Rub a dead lady's bronze dogIn Recoleta Cemetery, hunt down the tomb of Liliana Crociati with the bronze statue of her and her dog Sabu. Locals swear rubbing Sabu's nose brings luck, so give the good boy a polish.WeirdEasy40 min
Light a smoke for a tango ghostAt Chacarita Cemetery, find the bronze statue of tango god Carlos Gardel. His outstretched hand almost always holds a lit cigarette left by devotees, so respect the ritual and behold the most dignified ashtray in Argentina.CultureMedium50 min
Find the Caminito nobody knowsSkip the tourist mob and take a taxi to Calle Lanin in Barracas, where artist Marino Santa Maria smothered 40 houses in dazzling mosaic tiles. It is the colourful street La Boca wishes it still was, minus the souvenir stalls.Photo HuntEasy35 min
Squeeze onto a cartoon's benchOn the corner of Chile and Defensa in San Telmo, sit beside the bronze Mafalda, the world's grumpiest six-year-old, with pals Manolito and Susanita nearby. Go on a weekday or you will queue behind every fan in the city.CultureEasy20 min
Eat a sandwich the size of regretHit the grill stands along Costanera Sur and order a bondiola sandwich, a smoky slab of pork neck in a roll, for a few pesos. Drown it in chimichurri and eat it standing up like a true porteno.Food & DrinkEasy30 min
Visit a palace full of toiletsInside the wildly ornate Palacio de Aguas Corrientes at Riobamba 750, the free sanitation museum hides a glass room stacked with antique porcelain thrones, bidets and faucets. Yes, somebody curated the toilets.Rainy DayEasy45 min
Touch a rock that fell from spaceOutside the UFO-shaped Galileo Galilei planetarium in Parque Tres de Febrero sits a grey metallic meteorite that crashed to Earth in 1965. Put your hand on something genuinely older than the planet, then judge the ducks on the nearby lake.ActiveEasy30 min
Drown a chocolate bar in hot milkAt Los 36 Billares, an 1894 cafe on Avenida de Mayo 1265 lined with billiard tables, order a submarino: a glass of steaming milk with a chocolate bar dropped in to melt. Stir, sip, then watch old men play pool.Local DetailEasy40 min
Crash a Spanglish Exchange Night in PalermoCrash a Spanglish Exchange night at a rotating Palermo bar (check spanglishexchange.com for this month's spot): five minutes of Spanish, five of English, then rotate. Butcher the local slang with a beer in hand.SocialMedium1 hr 30 min
Crawl under the city's foundationsAt El Zanjon de Granados, Defensa 755 in San Telmo, descend into restored 19th-century tunnels and cisterns found by accident beneath an old mansion. The whole secret city lurks below the one you walked in on.Hidden GemBold1 hr
Run the river loop at the Reserva EcológicaLace up early and jog the flat 8 km perimeter of the Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur, where porteños outrun the city skyline among lagoons and squawking birds. It is free, but closed Mondays and rainy days, so check the weather before you commit.ActiveMedium1 hr 15 min
Lap the Rosedal in Bosques de PalermoJoin the local joggers circling the lake and rose garden in Parque Tres de Febrero, the green lung of Palermo. Time it for golden hour and pretend the 18,000 rose bushes are cheering you on.ActiveEasy45 min
Picnic by the spaceship planetariumSpread a blanket on the grass beside the Planetario Galileo Galilei, the giant concrete UFO floating in Parque Tres de Febrero, and let the kids gawk at the meteorite chunks out front. Catch a dome show inside if the little astronauts demand more.FamilyEasy1 hr
Spot a wild mara at the EcoparqueWander the free Ecoparque off Plaza Italia and have the kids hunt for the mara, a leggy Patagonian hare that struts the lawns like it owns the place. Peacocks roam loose too, so keep snacks zipped.FamilyEasy1 hr
Meet the dinosaurs at Parque CentenarioTake the family to the lakeside Parque Centenario in Caballito, where age-grouped playgrounds sit beside the Natural History Museum stuffed with Patagonian dinosaur bones. Show up on a weekend and you might catch free circus acts on the grass.FamilyEasy1 hr 15 min