Top Free Buenos Aires Experiences

From historical sites to free concerts and festivals to art exhibitions, a culturally rich day in Buenos Aires doesn't have to break the bank. Many of the city's most famous attractions, as well as much of what makes this area so magical can be enjoyed for free!

Just strolling through the city's neighborhoods is a great (and cost-effective) way to soak up Buenos Aires' distinct charm. You can take in the stunning street art splashed on various walls amongst spectacular architecture. When you want to take a break, you can settle in one of the many plazas or parks in Buenos Aires. If you're lucky, you may even catch a performance of street entertainers dancing the tango.

Here are our top picks of activities that would help you see the sights and sounds of Buenos Aires without spending too much.

Have a fun rollerblading experience while smelling roses at the Bosques de Palermo

The Parque Tres de Febrero (also known as the Bosques) in Palermo is a very smooth path that goes around a beautiful artificial lake. It's one of the top locations for rollerbladers. You can bring your own skates and enjoy the experience for free. If you don't have a pair, you can rent one towards the entrance of the Rosedal, which is the park's free-for-all garden.

Get fully immersed in culture at the Usina del Arte 

The Usina del Arte is an events place and cultural center located at a majestic former power plant in the heart of La Boca. The place never runs short of exciting events. You can see tango festivals, art exhibitions,  contemporary dances, and more; the activities here are rarely mainstream and usually alternative. Notably, they're almost always free.

Take walks in Recoleta Cemetery

Our next stop is a graveyard. However, Cementerio de la Recoleta is no average graveyard. The city's paths for the dead are constructed with elaborate mausoleums arranged in different architectural styles. Be careful not to glance over the spectacular art-nouveau mausoleum of Cambaceres Rufina. A lot of tourists try to go right to Eva Perón's tom; however, it can be quite a chore to find where it is.

Enjoy performances at The Centro Cultural Kirchner

The gigantic Centro Cultural Kirchner used to be the Buenos Aires central post office. Now it offers a slew of activities, all of which can be enjoyed for free. The structure was named after Néstor Kirchner, a previous president of Argentina. The CCK possesses many concert halls and exhibition spaces with impeccable acoustics.

Attending the concerts is free. However, it's important that you get there early so you can reserve tickets. It's common for events to be sold out mere hours after tickets have been released.

Enjoy the sights and sounds of El Caminito

Take a ride to the pedestrianized El Caminito street in La Boca, where you'll see tourists taking photographs of dance performers taking a stand in front of bright shacks. It's not unusual to see various cartoonish images or statues of the great soccer legend Maradona Diego and Carlos Gardel, a popular tango singer. It might sound cheesy, but it's worth noting that artists started El Caminito in the locality to preserve and celebrate the neighborhood's spirit. Tenement shacks commonplace here are actual reconstructions of the port workers' colorful homes.

As you may expect, visiting El Caminito is also free, although street performers may tend to ask for a fee for photographs.

Appreciate great artworks at Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes 

The large Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes is a free-to-visit structure resident in a former waterworks structure. It sits firmly in the area of Recoleta. It holds a vast collection of over 12,000 works. These pieces include releases from Argentina's most popular and celebrated artists like Xul Solar, Antonio Berni, and Benito Quinquela Martin. It also has the famous works of Goya, Renoir, and Picasso. 

Brush up on culture at the Feria de Mataderos

If you'd like to experience the folk culture of the Argentinian people, take a trip to Feria de Matadero. It's a Sunday street fair that is held in the Mataderos neighborhood, around the southwestern fringes of the city. The street fair is also free! Take a gander at craft stalls and food while watching various musicians perform traditional folk music of the people, like Zambas and Chacareras. In such an atmosphere, you can't help but dance.

Take a tour of The Casa Rosada and enjoy Plaza de Mayo

On public holidays and weekends, you get the chance to take a look inside the famous Argentinian presidential palace if you join a free guided tour. These guides grant a good lecture on the history of the building, including the heavenly pink house hallways that you can explore. You'll even be allowed to take photos on the famous balcony while gazing over Plaza de Mayo. A good idea while planning is to book Casa Rosada tours online.

Additionally, if you don't understand Spanish, you can check when the English language tour is being held.

Window shop at the Feria de San Telmo stalls

Another Sunday street market is the one at San Telmo. It extends through Calle Defensa from Plaza de Mayo down to Plaza Dorrego. Exploring the craft stalls and antiques takes nothing from your purse (if you're somehow able to resist the urge to buy), and the street entertainers won’t require a penny for a quick look. That said, offering a couple of pesos to the performers is not a bad idea. You can also go to the Mercado de San Telmo, an antiques and atmospheric indoor produce market right around the corner.

Delve into the street art of Barracas

Buenos Aires is one of the leaders in the international street art scene. You won't even need to go further than San Telmo or Palermo to catch a glimpse of beautiful murals. While walking from the streets of Palermo Hollywood to its environs, Chacarita and Colegiales, you'll see all kinds of art left and right. Be on the lookout for the famous Gaucho on a horse with a spray can by Jim Vision.

One of the best areas in the street art game is likely Barracas, a seemingly run-down area that shares borders with La Boca and San Telmo on the city's south side. It's in Barracas that you'll notice works by Martin Ron and El Regreso de Quinquela; it's said to be the world's longest mural painted by a single artist. While staying in Barracas, you should take time to explore the beautiful mosaic-colored Calle Lanin houses.