Buenos Aires, Argentina is undoubtedly the most queer-friendly place I’ve visited in my many years of travel, and where I encountered a profound sense of global community and LGBTQ+ pride. Argentina is an increasingly popular global travel destination for an array of reasons – the beautiful architecture, artistic flair, rich history, and vibrant nightlife to name a few – and its capital city is even considered the LGBTQ+ capital of Latin America.
As a lesbian who currently travels full-time and often solo, it can be a challenge to find destinations that not only fulfill my travel interests, but also allow me to feel empowered to embrace my sexual identity. Much to my surprise, Buenos Aires checked all of those boxes and after spending two months living and immersing myself in the city, I wholeheartedly fell in love. Below is a list of my personal and local LGBTQ+ favorites including pride-themed cafés, queer-owned businesses, lesbian and gay parties, events and more. If there’s anything that you think I missed or deserves to be on this queer guide to Buenos Aires, please leave a comment!
LGBTQ+ RIGHTS IN ARGENTINA
Argentina is a global leader in the LGBTQ+ rights movement and has been on the forefront of change for decades. The original Buenos Aires gay scene came to life in the 1980s, when things still followed a more ‘underground’ and hidden approach, then became more vocal in the 1990s with public campaigning and the first LGBTQ+ pride parade, led by Carlos Járegui in 1992.
Buenos Aires soon after passed a law in 2002 granting same-sex couples the same rights and social benefits as heterosexual couples, the first city in South America to do so. In 2010, Argentina became the first country in Latin America to legalize gay marriage and, that same year, legalized same-sex adoption. Since then, further laws have passed to provide LGBTQ+ individuals and couples extensive legal rights and protections including equal access to family planning, recognition of non-binary gender, right to change legal gender, discrimination protection, blood donations by MSMs, and conversion therapy bans. Although there are a significant number of these progressive policies and initiatives in place throughout Argentina, there still exists gaps between legal realities and lived experiences for LGBTQ+ people in the country. Buenos Aires is renowned for its atmosphere of diversity and inclusion, however, discrimination policies and public opinion still vary by region.
Disclaimer: My travel experience in Buenos Aires can and will look different than that of other queer travelers. I always encourage you to do personal research and use your own judgment when deciding on destinations and opting for recommendations. This said, I wouldn’t feel comfortable recommending a city or country where I didn’t feel safe myself.
GAY NEIGHBORHOODS OF BUENOS AIRES
Buenos Aires is a massive and mesmerizing city consisting of 48 neighborhoods, each unique in atmosphere and appearance. Like some other big cities around the world, there are no designated “gayborhoods.” However, there is a diverse LGBTQ+ scene concentrated within and between a few neighborhoods that I’ve detailed here, all accessible by an incredible public transportation system. A beautiful thing about Buenos Aires is that it’s a true melting pot of cultures, ethnicities, and identities, so queer people and families are all around.
SAN TELMO
San Telmo is the oldest neighborhood of Buenos Aires and historically queer-friendly. Its preserved colonial buildings and cobblestone streets brim with charm and hipster vibes and throughout, you can find an array of queer-owned businesses, independent stores, art galleries, museums, restaurants, and cafés. My personal favorite activity from my time spent in Buenos Aires was attending the Sunday market: Feria de San Telmo. This 270+ stall market has been a local tradition since 1970 and runs year-round, every Sunday from 10:00am to 5:00pm.
Overall, San Telmo is a safe neighborhood, especially during daytime. However, certain parts can be a bit dodgy after dark, so I recommend avoiding walking alone and keeping your valuables secure.
PALERMO
This trendy and touristy neighborhood is the largest in Buenos Aires and even divided into smaller neighborhoods such as Palermo Chico, Palermo Soho, Palermo Hollywood, and Alto Palermo to name some. Throughout, you’ll find pride flags on display amongst designer shops, independent cafés, vegan restaurants, breweries, and nightlife venues. It's an extremely popular area among tourists and young locals and also considered to be the main gay area in the city.
RECOLETA
Recoleta is a notoriously posh neighborhood; “cheto” as the locals might say. It’s located in the northern part of the city by Rio de la Plata and well-known for its French architecture, museums, art exhibits, and being home to the famous Recoleta Cemetery. It’s an upscale part of the city, but more quiet and elegant in comparison to other tourist zones.
At the junction of Santa Fe and Pueyrredón avenues, you can find a Subte (underground rapid transit system) station which was decorated in dedication to Carlos Járegui and features LGBTQ+ art murals and a rainbow-painted staircase.
BUENOS AIRES LGBTQ+ CAFÉS
MARICAFÉ
Palermo’s café bar and LGBTQ+ bookstore, serving an impressive collection of cakes, pastries, and gourmet coffees. It’s quaint, colorful, and was the first queer space I visited in Buenos Aires!
PRIDE CAFÉ
Buenos Aires’ first gay coffee shop turned LGBTQ+ daytime hangout in San Telmo featuring food, coffee, cocktails, and outdoor seating.
CASA HUMANA
Not just an inclusive space, but a unique and conscientious café employing adults with disabilities. All purchases help to support their local NGO partner, Alma Humana, and they showcase diversity and inclusion displays throughout the space.
BUENOS AIRES GAY AND LESBIAN PARTIES
FIESTA ROSE GIRLS
One of the world’s largest lesbian parties with global recognition and popularity. Monthly events take place at rotating nightclub venues and information on the upcoming schedule can be found on their Instagram page here.
FIESTA JOLIE
My personal favorite of the gay parties in Buenos Aires with everything from DJ’s, to disco balls, glitter artists, themed nights, fashion shows, and more. Fiesta Jolie takes place at Araoz 2424 in Palermo every Wednesday starting at 11:00pm, but the crowd doesn’t peak until well past midnight.
FELIZA
A queer bar and cultural center with various rooms and atmospheres. Each week from Wednesday-Sunday they host DJs, live music, performances, theater, karaoke, and more. This was another personal favorite and is a great place to go for a fun queer date! Follow them on Instagram for an updated schedule of events.
FIESTA PLOP!
Another weekly late-night party with an emphasis on extravagant, colorful themes drawing in the younger queers of Buenos Aires (average 18-25 years). Fiesta Plop takes place on Fridays at Teatro Vorterix.
CLUB 69
The highly popular Thursday late-night LGBTQ+ party in Palermo featuring disco, house, and tech house music. I never made it there myself, but heard raving reviews from local friends and other queer travelers.
PEUTEO
For drag shows and karaoke in Buenos Aires, Peuteo is the place to be. The hetero-friendly gay bar is open from Wednesday-Sunday starting at 7:00pm and is located in the heart of Palermo Soho.
LA WARHOL
A high-energy, thematic party taking place every Friday in San Telmo and playing varieties of pop and cachengue music.
LA GRECO
Just a few blocks from San Telmo’s main plaza, La Greco is an LGBTQ+ bar and cultural center hosting tango nights, DJs, themed parties, and more. They’re open for mornings on weekdays and have particularly delicious medialunas, so I recommend stopping in for a coffee visit.
TRIBU MOSTRA
A unique LGBTQ+ space in Buenos Aires organizing music jams, art shows, tango nights, game nights, and open mic nights.
LAS PIBAS
For a more intimate, low-key atmosphere, Las Pibas curates an inclusive and safe space for LGBTQ+ music goers with events such as open mic nights for independent artists and DJ sets on vinyl.
BUENOS AIRES QUEER-OWNED BUSINESSES
LUNFARDA
An intersectional travel agency based in San Telmo and run by queer founder Mariana Radisic Koliren. Their private tours are run by local experts in multiple languages and include Afro-Argentine heritage tours, LGBTQIA+ history tours, Jewish heritage tours, foodie tours, contemporary art tours, and more. I went on their Buenos Aires LGBTQIA+ tour, which was my first of the kind, and found it more insightful and educational than I could’ve imagined. You can check out a full description of the tours they offer and book on their website here.
SACH
Also located in San Telmo, SACH is an independently queer-owned arts and crafts store selling works of art, ceramics, antiquities, and other unique pieces. I discovered the shop through Lunfarda founder Mariana following the LGBTQIA+ tour and found it super charming and inspiring.
WANDER PORTRAITS
Gissel is a local LGBTQ+ photographer and now a personal friend of mine following a full day spent together shooting in the city. She’s easy-going, full of recommendations, and books both private and group sessions. You can find her and see some of her work on her Instagram.
LGBTQ+ ORGANIZATIONS AND RESOURCES
MOCHA CELIS
If you go on Lunfarda’s LGBTQIA+ tour, you’ll make a stop by Mocha Celis, an NGO high school for and by the trans and nonbinary community. You can read more about their history and programs, as well as leave a donation in support of their initiatives on their website.
EVENTS & BUENOS AIRES LGBTQ+ PRIDE
TANGO QUEER
Every Tuesday from 8:00pm until 2:00am, the Buenos Aires Club transforms to host Tango Queer, a low-key, welcoming space where dance amateurs and professionals alike can come together and practice their moves with unbound gender roles. Tango Queer has been a tradition since 2007 and is welcome to all identities, though has a stronger popularity and target audience among lesbians and queer womxn.
To take things a step further, Buenos Aires hosts an International Queer Tango Festival every year. This year, the 15th annual festival will take place from December 7-10 and include 6 workshops, 4 milongas, and 4 pre-milongs classes. Anyone interested can register online ahead of time and for a total cost of $180 USD.
ASTERICO INTERNATIONAL LGBTQ+ FILM FESTIVAL
Since 2013, Buenos Aires has hosted its “Festival Internacional de Cine LGBTIQ+” which showcases a range of films exploring queer themes and sexual diversity, in addition to providing a platform for LGBTQ+ filmmakers to share their works, stories, and perspectives. This year is the city’s 10th annual festival and will run from October 26 until November 5.
MARCHA DEL ORGULLO LGBT
In true Allyssa fashion, I saved the most exciting recommendation for last! For the ultimate LGBTQ+ experience in Buenos Aires, you can attend the annual Pride march and week of celebrations, which are held annually during the first week of November. The march has grown in size each year, the first in 1992 consisting of about 250 people, most of whom wore discretionary masks for safety, and more recent marches amassing upwards of 100,000-200,000 attendees from around the world. Buenos Aires’ LGBTQ+ Pride march begins from Plaza de Mayo, then slowly makes its way up 11 blocks of Avenida de Mayo until making it to the National Congress with vibrant floats, colorful costumes, and roaring music.
While I haven’t (yet) had the opportunity to attend an LGBTQ+ Pride march, I have high hopes of attending my first here soon and returning to Argentina within the coming years to experience Buenos Aires Pride for myself.
As you can see from this extensive– yet nowhere near comprehensive– list of gay things to do in Buenos Aires, it’s an incredible destination for travelers of the LGBTQ+ community. Having spent the last full year backpacking through Latin America and exploring both touristy and remote parts of Puerto Rico, Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay, there’s really nowhere I felt and observed so much LGBTQ+ pride and joy than in Buenos Aires. Queerness not only felt accepted, but normalized. My two closest friends in the city were a lesbian couple, same-sex dating felt empowering and I never felt the need to hold back from public affection, and through my day-to-day conversations with Argentinians, I found them as a whole to be friendly, positive, and open-minded with foreigners of all backgrounds and identities. If you are looking for a queer-friendly and safe destination for a gaycation, honeymoon, or culturally immersive trip, then Buenos Aires should be at the top of your list.