San Telmo, Retiro, and part of Puerto Madero let you combine several places into a single walk. The blocks are evenly spaced, and many avenues serve as landmarks to help you find your way. Buenos Aires invites you to take your time. Rather than counting how many blocks there are, it’s better to think about how much you want to see, explore, or rest along the way.
What are reasonable distances?
A 20- to 30-minute walk lets you reach one or two nearby spots.
In an hour, you can visit several landmarks within the same area.
With two hours or more, it’s possible to put together a more comprehensive itinerary, provided that your visits are mainly outdoors.
To visit museums, markets, cultural centers, or cafés, you’ll need to allow extra time.
Three hotels, three ways to explore Buenos Aires on foot. Each HTL serves as a starting point for a different part of the city.
From HTL Urbano: from the downtown core to the river
From HTL Urbano, the walk begins among offices, shops, and buildings in the downtown core.
Florida Street leads to Galerías Pacífico and continues on to Plaza San Martín, where the atmosphere changes and trees, historic buildings, and the silhouette of the Kavanagh Hotel come into view.
In the other direction, the route can take you past the Central Post Office and continue toward Puerto Madero. In just a few blocks, Buenos Aires shifts from the pace of downtown to the old docks and open spaces along the river. It’s a walk designed to reveal the contrasts between downtown, the architecture, and the river.
From HTL 9 de Julio: Avenues, Theaters, and Domes
From HTL 9 de Julio, the city unfolds on a grand scale.
9 de Julio Avenue marks the start of the route. From there, you can walk toward the Obelisk and Corrientes Avenue, passing theaters, bookstores, billboards, and pizzerias.
Toward Avenida de Mayo, the landscape changes. You’ll see the Barolo Palace, the domes, and the buildings connecting Plaza del Congreso with Plaza de Mayo.
From HTL City Baires: History and Streets of San Telmo
From HTL City Baires, the historic district is nearby.
The walk can start on Avenida de Mayo and continue toward Plaza de Mayo, where the Cabildo, the Metropolitan Cathedral, and the Casa Rosada are located.
From there, Defensa Street leads the way to San Telmo. The building facades change, the sidewalks narrow, and antique shops, cafés, and historic buildings come into view.
It’s a route that lets you delve into the city’s history and see how Buenos Aires changes as you head south.
What should you keep in mind before setting out?
Be sure to wear comfortable shoes, check the weather, and bring water on hot days.
Save your hotel’s location and look up. Part of the experience lies in the facades, domes, and balconies.
On a walk, the destination is just as important as what you find along the way.
You head out for a walk, return to rest, and continue discovering the city from the place you’ve chosen to stay.