Palermo, designed for and by the young glitterati of Buenos Aires is a traveller’s utopia.  It is an extensive barrio in the northeast of the city close to Belgrano and Recoleta.  Palermo has absolutely everything; quiet residential streets and Buenos Aires’ shopping and partying Mecca.  Those looking for more than the hedonist lifestyle can visit the Japanese garden in Tres de Febrero Park, a typical Japanese garden that benefits from a great contemporary Japanese Restaurant; polo fields, and the Rural Society Convention Centre are all located in Palermo.

Buses are abundant and route 152 is ideal to get to Recoleta in 10 minutes and El Centro (downtown) in 25 minutes.  Subte line D runs through this barrio and stations are Palermo, Plaza Italia and Scalabrini Ortiz, and the stations and five blocks apart, less than 3 minutes in transit. From Scalabrini Ortiz station (closest to El Centro), the subte should take less than 17 minutes to arrive downtown.  These times are estimates and depend on road traffic and time of day.  A quick tip, plan breakfast and your high tea at peak transport times as it stinks!

Palermo gets its name from the Franciscan abbey of Saint Benedict of Palermo.  In the late 1800’s it was the weekend property of General Rosas which is now home to the Zoo, Planetarium, the Palermo race track, Parque Tres de Febrero and Plaza Italia. These attractions came to fruition throughout the 19th century, mainly by president Domingo Faustino Sarmiento who also led an impressive educational programme that is still active today.

Within greater Palermo, you have a number of smaller neighbourhoods:

•Alto Palermo, is downtown Palermo, with the main shopping areas and transport. Villa Freud, based around Plaza Güemes, is a residential area known for its high concentration of psychoanalysts and psychiatrists. It is said that Buenos Aires has more practitioners of this black art than any other city in the world.

•Palermo Viejo or old Palermo is home to much Spanish architecture, which betrays its early origins. It is divided by a train track, to the north is Palermo Hollywood, so named for its links to TV and radio and Palermo Soho in the south, so named for its likeness to London and Manhattan Soho - this fabulous area is explained in greater detail on this website.

•Palermo Chico (Small or exclusive Palermo) is the most up market part of Palermo, and it borders Recoleta. The Buenos Aires Museum of Decorative Arts is located in Palermo Chico in a dazzling old palatial home. Neighbouring Barrio Parque is a strictly residential area laid out in winding streets by Carlos Thays; many of the wealthy and famous own homes in Palermo Chico and Barrio Parque.

•Las Canitas is a small but thriving part of Palermo; it is named after the crops of cane that once grew there. It is a former slum that has been given a great makeover and although approximately six blocks square (growing) at the north end of Palermo, it is fast becoming a favourite of the young middle classes. It warrants its own section on this website.

Palermo Apartments for Rent Buenos Aires

Read our guide to the Palermo’s monuments and main tourist attractions

Read our guide to best restaurants and resto-bars in Palermo Buenos Aires