A Solo Traveler's Guide to Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is actually a fantastic city to explore by yourself. It’s bursting with cultural activities, the people are friendly, and the nightlife is top notch. What better way to make new friends and meet new people?

Now let’s get mingling. As in, go to a bar and hang out with a bunch of people who don’t speak your language! Yes, really.

It might sound a little counter-intuitive, but the weekly Mundo Lingo social event in Buenos Aires is hugely popular. Don’t worry, you will find people who speak English, as the whole point of this event is to connect people with a common language and support those learning a second or third language.

Mundo Lingo happens every Wednesday at Soria Bar (Gorriti 5151) in Palermo, from 9 PM – 11 PM. Get there early to avoid the lines.

If no-one at Mundo Lingo offers to show you around the city, that’s okay! You can just as easily take a personalized guided tour led by someone who lives here.

Cicerones is a volunteering organization that provides guided tours to those interested in roaming around Buenos Aires. Although they may not be a professional body, every tour guide at Cicerones is full of heart, and they offer the service free of charge. If you have a particular Buenos Aires neighborhood in mind that you’d like to visit, feel free to suggest it to your tour guide. See this guide for ten of the best neighborhoods if you’re not sure where to start. It’s also recommended that you request your “greeter” ahead of time, which you can do here.

Still hungry for more Argentine culture? Of course you are, which is why The Argentine Experience is next on the list. Not only will you experience Argentine food and culture first-hand, you’ll be with a small group of people all in the same boat as you… they’re new here too!

“We realized that once you’re out of the hostel world, it’s not as easy to get to know fellow travelers while traveling” says Alex Pels, the co-owner of The Argentine Experience. “We create the perfect atmosphere to get like-minded people to open up and enjoy each other’s stories while getting to know Argentine food and culture.”

In other words, after drinking enough of Argentina’s famous Malbec wine, you’ll all be great friends.

Once you’ve enjoyed your first couple of nights out, it might be time to hit your yoga mat for some detoxing with the city’s premier English language yoga provider, Buena Onda Yoga. All that lovely stretching should loosen you up so you can chat with fellow yogis after class. What’s more, it’s highly likely that you’ll find yourself making plans to meet up and hang out in one of Buenos Aires’ many scenic parks; or you can hit up the old gaming hall, Café San Bernardo to play pool and ping-pong.

A classic Buenos Aires establishment, San Bernardo (Avenida Corrientes 5436) is a cultural melting pot – it attracts interesting people from all walks of life. From men in suits to cocktail-drinking old ladies, to hordes of teens sporting a head-to-toe goth look, here anything goes! Ladies, if you pop in for a drink and happen to be alone at your table, at San Bernardo you won’t be alone for long – this could be good or bad depending on how it goes. Tuesday nights are the cool night to show up.

There really is no end to the number of fun activities happening on any one night in Buenos Aires. While Culture Trip offers you some starting points, this events calendar is the place to keep tabs as your trip nears.

It also helps to know a few key Argentine phrases before you go — because you never know who you might meet! A city full of love, music, and adventure awaits you.