Sometimes called the City of Angels due to the abundance of angelic sculpture, this 14-acre cemetery is a highlight of a trip to Buenos Aires.
Recoleta Cemetery is significant as both a historical and cultural landmark. It is the first public cemetery in Buenos Aires and contains the graves of many notable Argentinians, including 26 presidents, Nobel Prize winners, and Eva Perón, making it a rich repository of Argentina’s history and heritage.
When the cemetery was established in 1822 on the site of an orchard, the families had blank slates to create the tombs that would represent the legacy of their loved ones. They pulled from architecture and iconography from the Old World, with statuary and columns that would not be out of place in Rome.
Recoleta is on every list of Buenos Aires sights and we think it deserves to be. No longer free to enter, the current admission is around $5 USD. The admission fee has cut down on pickpockets and vandalism, which apparently used to be an issue. Go in the morning to avoid the heat and crowds, although the height of the tombs will also create shade in the afternoon. It is currently open daily from 9 AM to 5 PM (not 8 AM as some sites indicate).
Tour guides are stationed at the entrance. We saw both small groups and large groups being shepherded around by various guides. Use a guide if you like, but we took a different tack.
First, watch a video (or two) about the cemetery. A good video will provide the history of the cemetery, and then show close-ups of notable tombs while explaining the stories of why these tombs are notable. Read some articles, focusing on any recommended tombs. Write down which ones pique your interest in seeing in-person.
Second, download the Organic Maps app, which is a free interface for OpenStreetMap. The tombs are not only well-labeled on the app, but they are also searchable!
If you are interested in Evita’s tomb, make a beeline there on arrival. Every tour group is going to go there, and the pathway is narrow. Avoid the crowds by doing it early, and avoid getting caught in the tour chaos by taking the indirect path from behind the tomb.
Once you have checked off the tombs you want to see, take a breath and just wander. Especially in the areas furthest from the entrance, you may find yourself with no one around but the angels.
