Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Are you thinking of travelling to Buenos Aires as a digital nomad and want to know if it’s suitable for a remote work lifestyle? Then you are in the right place! Read on to find everything you need to know about the Argentinian capital and whether it’s a good place to stop off.
Spoiler Alert: It’s awesome.
Where to Stay in Buenos Aires for Digital Nomads
Selina has become a popular brand in Latin America, known for accommodation and working spaces designed for the needs of digital nomads. While it’s not a cheap option I have to say that overall I had a pretty great experience at their Palermo Soho location in Buenos Aires. Opened in late 2018, it boasts a ground floor cafe, small library, cinema, a large kitchen and a rooftop bar that is ideal for watching the Argentinian sunset. The vibe, location and amenities are almost perfect for digital nomads.
Palermo, and specifically Palermo Soho is an awesome location to set up for a few weeks or months (or longer!). The area is chock full of great coffee, beer, steak and of course coworking spaces.
Where to Work Remotely in Buenos Aires
Manawa Coworking
I spent one week at Manawa coworking, which was one of many options. It has everything you need and is very cost-effective, but the space itself is a little dark and uninspiring.
- Cost: $30 per week
- Payment: Cash or Card (10% charge for credit cards)
- WiFi: Download 109MBps, Upload 4.3Mbps
- Meeting Rooms: No
- Water: Tap
- Local Coffee Haunt: Padre (to sit and work) or Lattente (to grab and go)
- Other: 10% Discount at cafe across the street – Dorina
Cafe Flor
On-demand is the hot trend for many services we use nowadays, and Cafe Flor applies the concept to coworking and coffee. This is a great option for coworking in general, and especially if you want to be flexible by the day or hour. Add in the unlimited supply of top quality coffee, tea, pastries, and even lunch if you stay long enough, and this is a winner.
- Cost: $16 per day (or $3-3.50 per hour – lower rate the longer you stay)
- Payment: Cash or Card
- WiFi: Download 112Mbps, Upload 6.3Mbps
- Meeting Rooms: Yes, and phone booths
- Water: Yes – free
- Coffee: Yes – included. Proper barista style coffee on demand.
- Other: Pastries, breads and fruits also available on demand. If you are there for 3+ hours, lunch is also included.
If neither of these options work for you try working from the cafe in Selina, though it can get loud. I also walked by Capsula Coworking and Music but can’t comment on how suitable they are. The main thing is there are loads of options.
Unlimited flat whites… 
Office cat – not much personalitySightseeing in Buenos Aires
Ok, there is a lot to get through here – which is a great reflection on the city.
The neighborhoods in Buenos Aires are full of personality and you can spend hours just wandering around. As mentioned, Palermo is a leafy gem. The tree-lined streets will instantly remind you of Soho in New York with a slightly more edgy vibe given the graffiti and the broken pavements.
The most unique area I visited was the Caminito in La Boca where colorful buildings attract swathes of tourists every weekend. This is also the home of the famous Boca Juniors football club who play at La Bombonera. For about $10-$15 you can tour the museum and get access to the stands to see the stadium from the inside. However to see a live game and experience the atmosphere first hand, it will likely cost you upwards of $100. They take football very seriously here (it’s the home of Maradona after all) so if you have the time to catch a game it’s well worth doing.
If so inclined, you can join official walking tours for each of these areas – as well as the city center and Recoleta cemetery – which give you a chance to really immerse yourself, and learn about their unique history. Some of these tours have a fee but many are based solely on tips.
Within close proximity to each other and to Palermo are a number of options to get a break from the urban jungle – namely; Eco Parque, the botanical gardens and Japanese gardens.
There are some cool museums to check out too. Near the Japanese gardens is the Museum of Latin American Art of Buenos Aires or MALBA. The Memorial Museum (also known as ESMA) is dedicated to the people who lost their lives during the dictatorship in Argentina in the 70s and 80s. The story is truly harrowing, especially given how recent it was, and for that reason is worth seeing. The Malvinas (Falklands) Museum is located in the same complex.
One of the best parts of Buenos Aires is the entertainment and nightlife. There is an endless number of bars (which I get to down below) and nightclubs stay open until 6 or 7am. There are also some great shows which aren’t to be missed. La Bomba de Tiempo is one of those! This is a group of percussionists that produce great, dance-able rhythms every Monday in Buenos Aires. Check out their site for exact dates.
Also as Buenos Aires is the home of tango there are many opportunities to go to see a show. While there are ‘dinner and a show’ type events geared for tourists, we went to a local milonga for a true Argentinian experience. There is an opportunity to take some classes early in the evening, and put your new skills into action that night. Or if you prefer to sit and watch amateurs and professionals alike that’s just as enjoyable.
Eating and Drinking
Where else to start but Argentinian staples – steak and wine. The restaurant that recommended more than any other is Don Julio and it lived up to the hype. The cuts of steak were fantastic, and huge, but it was matched by great service from the staff there. They start seating as 7pm, no reservations are allowed, and it’s worth getting there at 6.30pm or earlier depending on the day of the week. Hate waiting in line? No problem, they serve complimentary Cava to keep things interesting.
My first night in BA was the day before St. Patricks Day, so what better way to get acquainted with Palermo than to join a bar crawl. Maybe it was just the occasion but this was a lot of fun. Check out BA Bar Crawl to find out more.
There are some great brunch / coffee options very close to each other too. As mentioned Padre and Lattente offer great coffee, and Padre have a pretty substantial food menu too. If you’re still looking for other options, Pani and Dorina should have something that satisfies.
There are lots of bars – choosing the right one is more of an issue. At Selina, the rooftop bar is the ideal place to grab a drink after a day of remote working. There are great sunset views from here too.
One night we stumbled upon a bar, Rabia, that looked almost empty, but after climbing the stairs to the rooftop we found a cool outdoor space. A real hidden gem. Finally, for cocktails, check out JW Bradley for a unique ‘train ride’ introduction to the main bar.
Don Julio 
PadreIguazu Falls
Not technically in Buenos Aires, but just a short flight away lies Puerto Iguazu and the magnificent Iguazu Falls. Deserted and overgrown, with just the sound of crickets filling the streets, this jungle town was like something out of I Am Legend when I arrived at 1am. It was eerie to say the least.
However, the next day I got up early and made for the Falls. Despite getting held up for 30 minutes by protesters (protesting tourism I guess), getting there and into the park was pretty seamless. Rio Uruguay is the bus company that will get you there.
The park and the Falls are astonishing. The Argentinian side alone is a full day of walking to see everything there is to see. The jungle setting is very Jurassic Park – without the dinosaurs – which is cool in and of itself, and every so often you come to an opening that gives you a great vista of the system of waterfalls.
Pictures don’t do Iguazu Falls justice, it’s a must-see on any travel bucket list.
And so my time in Argentina has come to an end. My next stop is the beach haven of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Keep your eyes open for that blog in a couple of weeks!
