A walled city of marble streets, domes and family chapels, where Argentina's presidents, poets and the Perón-era first lady lie side by side.
Recoleta Cemetery was laid out in 1822 in the garden of a Recollect friars' convent, and became the place where the country's grandest families built their last homes.
Inside the gate, avenues and narrow lanes run between some 4,700 above-ground vaults: Greek temples, art nouveau chapels, little Gothic cathedrals, many with stained glass and wrought iron. Dozens are national historic monuments.
Most visitors look for the Duarte family vault, where Eva Perón is buried, usually marked by fresh flowers. Others include presidents, generals, writers and boxers; a map from the entrance helps.
Next door, the white Basílica del Pilar dates from the 18th century, and the square outside fills with cafés and, at weekends, the Plaza Francia craft fair.
A morning in Recoleta.
Enter through the columned gate on Junín and pick up a map, or join a free guided tour if one is starting.
Walk the central avenue past the largest chapels and domes, then turn into the quieter side lanes.
Find the dark granite Duarte family vault on a narrow lane; follow the flowers and the small crowd.
Visit the 18th-century Basílica del Pilar next to the gate, and its small cloister museum.
Finish at a café on the square beneath the vast old gomero tree, or browse the weekend fair.
A short taxi or bus ride from the centre; the nearest Subte stop is a 15-minute walk away. It pairs well with El Ateneo and MALBA.
Open daily; foreign visitors pay an entry fee, payable by card. Free guided tours run on some days; ask at the gate.
Signage inside is sparse; a map or tour makes finding the famous vaults far easier.
Buenos Aires practical notes →Photographs from Wikimedia Commons and Pexels under their licences.
