A walking tour or hop-on hop-off bus is the most convenient way to take in the central sights. Start at Plaza de Mayo, home to Casa Rosada and Metropolitan Cathedral, and continue along Avenue 9 de Julio, where you find the Obelisk and Teatro Colón. End the morning browsing the Florida Avenue shops.

Discover two of Buenos Aires’ most atmospheric districts, San Telmo and La Boca. San Telmo is liveliest on market day (Sunday), when tango dancers and musicians provide live entertainment, but the historic buildings are beautiful any day. In La Boca, the star attractions are La Bombonera football stadium and the colorfully painted Caminito Street houses.

Continue sightseeing with a drive through the waterfront Puerto Madero district—the high-rise buildings and futuristic Puente de la Mujer bridge are impressive when illuminated at night. For dinner, sample Argentina’s world-famous steak with dinner at a steakhouse—the Palermo Soho district has some of the best.

After a breakfast of coffee and pastries at Cafe Tortoni, the oldest in the city, head to Buenos Aires’ northern neighborhoods, Recoleta and Palermo. The leafy plazas and parks offer a perfect backdrop for a bike tour, taking in the Palermo Woods, Botanic Gardens, and Japanese Gardens.

Visit the Recoleta Cemetery to see Evita’s grave, and learn more at Palermo’s Evita Museum. See Latin American art at the MALBA museum, which is within walking distance of the Floralis Genérica statue. The flower sculpture closes its petals as the sun goes down, so time your arrival for sunset.

Spend your final night in Buenos Aires watching a tango show. For the full experience, choose a package that includes a pre-show dinner and a tango class. For your last hurrah, head to bar- and club-filled Palermo Soho—it’s the place to be after dark.