Buenos Aires events & things to do in December 2026
Start with Teatro Colón, El Ateneo Grand Splendid, plus Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes. December in Buenos Aires averages 29°C / 84°F highs, 19°C / 65°F nights, and about 7 rainy days.
Expect 29°C/84°F days and about 7 rainy ones in December. Start with these:
- Teatro Colón★ 4.8 · 87.7k reviewsThe opera house opened in 1908 after work by architects Francesco Tamburini, Vittorio Meano, and Jules Dormal, and its horseshoe auditorium is famous…
- El Ateneo Grand Splendid★ 4.8 · 99.1k reviewsThe Grand Splendid theatre opened in 1919, hosted tango and cinema, and became a bookshop in 2000 without losing the frescoed ceiling, balconies, or…
- Tapiales Film FestivalDec 11 – Dec 13Source: festival calendar
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By TripSapien Research · Updated June 3, 2026
Buenos Aires in December 2026
Weather
TempTemperature
84°F / 65°F
29°C / 18.5°C
RainPrecipitation
7d
4.8in · 123mm
LightDaylight
14.3h
Sea
77.4°F
25.2°C
December is hot and festive, with late dinners, outdoor bars, and storm breaks around Christmas travel.
Holidays, observances & long weekends
Holiday and observance schedules can affect services and venue hours; confirm each place directly.
- Dec 8Immaculate Conception of MaryPublic holiday
- Dec 25Christmas DayPublic holiday
- Dec 5-Dec 8Long weekend with bridge day
- Dec 25-Dec 27Long weekend
About Buenos Aires
City overview
Buenos Aires is a Rio de la Plata port city whose identity comes from immigrant theatres, political plazas, tango halls, and apartment-lined barrios rather than one monumental old core. Recoleta and Palermo carry the leafy cafe-and-gallery stay, San Telmo and La Boca keep the tango and port history visible, and Puerto Madero adds the glass-and-dockland skyline beside the Costanera Sur reserve.
Food & drink
Buenos Aires eating revolves around asado, bife de chorizo, choripán, empanadas, milanesa, fugazzeta pizza, dulce de leche, and late-night helado. Mercado de San Telmo, Don Julio in Palermo, Güerrin on Avenida Corrientes, and neighborhood parrillas around Recoleta and Palermo show the range without leaving the city.
Top sights
Ranked for December suitability using weather, setting, ratings, and review volume.
- 1Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes
- 2MALBA
- 3Caminito
- 4La Bombonera
- 5Puente de la Mujer
- 6Plaza de Mayo and Casa Rosada
- 7Palacio Barolo
- 8Recoleta Cemetery
1Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes
4.8★ · 39,371indoorClosed MonThe national fine-arts museum moved in 1933 into a former Recoleta pumping station adapted by architect Alejandro Bustillo. Its rooms hold Argentine painting, European masters, and sculpture beside Plaza Francia.
2MALBA
4.6★ · 39,783indoorClosed TueThe Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires opened in 2001 from Eduardo Costantini collection in a Palermo building by Atelman-Fourcade-Tapia. Frida Kahlo, Tarsila do Amaral, Xul Solar, and Antonio Berni works sit near the Japanese Garden and Paseo Alcorta.
Wikipedia
3Caminito
4.5★ · 5,767mixedPainter Benito Quinquela Martín helped turn this short La Boca lane into an open-air museum in 1959, using the port district colors and corrugated metal houses. It is next to the old Riachuelo rail corridor and a walk from La Bombonera.
WikipediaVisit in daylight and leave by taxi or bus before nearby streets empty after dark.
Show 3 more sights
- 4La Bombonera
- 5Puente de la Mujer
- 6Plaza de Mayo and Casa Rosada
Neighborhoods
1Recoleta
Recoleta feels Parisian and polished, with Avenida Alvear mansions, Recoleta Cemetery, Plaza Francia, El Ateneo, and museum lawns close together.
2Palermo Soho and Palermo Hollywood
Palermo is the long cafe-and-nightlife district, with Plaza Serrano, Armenia, Gorriti, Humboldt, design shops, parrillas, and late bars under plane trees.
3San Telmo
San Telmo is cobblestone Buenos Aires, anchored by Defensa Street, Plaza Dorrego, Mercado de San Telmo, antique stalls, and Sunday tango crowds.
Day trips
33km / about 1h by Mitre train from Retiro to Tigre
Tigre and the Paraná Delta
River launches, rowing clubs, the Puerto de Frutos market, and island houses give a watery counterpoint to Buenos Aires apartment blocks.
50km / 1h 15min by ferry from Puerto Madero to Uruguay
Colonia del Sacramento
Portuguese cobbles, lighthouse views, and a UNESCO old quarter make Colonia the classic international day trip. Carry a passport and check ferry immigration times.
115km / 1.5-2h by bus or car from Retiro
San Antonio de Areco
Gaucho museums, silversmiths, pulperías, and estancia lunches make Areco the best small-town pampas excursion from the capital.
Getting around
Use a SUBE card for Subte lines, colectivos, commuter trains, and airport buses; Line D is useful for Palermo and Recoleta, while Line A follows Avenida de Mayo. Taxis and rideshares are practical after late dinners, and La Boca is better reached by bus or taxi than by a long walk from San Telmo.
Planning a Buenos Aires trip?
Add your dates and we'll check every place for closures, limited hours, and booking needs in December.
Common questions about Buenos Aires in December
- What to pack for Buenos Aires in December
Pack for December's weather, not a generic Buenos Aires checklist.
- Layerable daytime clothes for average highs around 29°C / 84°F.
- A light evening layer because nights average 19°C / 65°F.
- Compact rain gear and shoes that handle wet pavement across about 7 rainy days.
- How many days do you need in Buenos Aires
- 4 days covers the main Buenos Aires highlights at a realistic pace. Add 3 extra days if you want the listed day trips.
- Is Buenos Aires worth visiting in December
- Yes. December in Buenos Aires averages 29°C / 84°F highs, 19°C / 65°F nights, and about 7 rainy days.
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