Retiro: Art, architecture, history and hidden gems
- 3 hours
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- 2 languages
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
We explore one of Buenos Aires' most fascinating neighborhoods through the lens of art, architecture, and history. Throughout the walk, we'll focus on Retiro's artistic side, exploring how this historically residential and commercial neighborhood has continually reinvented itself while maintaining its deep connection to the city's artistic heritage. Along the way, we'll visit hidden art galleries tucked away in unexpected places, discover remarkable architecture and secret corners, and explore key moments in the history of Argentine art and architecture. What makes this tour unique is its perspective. Rather than following a traditional sightseeing route, you'll experience Retiro through the eyes of someone deeply connected to the local art scene, revealing a side of the neighborhood that most visitors—and even many locals—never get to see. If you're a curious traveler who enjoys uncovering hidden gems and discovering the stories behind a city, this tour is for you.
Inclusions
What's included
- guide
Itinerary
We begin in front of the Kavanagh Building. Here we introduce ourselves and I provide context about the neighborhood and its importance within the world of art and architecture in Buenos Aires. I share the famous legend surrounding the construction of the Kavanagh and talk about the building as a piece of cultural heritage.
At this stop, we focus on the sculpture Nosotros Afuera by Federico Manuel Peralta Ramos. Through this work, I talk about his eccentric personality, his belief that art and life were inseparable, and his connection to the Di Tella Institute in the 1960s. This stop helps us understand the experimental spirit of the period and of this iconic Buenos Aires artist, and how Retiro became the stage for a bold and provocative avant-garde.
We visit a contemporary art gallery where we explore a current exhibition. Here we analyze the artworks and reflect on how they engage with social, political, and economic contexts. I also explain the role of galleries within the art system: how they represent artists, how art fairs and the market function, and how galleries differ from museums. When possible, we talk with gallerists or curators, creating a close and dynamic experience.
In front of the former Di Tella Institute, I explain why this place marked a turning point in Argentine art. We discuss the international context of the 1960s, the Cold War, and the cultural influence of the United States in Latin America. I introduce the so-called “Di Tella Generation” and recount key episodes and milestones of the artistic avant-gardes of the 1960s. This stop helps us understand how art, politics, and power are always deeply connected, and how Retiro was the heart of that cultural revolution—and how it is once again becoming a site of artistic experimentation today.
In a second gallery, we delve into other contemporary proposals. We analyze materials, scale, curatorial decisions, and modes of display. We reflect on how current artists engage with—or challenge—the Argentine modern tradition and the experimental legacy of the 1960s. This is a moment to train the eye and to understand that every exhibition is also a position taken within the art field.
We end our walk in this 1891 building, inspired by the great Parisian department stores. In the late 1940s, its dome was painted by some of the most important artists in the country. Among them, Antonio Berni, together with Spilimbergo, Castagnino, and Urruchúa, created the monumental murals that now crown the central space. Standing beneath this dome allows us to understand that art does not belong only to museums: it also inhabits commercial buildings, transitional spaces, hidden galleries, and everyday places. Retiro, though residential and financial in character, holds layers of artistic history within its architecture. From these murals to the avant-gardes of the 1960s and contemporary art galleries today, art appears woven throughout the neighborhood and its history.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
5.0
- 525
- 40
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- 10
Ratings come from 25 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Know before you go
- Meeting point
- In front of the iconic Kavanagh Building
- Pickup
- Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Group size
- Up to 12 travellers
- Operated by
- Tamara Kerzberg
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
How it compares in Buenos Aires
- Its from-price is 39% below the median of the 1517 experiences we list in Buenos Aires.
- Its length is typical for the group.
- By number of reviews it ranks 284 of 1517.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is Argentina's elegant, passionate capital, a city of grand boulevards, tango halls, leafy barrios and late-night steak dinners.
The Plaza de Mayo, framed by the pink Casa Rosada and the Metropolitan Cathedral, is the historic heart of the city, and the vast Avenida 9 de Julio leads to the Obelisk. The Teatro Colón, one of the great opera houses, and the grand cafés of Avenida de Mayo recall the city's golden age.
Top-ranked sights in Buenos Aires: Plaza de Mayo, Palermo, Puerto Madero.
Special offers in Buenos Aires
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
