must-visit in Buenos AiresSquare & Landmark

May Square

📍 Plaza de Mayo (around Balcarce 50), Buenos Aires, Argentina

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3.5/ 5.0

★★★★☆

Quick Facts

Location: Argentina, Buenos Aires
Category: Square & Landmark
Duration: 1-2 hours (30-60 min for the square, half a day with interiors)
Opening Hours: Square open around the clock; palace tours weekends and holidays 10:00-18:00 (reservation required)
Ticket Price: Adult: Free · Square free; palace tours and museum are free (book tours online ahead)
Address: Plaza de Mayo (around Balcarce 50), Buenos Aires, Argentina
Coordinates: -34.6083, -58.3725

Introduction

Plaza de Mayo is the political and historical heart of Buenos Aires: it was the city's Plaza Mayor at Garay's second founding in 1580, and only took its open form after the Recova arcade was demolished in 1884. The pink Casa Rosada on the east side is the presidential palace, its balcony famous from the Perons' addresses; the May Pyramid at the centre, raised in 1811, is the city's oldest public monument, ringed by the Metropolitan Cathedral, the colonial Cabildo and the Banco de la Nacion. Since 1977 the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo have marched around the pyramid every Thursday afternoon for their disappeared children, their white headscarves painted on the pavement below. Free and open around the clock, it is an unavoidable stop for understanding modern Argentine history.

✨ Highlights

Casa Rosada

The pink presidential palace of the Perons' balcony; tours weekends and holidays by online reservation with ID.

May Pyramid

The city's oldest public monument (1811), around which the Mothers still march.

Cathedral and San Martin's Tomb

Where Pope Francis was archbishop; the nation's liberator lies under grenadiers' guard.

Mothers of Plaza de Mayo

Marching around the pyramid every Thursday at 3:30 pm since 1977, for the disappeared.

The Cabildo

The whitewashed colonial town hall where the May Revolution began; a national museum inside.

Casa Rosada Museum

A free museum at the palace's rear (Paseo Colon side), open Wednesday-Sunday, closed Mon-Tue.

🛈 Practical Info

→Duration：30-60 minutes for the square itself; half a day with the cathedral, Cabildo and museum.

→The march：The Mothers circle the pyramid every Thursday at 3:30 pm — watch quietly from the side; big demonstrations often fall on March 24 and other national dates.

→Safety：Crowds are heavy here — mind your belongings, keep clear of flashpoints and follow police directions during rallies.

→Opening Hours：Square open around the clock; palace tours weekends and holidays 10:00-18:00 (reservation required)

→Transportation：Subte Line A to Plaza de Mayo or Line E to Bolivar, right at the square

Ticket Information

Ticket Information
Adult	Free

Square free; palace tours and museum are free (book tours online ahead)

💡 Tips

• The Thursday 3:30 pm march of the Mothers is the square's living history — stand aside quietly, do not join the circle.

• The Casa Rosada Museum entrance is on the building's rear Paseo Colon side — free and quiet, most visitors miss it.

• White headscarves are painted on the pavement marking the Mothers' route — look down as you walk.

• San Martin's tomb in the cathedral is guarded by grenadiers with a changing of the guard about every two hours; keep silent.

• The square offers almost no shade — bring water, a hat and sunscreen in summer; early morning or dusk is best.

• Cafe Tortoni at the start of Avenida de Mayo is an easy walk — a century-old coffee-house for a break.

FAQ

What are the opening hours of May Square?

Square open around the clock; palace tours weekends and holidays 10:00-18:00 (reservation required)

How much is the admission for May Square?

Adult: Free; Square free; palace tours and museum are free (book tours online ahead)

Any practical tips for visiting May Square?

The Thursday 3:30 pm march of the Mothers is the square's living history — stand aside quietly, do not join the circle. The Casa Rosada Museum entrance is on the building's rear Paseo Colon side — free and quiet, most visitors miss it.