Refer to our list of top spots on Avenida de Mayo to ensure that you don’t miss anything on your walk down this famous street. Here are the Avenida de Mayo highlights:

Casa de la Cultura: House of Culture

Once the headquarters of Argentina’s second-largest newspaper at the time, La Prensa, today the building is home to a cultural resource center. Visit to find info on what’s going on in the city each week, or stop by to admire the beautifully elaborate ceiling in the entryway. Avenida de Mayo 575.

Architectural landmark, the Buenos Aires “House Of Culture”

Bar London City

This unassuming café is easy to miss on the busy street of Avenida de Mayo, but head to the back of the room to see evidence of its glamorous history. Framed portraits and quotes hang on the walls of Bar London City to honor notable visitors of the past, such as famous Argentine author Julio Cortazar, who mentioned the café in his book Los Primos. Avenida de Mayo 599

Bar London City: an easy one to miss, but worth making the effort not to!

Calle Florida

Buenos Aires’s most famous pedestrian street is always bustling with portenos and tourists alike. Lined on both sides by stores of every kind, as well as many restaurants and cafes, Calle Florida is one stroll you can’t miss in Buenos Aires. Follow traffic down Peru, which turns into Florida after a couple of blocks.

The elegant pedestrianized shopping street, Calle Florida

Café Tortoni

Stepping into the oldest café in the country is like stepping back in time. In Café Tortoni, waiters wear old-fashioned suits, the stained-glass ceiling panel produces a romantic atmosphere, and the old photos lining the walls surround the customer with stories. Order the classic submarino (Argentine hot chocolate drink) with churros (sugary fried dough)! Avenida de Mayo 825.

Café Tortoni, the oldest coffee shop in the whole country

Don Quixote statue

Adding interest to the intersection between Avenida de Mayo and 9 de Julio, the statue of Don Quixote represents the main character of the famous book by the same name. Don Quixote has come to mean an impractical idealist who wants to right impossible wrongs. Just beyond the statue is a giant mural of celebrated ex-First Lady Eva Peron, who advocated for labor rights and women’s suffrage during her time in office.

Statue of Don Quixote in the intersection with Avenida 9 de Julio

Hotel Castelar

Opened to the public in 1929, this grand building was once the home of the famous Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca. His restored bedroom is now open to the public for viewing. Hotel Castelar has hosted numerous distinguished guests, including Argentina’s favorite poet, Jorge Luis Borges. Avenida de Mayo 1152.

The delightfully traditional Hotel Castelar

Esquina de la Hispanidad: Hispanic Heritage Corner

On the “Hispanic Heritage Corner,” Bar Iberia, the city’s second oldest café, served as the main meeting places for the Republicans during the civil war of the 1930s. Come sit at the tables that have seated monumental figures of Argentina’s history, including Federico García Lorca, Margarita Xirgu, Hipólito Yrigoyen, and Marcelo Torcuato de Alvear. Corner of Av. de Mayo and Salta Congreso.

The sophisticated Bar Iberia located on the Hispanic corner

Teatro Avenida: Avenida Theatre

Once the chief venue for Spanish theater in Buenos Aires, Teatro Avenida was inaugurated in 1908. Argentina’s last military dictatorship in the 70s caused an abrupt decline in local theater activity, leading to the Avenida’s closing in 1977. Though a 1979 fire nearly destroyed the theater, this historical treasure was renovated and reopened in 1994. Avenida de Mayo 1220.

Teatro Avenida: a staple of Buenos Aires which hosts Spanish plays and operas

36 Billares

The traditional setting of wooden tables and large windows overlooking the street hint at the deep history of this classic café. Since 1894, 36 Billares has been visited by many famous writers and journalists. Its architects designed the space to be conducive for games like pool, cards, dice, and dominos. Av. de Mayo 1265 C 1085

36 Billares: the bar where the Argentine Billiards Association was born

Palacio Barolo: Barolo Palace

Finished in 1923, the tallest building in Buenos Aires was constructed to symbolize Dante’s Divine Comedy. Palacio Barolo has 22 stories to reflect the number of verses per song, its height (100m) is a reference to the number of songs, and the tower on top symbolizes heaven. Tours are available on the hour every Monday and Thursday. Avenida de Mayo 1370.

The weird and wonderful Palacio Barolo

Palacio del Congreso: Congressional Palace

The grandeur of this colossal building makes a rewarding end to one’s walk down Avenida de Mayo. Topped with a green dome and facing a pleasant park, the Palacio del Congreso was modeled on the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. Free tours on weekdays. Hipólito Yrigoyen 1849.

Palacio del Congreso: government building of the Argentine National Congress

With these top attractions in mind, you’ll know exactly what to look for when wondering where to go on Avenida de Mayo!

Check out our website for more Avenida de Mayo highlights and other tours and activities in Buenos Aires.

Happy Travels!

By: Caroline Leland
For: BsAs4u

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60 bars, cafes and pool halls located in the City of Buenos Aires were recognized as official Cultural Heritage sites and given the title ‘Bares Notables’ (Remarkable bars). These exceptional cafes set the scene for some of Buenos Aires’ most importance historical events and social movements as well as being the favourite haunts for many famous Porteño personalities from the past….if those walls could talk!! The bars have managed to retain their alluring original character throughout time, allowing both the people of Buenos Aires and tourists a fabulous insight to the glamorous days of the ‘golden age’ during the first half of the 20^th centaury when the influx of European immigrants began to shape the culture of Buenos Aires today.    Remarkable bars are characterized firstly by their traditional, alternative and outstanding architectural design elements and secondly, for the popular performances, sport and literature events that take place within their historic walls.

Buenos Aires Cafe Notables

Each year since 2002, the Government of Buenos Aires has hosted an eclectic program of events at these Notable cafes in order to, not only promote local artistic activities, but also the importance of preservation and restoration of these cafes, so that future generations can enjoy these important cultural places.   Among the oldest of the Bares Notables include the Café Tortoni and 36 Billares on Avenida de Mayo, La Giralda and La Paz on Avenida Corriente, El Británico on Parque Lezama; Las Violetas on Medrano and Avenida Rivadavia;  La Biela in Recoleta and finally, La Academia on Avenida Callao and Corrientes.   Of these, Café Tortoni is by far the most famous and perfectly encapsulates the style and elegance of the old world. It was frequently visited by numerous historically famous figures of the city including the tango icon Carlos Gardel and the writer Jorge Luis Borges. Currently the basement works as stage for jazz and tango artists as well as an area for presentations of book and poetry contests.

So, if you come across a Bar Notable don’t just admire it from the outside. Walk on in and order yourself a café con leche (coffee and milk) with a media-luna (pastry), sit back and allow yourself to be swept away by nostalgia, a passionate tango performance and the romance of the golden days of Buenos Aires.

See these notable cafes for yourself on a cultural city tour: click here for more information.

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