Buenos Aires' Grandest Avenue Is Best Seen on Foot
A stroll through one of Buenos Aires' most emblematic avenues
Buenos Aires can feel loud, fast, and slightly overwhelming at first. But spend enough time here it becomes a city that rewards slow discoveries. This is the first in a series of Street Walks, starting with Avenida del Libertador, the broad avenue that cuts north from Retiro toward the Northern Suburbs of Greater Buenos Aires.
One minute you’re surrounded by railway buildings and office towers, the next by museums, university campuses and some of the city’s most-loved green space. This is a walk that gradually loosens its tie, starting hectic and historic, turning intellectual and cultural, then ending outdoorsy, relaxed and social.
Walking distance: Approximately six kilometers
Suggested time: Four to seven or more hours, depending on stops and activities
Good for: Parks, museums, architecture, cafés, nightlife
When: Daytime
Best time of year: Spring (September to November) for blooming lapacho, palo borracho and jacaranda trees, and rose blooms
Difficulty: Easy and flat
1. Retiro and British Connections
The organized chaos of Retiro is our starting point. Commuter trains screech into platforms, long-distance buses arrive from across Argentina, office workers move at full speed and tourists stand around trying to figure out where exactly they are. This is where Avenida del Libertador begins its 25-kilometer journey from downtown BA to San Fernando.
Start at Plaza Fuerza Aérea Argentina, home to the Torre Monumental. The 60-meter-tall clock tower was a gift from the British community in 1916. From the 6th floor deck you’ll get a glimpse of the scale and energy of BA while overlooking high-rise office blocks, railway terminals, the port and river.
Opposite, Plaza San Martín is surprisingly calm considering the traffic swirling around it. On weekdays, office workers enjoy the midday sun amid huge trees. It’s worth passing through to see the General San Martín monument, alongside the Monument to the Fallen in Malvinas. There’s a lesser-known Hito de la Argentinidad N° 12 historical marker, commemorating Argentine resistance during an 1806 British invasion.
A detail most people walk past without realizing: from 1801 to 1819 the square was home to a 10,000-seat bullring called Plaza de Toros del Retiro.
For more views from above, check out our favorite lookouts around the city here.
