When visiting any large city around the world, the first thing that many people search for is for a walking tour and Buenos Aires is no exception. These free Buenos Aires walking tours can give you an understanding of the different monuments and neighborhoods in a historical and cultural context, connecting them all to the local society that lives here today.
Important Note:
When it comes to “free” walking tours, it is important to tip the guides an appropriate amount because of the extensive time and knowledge that they are sharing with you. We recommend tipping around $20 per person and don’t forget to tip if you are leaving the tour prior to the end.
The Best Free Buenos Aires Walking Tours
The company Free Walks Buenos Aires hosts the most comprehensive free Buenos Aires walking tours in the city. Led by professionals who range from historians to sociologists and are from Buenos Aires, these tours help you connect the dots between history, architecture, and culture. And the tours are separated between English and Spanish speakers, ensuring that you can grasp all of the information that they provide and allowing you to ask any questions you may have. Below are some of the free Buenos Aires walking tours that we recommend as an introduction to the city.
Note: the Free Walks Buenos Aires website is rich with information about the city including practical information, neighborhood info, etc. It’s worth checking out even if you don’t take one of their tours.
Exploring the Buenos Aires City Center
The tour of the city center gives a strong introduction into the city and the evolution of the Argentine government over time, starting as a Spanish colony and evolving to the current political system today. The tour walks around some of the more touristy landmarks of the city center and puts them into their historical context, which helps understand the how the city has changed over time.
Some of the landmarks and locations that you will visit during this tour include:
- The Congress Building
- Palacio Barolo
- Evita’s Mural
- Cafe Tortoni
- Plaza de Mayo
- The Cabildo de Buenos Aires (colonial town hall)
- the Buenos Aires Cathedral
- Pink Government House
The Old Neighborhoods of Recoleta and Retiro
The tour of Recoleta and Retiro discusses the aristocracy and culture within the city. Of the two free Buenos Aires walking tours, this one is great for those who want to dive deeper into the historical events of the country and how they have affected, changed, and morphed the aristocratic neighborhoods of the city. Due to economic decline in the past, these neighborhoods have been repurposed into the embassy and government center of the city. The large mansions once inhabited by the elite are now the property of a variety of governments and institutions. The landmarks and walk of this tour do not overlap with the tour of the city center, making them a good complement of one another.
Some of the landmarks and locations that you will visit during this tour include:
- Teatro Colon
- Avenida 9 de Julio
- Torre Monumental
- Plaza San Martin
- The Buenos Aires synagogue
- Colonial Franciscan convent
- Recoleta cemetery
Beyond the Free Buenos Aires Walking Tours
The city of Buenos Aires is full of unique and interesting neighborhoods, each with their own culture and history. While you can always walk around these neighborhoods independently, Free Walks Buenos Aires provides some paid tours to help you discover these different parts of the city and dive deeper into the culture beyond the free Buenos Aires walking tours. While these tours can be paid for with cash in person, we have also provided the link to reserve the tour online and pay with a card in advance.
Highly Recommended Tour: La Boca is a colorful working class neighborhood that has completely transformed throughout history. This colorful neighborhood is a must-visit when in Buenos Aires and exploring the neighborhood with a local and knowledgeable guide makes walking through the area that much more enriching. It is located at the port of the city, forever morphing Buenos Aires into the international melting pot that it is today. (In fact, 97% of the population has some European ancestry). You can reserve this tour in advance here.
This tour price does not include the mandatory ticket to the entrance of the cemetery that must be purchased in advance as foreign visitors. This ticket can be purchased in person with a credit card or online here. The Recoleta Cemetery Tour walks through this beautiful and iconic cemetery within Buenos Aires, full of important historical and cultural characters that have impacted the story of Argentina and Buenos Aires. If you are interested in the culture, history, controversies and art of the country, then this is the tour for you. You can reserve this tour in advance here.
The neighborhood of Palermo is one of the more modern areas of Buenos Aires and is full of boutiques, shops, and cafes. It is also an artistic hub and this tour can help explain the culture, story, celebrations, and controversies of the country through the art displayed. It is a beautiful place to wander but if you want a deeper explanation of the amazing street art, join this tour. You can reserve this tour in advance here.
Palermo is one of the neighborhoods we recommend to stay in when visiting Buenos Aires. You can check out various hotels for Palermo, Buenos Aires here.
The area around the San Telmo market is one of the oldest areas of Buenos Aires and is an important part of the history of the city. While the interior market is open every day (and is an amazing place to find delicious local food), the exterior street market is truly vibrant on Sundays. If you are visiting Buenos Aires on a Sunday, consider spending time in this area and if you want a deeper understanding of the history, consider joining this walking tour. You can reserve this tour in advance here.
Important Topics Discussed During Every Tour
Futbol (Soccer)
Most people belong to a fútbol club and it is part of their identity as an Argentine. Because they have to pay dues to be part of the club to get tickets, they feel a sense of ownership for their team. You will often see supporters wearing their club’s jerseys, especially on game day.
The Islas Malvinas (Falkland Islands)
A war in 1982 between Argentina and Great Britain over the sovereignty of the islands. Great Britain won the war in the end but it left a deep scar in Argentine culture to this day. All around the country you will notice monuments to this conflict.
The Madres de Plaza Mayo and the Desaparecidos (The Mothers of Plaza Mayo and the Disappeared)
During the military dictatorship of the 70s and 80s, over 30,000 people were kidnapped and “disappeared” by the government for being a perceived threat. Some of these people were pregnant and gave birth in captivity. However, those babies were adopted by sympathizers of the government. These mothers, now called the Abuelas (grandmothers) de Plaza Mayo, organized themselves to demand answers as to where their grandchildren were and protest against these illegal kidnappings. They have set up an organization that helps people find their biological families and to this day, they are still searching for all the people born in captivity.
