10 Things to Do in Buenos Aires at Christmas

If you are planning to visit Buenos Aires during Christmas you should know that it is considered one of the most important celebrations in Argentina, so you will find many related activities that will allow you to discover the city and its Christmas spirit.

Among the best activities you can see and do in Buenos Aires during Christmas are enjoying a Christmas show at the Colón Theater, spending Christmas Eve dinner at a restaurant, taking a shopping tour along the popular Florida Street, visiting the Mataderos Fair flea market and enjoying the fireworks.

The Teatro Colón is one of the most emblematic theaters in Buenos Aires and, during the Christmas season, it offers a wide variety of shows for all tastes and ages. So, if you are looking for a way to enjoy the Christmas spirit in the city, attending a play is an excellent option.

This theater is famous for its acoustics and imposing architecture. Christmas programming at the Teatro Colón includes operas, concerts and ballets, all with holiday themes. But you can also choose to book tickets for a guided tour of the Teatro Colón.

Two of the highlights of the Teatro Colón's Christmas season are the Nutcracker ballet and Messiah, but the Christmas concert, which includes a selection of Christmas carols and songs performed by the Buenos Aires Philharmonic Orchestra, is also a classic.

If you are looking for an exciting activity, booking a guided tour of Buenos Aires that includes Florida Street is an excellent option. This famous pedestrian artery is lined with stores, boutiques and stores of all kinds that offer a unique shopping experience in the city.

During Christmas Eve, stores offer discounts and promotions, making it an interesting place to visit in December in Buenos Aires. Florida Street is one of the most popular shopping destinations in Buenos Aires, being included in the best tours of the city.

In addition, Florida Street is also home to some of the most famous department stores. If you are interested in fashion, Florida Street is the place for you. Here you will find the main clothing stores, both for men and women, as well as local designer stores and international brands.

If you are looking for a quintessential Christmas activity in Buenos Aires, taking a picture with the giant Christmas tree in Plaza de Mayo could be a very interesting proposal. This tree is one of the major symbols of the festive season in the city and attracts thousands of visitors every year.

The Plaza de Mayo Christmas tree is a large illuminated structure that stands in the center of the square. With a height exceeding 20 meters, it is decorated with hundreds of lights, ornaments and garlands. It can be visited on foot or by booking the Buenos Aires tourist bus, which passes by.

In addition, Plaza de Mayo is one of the most important and emblematic places in Buenos Aires. In the past, the square was the scene of important historical and political events and is located in front of the Casa Rosada, the residence of the president of Argentina, which is also one of the main buildings of the city.

Christmas is one of the most important festivities of the year for the Catholic community and one of the most deeply rooted traditions in Argentina is to attend the Christmas mass at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Buenos Aires.

This majestic church is an emblematic and symbolic place for porteños and tourists that is usually included in the itinerary when booking a guided tour of Buenos Aires. The Metropolitan Cathedral is one of the largest churches in Latin America and is known for its impressive architecture and decoration.

During Christmas, the church is filled with Christmas decorations and lights, creating a cozy and warm atmosphere. Christmas mass at the Metropolitan Cathedral features choirs and musicians performing songs and carols. The faithful also have the opportunity to participate in the Eucharist and receive communion.

Waiting for Christmas at a country estancia outside the Argentine capital is a very interesting experience that will offer you the opportunity to enjoy the natural beauty as well as the Argentine traditions of the season.

Estancias de campo are rural properties located a short distance from Buenos Aires that offer an authentic experience of life in the interior of the country. In addition, during Christmas, these places are usually decorated with seasonal lights and decorations.

In these estancias you can enjoy the tranquility, as well as the hospitality and friendliness of the traditional inhabitants of the countryside, making it one of the best alternatives for full-day activities from the Argentine capital. Visitors can also:

• Take cooking classes and enjoy live music and dancing. Although, if you prefer, this can also be done in the capital by, for example, booking an Argentine empanada cooking class.
• Doing various outdoor activities, such as horseback riding, hiking in the countryside, fishing, cycling, and other activities related to the countryside.
• Take excursions to nearby towns, where you can learn about the traditions and culture of the region.

Christmas Eve dinner is one of the most important celebrations in Argentina and, as in many places around the world, it is an occasion when family and friends get together to enjoy a festive meal. In Buenos Aires, one tradition that has gained popularity in recent years is to spend Christmas Eve dinner in a restaurant.

Dining in a restaurant allows family members to enjoy a meal together without worrying about the cleanup and preparations that home celebrations usually require, in addition to enjoying an interesting Buenos Aires dining experience.

Another reason why Christmas Eve dinner in a restaurant is becoming increasingly popular in Buenos Aires is because of the wide variety of options it offers. In addition, Christmas Eve dinner in a restaurant can be an opportunity to try new dishes and different culinary experiences.

If you want to get to know a less touristy area in Buenos Aires, visiting the Mataderos Fair Christmas market can be a good alternative, as this market is one of the largest and most traditional in the city, offering a wide variety of Christmas products and gifts for all ages during the eve.

This fair is actually an open-air market held every Sunday in the Mataderos neighborhood, and is also a celebration of Argentine culture offering a wide variety of handcrafted products, food, music and dance.

During the Christmas season, the Mataderos Fair becomes an ideal place to visit Buenos Aires with children.

Buenos Aires is a city full of life and energy, especially during Christmas and New Year's celebrations. One of the most anticipated shows in the city are the fireworks that light up the sky on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.

Fireworks in Buenos Aires take place in different neighborhoods of the city, but one of the most popular is at the Costanera Sur, in the Puerto Madero area. From early in the morning, the nearby streets and squares begin to fill with people looking for a good place to enjoy the show. Nearby restaurants and bars also offer special dinners for the occasion, with privileged views.

Besides the Costanera Sur, other places where fireworks shows are held in Buenos Aires are Plaza de Mayo, the Galileo Galilei Planetarium and Sarmiento Park.

Traveller Tip

If you want to enjoy the fireworks shows in Buenos Aires, I recommend you to wear warm clothes, as the night can be cool, and to avoid carrying valuables or large sums of money.

One of the most beautiful ways to experience the magic of Christmas is to walk through the Christmas lights of Plaza San Martin. This square is one of the oldest and most elegant in Buenos Aires and in December it is filled with lights and colors thanks to its dazzling Christmas light decorations.

The light tour of the square begins on Santa Fe Avenue, where stores and buildings are decorated with lights that glow at night. When you reach the square, you can admire a large Christmas tree decorated with colored lights, which is located in the center of the square.

From there, you can continue the tour to Florida Street. Walking along this area is one of the best things to do in Buenos Aires at night.

Christmas time in Buenos Aires is a magical time full of surprises. One of the most fun and unforgettable experiences you can have during this season is to live a night out with Santa Claus. Yes, you read that right, Santa Claus is ready to take to the streets to celebrate the arrival of Christmas with you.

In Buenos Aires there are several options to experience a night out with the main protagonist of the season. One of the most popular is to participate in a Santa Crawl. It is a kind of pub crawl where participants dress up as Santa Claus and visit different bars and discos, especially in the Palermo area.

On the other hand, many bars and discos in the city organize Christmas themed parties where attendees can dance and enjoy music in the company of the main Christmas characters. Some of these parties even offer discounts and promotions for those who attend dressed in Christmas themed attire.