La Boca / Caminito

Caminito, La Boca

A neighborhood of colorful corrugated-iron houses left by Italian immigrants, with street tango and painting stalls. Next to it is the “candy box” stadium of Boca Juniors, Maradona’s spiritual home.

La Boca lies in the old port at the southern end of the city. In the late 19th century, Genoese immigrants used leftover corrugated iron and paint from shipbuilding to build their colorful houses. In 1959, painter Quinquela Martín turned an abandoned railway spur into Caminito, a 150-meter open-air museum street named after a tango song. Today it is the most photogenic spot in Buenos Aires. It has brightly painted conventillo tenements, balconies decorated with figures of Perón and Maradona, street tango dancers (photos cost about ARS 3,000–5,000), painting stalls and souvenir shops. Nearby sights include the Fundación PROA contemporary art museum, whose top-floor café overlooks the port, the Museo Quinquela Martín, the old shipyards and the Vuelta de Rocha river bend, where the water smells unpleasant. A 10-minute walk away is La Bombonera, home of Boca Juniors. Known as the “candy box,” it seats 54,000, and its steep stands are shaped like boxes. The stadium is being expanded and renovated in 2025–2026. A combined museum and stadium tour costs about ARS 25,000–30,000 for foreigners. Tickets for match days are only sold to members. Foreign visitors must buy a “fan experience” package through a licensed agency, priced at USD 150–300. The Boca–River Superclásico is one of the most intense derbies in the world. Safety note: La Boca has poor security overall. Stay only in the designated tourist areas between Caminito, PROA and the stadium, and don’t walk into the side streets. Leave before 5 p.m., and use Cabify or a tourist bus rather than walking. Street vendors and touts are plentiful, so politely decline their offers. Allow about 2 hours for your visit. It can be combined with San Telmo and Puerto Madero as a day trip to the south of the city.

La Boca / Caminito

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Places to eat nearby