Neighbourhood guide
Retiro and the Centro: the opera, the avenues and the cafés
The Teatro Colón, the Plaza de Mayo, the Avenida de Mayo and its cafés, the Obelisco and the theatres of Corrientes, and the Plaza San Martín in Retiro.
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Nicocuervo95 · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsThe centre of Buenos Aires runs from the Plaza de Mayo along the Avenida de Mayo to the Congress, with the Avenida 9 de Julio and the Obelisco crossing it and the Teatro Colón a block away. Calle Florida, a pedestrian street, leads north to Retiro, with the Plaza San Martín, the Kavanagh building and the railway terminus.
Sights
The Teatro Colón, the Plaza de Mayo, the Cabildo, the Casa Rosada, the Catedral Metropolitana, the Palacio Barolo, the Obelisco and the Plaza San Martín.
Cafés and food
The Gran Café Tortoni, El Cuartito and Chuchú (Bib Gourmand).
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © The Cosmonaut · CC BY-SA 2.5 ca via Wikimedia CommonsCome on a weekday, when the centre is busiest, and stay for a show in the evening.
Shows
The Teatro Colón, the Teatro San Martín, the Teatro Nacional Cervantes, Tango Porteño and El Beso.
Our advice: the centre empties at weekends; save it for a weekday.
Why it's on our list
- Sights
- Cafés and food
- Shows
What’s nearby
Distances from Retiro and the Centro: the opera, the avenues and the cafés are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 12 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Nearest Subte stations
- UruguayLine B350 m5 min walk
- Sáenz PeñaLine A350 m5 min walk
- CongresoLine A400 m5 min walk
Key sights
- The Teatro Colón850 mWalk 11 minCycle 4 minCar or taxi 8 min
- The Plaza de Mayo1.6 kmWalk 20 minCycle 8 minCar or taxi 10 min
- The Recoleta Cemetery2.2 kmWalk 27 minCycle 11 minCar or taxi 12 min
- San Telmo’s Plaza Dorrego2.2 kmWalk 28 minCycle 11 minCar or taxi 12 min
- Puerto Madero2.2 kmWalk 28 minCycle 11 minCar or taxi 12 min
- The MALBA3.6 kmWalk 45 minCycle 18 minCar or taxi 17 min
- Aeroparque5.8 kmCycle 29 minCar or taxi 24 min
- Ezeiza Airport27 kmCar or taxi 97 min