San Isidro: Puentes Destination Guide

San Isidro has a strong identity as a value-centered community with a focus on family, social clubs, friends, and sports, and it is one of the most affluent cities in the region.  With a population of about 292,000 “sanisidrenses” (residents of San Isidro), San Isidro offers more of a small town feel where people know each other personally, but at the same time, it is still a very attractive place to live and visit because of its historic landmarks, vibrant sports offerings, and green waterfront venues.  

How to Get There

To get to San Isidro from Buenos Aires City, simple take the “Línea Mitre” train that goes from Retiro station, which is about a 45 minute ride, and San Isidro is the 10th stop. You can find train times here.


Barrios (Neighborhoods)

Vicente López

Right on the border with Capital Federal, where “Zona Norte” (the northern suburb) begins, Vicente López is most well known for its open spaces on the banks of the Rio de La Plata. It’s a great place to practice water sports such as sailing and kite surfing, and also the spacious parks of green grass are the perfect place for a picnic and some mate. Vicente López is one of the more modern feeling neighborhoods of the “Conurbano Bonarense,” a term that refers to the suburbs around Buenos Aires City.

Olivos

Continuing northward on Avenida Libertador is Olivos, the site of the Official Presidential Residence. An exclusive residential area, here houses are more common than tall apartment buildings. The area is full of top notch bilingual schools and is a popular neighborhood for foreign diplomats and their families. Olivos is well connected to the city by the Mitre train line, and thousands of its residents make the 14 mile commute to Buenos Aires City center each day.

San Isidro City

Important historically for being the place where the founding fathers of Argentina met to discuss their strategy to gain independence, San Isidro City is the most affluent neighborhood in the province of Buenos Aires. It’s known as the cradle of Argentine rugby and boasts one of the largest horse racing tracks in the Americas, the “Hipodromo de San Isidro,” with a capacity of 100,000 spectators. Far enough from the city to feel like a separate entity, yet well connected enough by train, San Isidro offers the best of both worlds.


What to do

Arts and Music

  • Visit the historic Museo Pueyrredón, with sweeping views of the Rio de La Plata, and learn about Argentine history.

  • Tour the glamorous, restored mansion Villa Ocampo, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, that also has regular art and music exhibitions and speakers.

  • Listen to jazz - or even jam yourself - at the Jazz Club Olivos.

  • Appreciate the architecture of the majestic Cathedral de San Isidro.

  • Take a quick detour from the Cathedral to have a glance at the 19th century Quinta Los Ombúes.

Nature

  • Spend some time outside on the coast at Peru Beach, which is a great destination for water sports, rock climbing, roller skating, and enjoying a nice meal or happy hour at the restaurants and bars there.

  • Take a leisurely stroll or go rollerblading on the Paseo de La Costa, which is a vast green space on the river.

  • Enjoy a picnic at one of the many green spaces along the river, like Alvear and El Rio.

Sports

Shopping

  • Browse the artisan handicrafts at the Feria de San Isidro in front of the Catedral de San Isidro every Saturday and Sunday.

  • Do some “compras” (shopping) at the biggest mall in South America: Unicenter.


What to Eat

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