Discover the waterfront of Buenos Aires as you wander through art galleries and floating museums, enjoy nature and fine dining and step aboard a riverboat casino.
Wander tree-lined walkways along the water with views of restored warehouses and luxury yachts in Puerto Madero. The thriving waterfront district of Buenos Aires was once a run down and abandoned area. It was given a major facelift in the 1990s and is now home to several floating museums, parklands, bars and cafés.
Puerto Madero’s layout is centred around four docks. At the northern end you’ll find the restaurants and upmarket bars and cafés of Dock Four. Stay along the waterfront or visit the lush green Parque Micaela Bastidas nearby for a picnic.
Head to Dock Three for naval history aboard the ARA Uruguay. See the captain’s quarters in this huge naval ship, the oldest in the country. You can also explore another navy ship, the Fragata Sarmiento, now a floating museum. See the works of Argentine and international artists, from Andy Warhol to Salvador Dalí at the Fortabat Art Collection.
The two southern docks are home to red-brick warehouses, a university, restaurants and hotels. Try your luck with a game aboard the glitzy Casino Puerto Madero, a riverboat converted into a dining, gambling and bar complex.
On the eastern side of Puerto Madero is the Ecological Reserve, which spreads right to the banks of the Rio de la Plata. Birds, butterflies and reptiles can be spotted on the walking tracks around the reserve’s four lagoons. The natural surrounds are free to enter and are a popular place for locals to relax, ride a bike or go jogging. Buy a snack from the food stands just outside the reserve. Try a choripán (chorizo sandwich), a local specialty.
With its many pedestrian-only areas, parks and waterfront pathways, Puerto Madero is a great place to discover on foot or by bike. It’s within easy walking distance from the Plaza de Mayo, the city's main square, to the west. If you’re walking you can get to Dock Three via the unusual footbridge named Puente de la Mujer (Women’s Bridge). The bridge was designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava to look like tango dancers.
