Argentina rewards the curious: a nation where European elegance meets Latin soul, where grand boulevards hum with protest songs and football chants, and where the pampas spill into ice fields the size of cities. Buenos Aires—Argentina’s lively capital—thrives on café culture, bookshops, and a nightlife that starts late and lingers. Three hours south by air, El Calafate is your gateway to Los Glaciares National Park and the thunderous Perito Moreno Glacier.

Spanish and Italian immigrants shaped Buenos Aires’ architecture and palate—expect Neapolitan-style slices, world-class steaks, and bars that feel like time capsules. Patagonia tells another story: sheep estancias, wind-sculpted steppe, and ice that groans and calves into turquoise lakes. Together, they make a balanced itinerary—urban thrills, culinary deep-dives, and big-nature days.

Practical notes: card payments are widely accepted, but small cash for markets and taxis helps. Download a taxi app or use official radio taxis; keep phones tucked in busy areas. Seasons flip from the Northern Hemisphere (Dec–Feb is summer). Bring a layered jacket even in summer for Patagonia’s gusty weather; outlets are Type C/I. For international and domestic flights, compare on Trip.com and Kiwi.com.

Buenos Aires

The city is a mosaic of barrios: San Telmo’s cobbles and bohemian antiques, La Boca’s bright conventillos, Recoleta’s Belle Époque elegance, and Palermo’s leafy café scene. Top sights include Recoleta Cemetery (the marble city of the dead), MALBA’s Latin American modern art, and the riverside stroll along Puerto Madero.

• Why it’s unmissable: history in the Plaza de Mayo, bookstores like El Ateneo Grand Splendid inside a former theater, and nights that stretch from a parilla dinner to a hidden cocktail bar to a milonga where locals dance till dawn.
• Tastes to chase: provoleta (grilled provolone), ojo de bife, fugazzeta (stuffed onion pizza), medialunas with café cortado, and helado as silky as gelato.
• Fun fact: Tango started in working-class ports and courtyards in the late 1800s—once scandalous, now UNESCO-listed and a national treasure.

Where to stay: Browse handpicked stays in Palermo, Recoleta, or San Telmo on VRBO or compare hotels on Hotels.com.

Getting in: EZE (international) and AEP (domestic) serve the city. Check fares and times on Trip.com and Kiwi.com. A taxi from EZE to Palermo runs ~45–70 USD depending on time and traffic; AEP to Palermo is ~8–15 USD.

Day 1: Arrival, café culture, and a steakhouse welcome

Afternoon: Land in Buenos Aires and settle into your hotel or apartment. Shake off the flight at a classic café: Café Tortoni for history and tiled grandeur, or LAB Tostadores in Palermo for specialty pours and alfajores. Stroll tree-lined Palermo Soho to browse Argentine design boutiques and street art.

Evening: Start your parrilla education. Reserve at Don Julio (book early), or try Parrilla Peña for a locals’ favorite with generous ojo de bife, chimichurri, and provoleta. After, pop into Pain et Vin for natural wines, or Florería Atlántico, a subterranean bar hiding behind a flower shop, for Patagonian gin cocktails.

Day 2: Iconic neighborhoods and a tango night

Morning: Medialunas and a cortado at Pani Recoleta or Lattente, then set off on a city overview with a bilingual guide.

Featured activity: Buenos Aires City Private Tour with Local Guide — customizable stops through Plaza de Mayo, La Boca, San Telmo, Recoleta, and more (great first-day orientation).

Afternoon: Linger at Recoleta Cemetery’s labyrinth of mausoleums, then browse MALBA’s Frida Kahlo and Berni works. Late lunch at El Preferido de Palermo for milanesa napolitana or at Chori for a quick choripán with criolla.

Evening: Dress for a classic tanguería. Arrive early for a three-course dinner and a show that traces tango’s story from the barrios to grand salons.

Featured activity: La Ventana Tango Show in Buenos Aires — intimate San Telmo venue with live orchestra and gaucho boleadoras interludes.

Day 3: Palermo flavors, parks, and bookstores

Morning: Walk the Bosques de Palermo: rose garden, lakes, and the Galileo Planetarium’s UFO glow. Coffee and cardamom rolls at Salvaje Bakery, then pop into the Japanese Garden for koi and manicured calm.

Afternoon: Explore El Ateneo Grand Splendid—an ornate theater reborn as a bookstore—then head to the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (free entry) for Argentine masters. Quick late lunch: pizza al molde at Güerrin (a city icon) or a slice of fugazzeta at El Imperio.

Evening: Eat your way through Palermo’s bodegón culture with a local guide—perfect for first-timers and food lovers who want context with every bite.

Featured activity: Local Foodie Adventure in Buenos Aires with Sherpa Food Tours — empanadas, pizza, bodegón classics, and wine pairings in a small group.

Day 4: Fly to Patagonia (El Calafate)

Morning: Transfer to AEP for your flight to El Calafate (FTE). Direct flights run ~3–3.25 hours; fares are typically ~150–250 USD one-way depending on season. Compare options on Trip.com and Kiwi.com. In El Calafate, taxis or shuttles reach town in ~20 minutes (~8–15 USD).

Afternoon: Check in and refuel with Patagonian lamb stew at Pura Vida or gnocchi at Mi Rancho. Visit the Glaciarium Ice Museum for interactive exhibits on ice dynamics and climate—or stroll Laguna Nimez Reserve for flamingos and Andean geese (bring small cash for entry).

Evening: Dinner at La Tablita (order cordero patagónico and a Malbec). If you fancy a novelty, pop into the local ice bar for a frosty aperitif, then warm up with craft beer at La Zorra Taproom.

El Calafate

Set on Lago Argentino, El Calafate is the front door to Los Glaciares National Park, where Andean ice tongues reach turquoise waters. The town itself is compact—wood cabins, chocolate shops, and hearty kitchens to fend off the Patagonian wind.

• Top sights: Perito Moreno’s walkways, boat navigations to the glacier’s face, estancias for horseback riding, and birding at Laguna Nimez.
• Good to know: weather changes fast—pack a windproof shell, hat, gloves, and sunglasses year-round. Summer (Dec–Mar) is peak; shoulder seasons have fewer crowds and moody light.

Where to stay: Look for lake-view cottages and cozy cabins on VRBO or compare hotels and lodges on Hotels.com.

Getting there from BA: Morning flights AEP→FTE are ~3–3.25 hours. Expect ~20–30 USD round-trip for shared shuttle transfers between FTE and town, or ~8–15 USD by taxi each way. Search on Trip.com or Kiwi.com.

Day 5: Perito Moreno Glacier—walkways and boat navigation

Full-day experience: Head into Los Glaciares National Park (80 km; ~1.5 hours). Spend the morning exploring the network of balconies with shifting perspectives on the glacier’s 70-meter ice walls. Listen for “white thunder” as seracs calve into the lake, then board a navigation to approach the southern face for scale-defying views.

Featured activity: Perito Moreno Glacier with Navigation from El Calafate — walkways plus boat ride to the ice front; guides add geology and park ecology.

Evening eats: Back in town, try La Zaina for Patagonian trout with lemon capers, or Parrilla Don Pichón for lamb al asador with panoramic lake views. Dessert at Tito for house-made chocolate or a scoop of calafate-berry ice cream—local lore says it ensures your return to Patagonia.

Day 6: Patagonia your way—wildlife, horseback, or lake cruising

Morning: Easy start with coffee and medialunas at Olivia Coffee Shop. Birdwatch at Laguna Nimez (bring binoculars), or take a mellow 1–2 hour horseback ride on a nearby estancia for steppe views and mate rituals.

Afternoon: Consider a longer lake navigation to see hanging glaciers like Spegazzini and Upsala (full-day boat trips typically 6–8 hours; book the day prior in town). Alternatively, visit the Glaciarium if you skipped it, or rent bikes to coast along the lakefront path.

Evening: Casual dinner at Pizzería La Lechuza (thin-crust pies) or hearty lamb ravioli at Casimiro Biguá. Nightcap with a Patagonian IPA at La Zorra or a Malbec flight at Borges y Alvarez Book Bar.

Day 7: Fly to Buenos Aires and depart

Morning: Early brunch—try crepes or omelets at Viva La Pepa—then transfer to FTE for a morning flight back to AEP/EZE (~3–3.25 hours). Compare options and check-in reminders on Trip.com or Kiwi.com.

Afternoon: If you have time before your onward flight, grab a farewell lunch in Puerto Madero—grilled provoleta, a final ojo de bife, and a Malbec toast to a week well spent.

Optional add-ons (swap into Days 3–4 if desired)

- Tigre Delta day: ride the Mitre Line to Tigre, cruise canals past stilted houses, and snack on riverfront picadas. Expect ~1 hour each way by commuter train plus a 1–2 hour boat loop.

- Gaucho estancia near San Antonio de Areco: asado lunch, horse whispering, folk music, and mate under ombú trees. A full-day countryside reset ~2 hours from BA.

Alternate evening in BA (for dance lovers)

If you prefer an earlier show or want a kid-friendly option, consider:

Featured activity: Early Tango Dinner Show with Optional Traditional Bus Transfer — a classic San Telmo tanguería with hotel transfers available.

Note: If you use this option, swap it in for the La Ventana night to keep your schedule relaxed.

Another food-forward swap in BA

Prefer a guide-led overview instead of DIY sightseeing on Day 2?

Featured activity: Buenos Aires Small-Group City Tour — half-day with Palermo, Recoleta, San Telmo, and La Boca. Replace the private tour with this to adjust pacing and budget.

Dining short list (save this): Breakfast/coffee: LAB Tostadores (Palermo), Salvaje Bakery (Palermo), Café Tortoni (Microcentro). Lunch: El Preferido (Palermo), Güerrin (Microcentro), Chori (Palermo). Dinner: Don Julio (Palermo), Parrilla Peña (Recoleta), La Cabrera (Palermo). Sweets/drinks: Cadore (helado), Pain et Vin (wine), Florería Atlántico (cocktails). In El Calafate: Pura Vida, La Tablita, Mi Rancho, La Zaina, La Lechuza, La Zorra Taproom.

How to pack: One city outfit for tango night; layers and waterproof shell for Patagonia; sun protection; sturdy sneakers or light hikers; daypack for walkways and boat tours; reusable water bottle.

In a week you’ll taste Buenos Aires’ café-to-cocktail rhythm and Patagonia’s cathedral of ice. From tango orchestras and Palermo bodegones to the roar of Perito Moreno, this itinerary balances culture, cuisine, and the wild. You’ll leave planning your return—perhaps to Mendoza’s vineyards or the Andean trails of El Chaltén.