Hello! Welcome to your Olivos, Buenos Aires, travel guide! If you’re planning a trip to Buenos Aires, and you’re looking for a calm and relaxed area to stay in – check out Olivos!
Olivos is an adorable neighborhood in the Buenos Aires metro area. It has a small-town feel but is only about 20 minutes from the city-center by train. You have easy access to the city center, but you also have all of the luxuries of a little neighborhood with bustling shops, restaurants and outdoor areas.
Do you think you would enjoy staying in Olivos?
Keep reading for your essential Olivos, Buenos Aires, travel guide!
Olivos, Buenos Aires, Travel Guide
Sleep – Accommodations in Olivos
When visiting Olivos you will find a wide selection of AirBnbs. Because Olivos is outside of the city center, many of these accommodations are more affordable than in downtown Buenos Aires.
You can find AirBnbs from as low as $25 per night, and hotels in neighboring areas for $50+.
When choosing an accommodation, I recommend staying near Plaza Vincente Lopez Park or the Port area. Both of these areas have lots of restaurants, cafes and parks nearby.
Eat – Delicious Restaurants in Olivos
Olivos has tons of delicious cafes and restaurants, and it’s one of the things I love most about the area.
Chabel
Chabel is my absolute favorite restaurant/café in Olivos. The café is so cute, and they also have delicious food throughout the day.
I highly recommend visiting for breakfast, as they are famous for their scones and will sometimes sell out. They also have delicious coffee and pastries, as well as outdoor seating.
This is definitely a must-visit while in Olivos!
Interior of Chabel 
Coffee, Scone Sandwich + Fruit Salad
Bocacalle
Bocacalle is a lovely modern restaurant and a great place to eat any time of day. I visited for brunch and the food and the coffee were both delicious.
Bike and Coffee
At the Borges train station in Olivos you will find Bike and Coffee, a quaint restaurant with indoor + outdoor seating overlooking the train tracks.
This restaurant came highly recommended, and although the food was good the service was terrible. We were told that this is normal for the restaurant, so check it out if you have time to spare and don’t mind waiting a long time for your food.
Gandini
For a low-key coffee shop check out Gandini. This café primarily serves coffee, but you can also get toast and croissants in the morning. This coffee shop seems to open earlier than all the others, so if you’re an early riser it’s a good stop for your first cup of coffee.
1000 Rosa Negra
1000 Rosa Negra is located inside the Hipódromo de San Isidro – a horse racing track in San Isidro, a neighborhood near Olivos.
The restaurant has amazing views of the horse racing track and it’s fun to watch the horses while eating.
This is a great place to come to have lunch or dinner while enjoying the beautiful scenery!
Veggie Sandwich 
Horse Racing Track
Malloy’s Bar
Located right on Rio de la Plata, you’ll find this modern, cozy restaurant and bar.
The restaurant is about fifteen minutes away by car from Olivos, so unfortunately, it’s not walkable. However, it’s definitely worth a visit!
We visited Malloy’s Bar for dinner and it was so much fun. The restaurant is beautifully decorated and there are tons of different food and cocktail options. They have great seafood, and I recommend both the calamari and the sushi!
La Flor de Venezia
La Flor de Venezia serves delicious ice-cream in tons of different flavors. This ice cream shop came highly recommended, and it was definitely a great choice. I highly recommend trying both the dulce de leche and the strawberry cream.
La Flor de Venezia Ice Cream 
Strawberry + Dulce de Leche
Adventures – Fun Things to do in Buenos Aires
As I’ve mentioned, Olivos is a fantastic location to stay during your time in Buenos Aires. In 20 minutes by train you can be in the city center of Buenos Aires, and there are also tons of small neighborhoods close by that are fun to visit and explore!
Additionally, in Olivos itself you will find beautiful parks to relax in and have picnics, as well as tons of yummy bakeries and fun shops to visit!
Take the train to Retiro and Walk Calle Florida
From the Maipu station in Olivos hop on the train towards Retiro and in less than half an hour you’ll find yourself in the city center, at the Retiro station.
Head out of the station, walk across the park and soon you’ll find Calle Florida where there is tons of shopping. You’ll also find the mall, Galerías Pacífico, with lots of stores – this was particularly useful during the holiday season.
Tip: Beware of people on the street trying to exchange your money for you – this is not a very safe option and it is much better to go to a bank.
Maipu Train Station 
Book Store at Galerías Pacífico 
Christmas Tree at Galerías Pacífico
Visit Recoleta + the Recoleta Cemetery
After exploring Calle Florida and the mall, take the bus to Recoleta (about fifteen minutes.)
While you’re there, take a walk through the beautiful parks, Plaza Francia and Plaza Mitre. On the weekend, in Plaza Francia, you’ll find a wonderful artisan market – Feria de Artesanos de Plaza Francia.
While in the Recoleta neighborhood, be sure to also check out the Recoleta Cemetery. This cemetery is filled with impressive statue graves, and many well-known people are buried there, including Eva Perón.
Take the Train to Peru Beach and San Isidro
From Borges Station in Olivos take the train just a few stops to Peru Beach (10 minutes). There you’ll find a nice park to have a picnic overlooking the river. There are also bars and restaurants where you can enjoy lunch and drinks.
At Peru Beach you’ll find sports facilities for skating, rock climbing and soccer. Interestingly, Peru Beach reminded me a ton of Southern California, it’s super relaxed and a fun place to spend the afternoon.
From Peru Beach hop on the train one more stop and you’ll arrive in San Isidro. Take some time to walk around and enjoy the scenery. There are beautiful homes and an amazing Gothic style church in the town’s main park and square. There is also lots of shopping and restaurants in San Isidro, making it the perfect place to spend the evening.
Go out in Palermo
From Olivos it’s about 25 minutes in an Uber ($7-$10) to get to Palermo. Palermo is a super fun district in Buenos Aires that makes a great place for a night out.
You can also take the train, but at nighttime it’s faster and easier by car.
In Palermo there are tons of bars to choose from, but if you’re looking for a low-key and fun place to have some beers with friends check out Chopperia. Beer prices are amazingly cheap at this bar, with each one costing between 80 cents and $1.50.
Take a Day Trip to Colonia, Uruguay
Taking a day trip to Colonia, Uruguay is so easy and fun – I highly recommend it while you’re in Buenos Aires.
Simply buy your ferry tickets online, head to the ferry terminal at Puerto Madero (be there at least an hour early), and in less than 1.5 hours you’ll be in Uruguay!
We took the Colonia Express Ferry, and it was comfortable, fast and on time. We booked our tickets the night before our trip, and they were about $70 each round trip – but they will be cheaper if you book in advance.
I chose to take the 12:30pm ferry to Colonia and the 8pm ferry back, giving us about six hours to explore the town. Six hours was perfect, as we were able to see everything we wanted to and also have lunch.
Be sure to check out my full travel guide to Colonia, Uruguay to help you plan your day trip!
Beautiful Colors of Colonia 
So there you have it! I hope this Olivos, Buenos Aires, travel guide has been helpful!
If you have any questions about Olivos, or anything to add to this itinerary, please let me know in the comments!
Lastly, I appreciate you sharing this post with someone you know who should visit Buenos Aires!
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Olivos looks adorable! Thanks for sharing such an under the radar spot!
South America has been on my bucket list for some time, especially Argentina. Thank you for sharing this detailed overview of Olivos! Will definitely keep in in mind for when I finally make it to Buenos Aires.
Palermo looks like a super fun neighborhood to explore. Beautiful photos!
I loved Buenos Aires when I visited a friend who was living there! Olivos seems like a nice, chill place to stay. but still accessible to some of the good attractions. If you go back, check out Palacio Barolo – it was designed after Dante’s Divine Comedy, so each floor is interesting – but it also has a really nice view of the city at the top.
I’ve heard so many great things about South America, and this makes me want to go even more!
Hola! Qué lindas fotos! y qué buenos consejos. Hermosas las descripciones.