Teatro Colón & Buenos Aires Palaces Tour
About this activity
Highlights
- Skip-the-line access to Teatro Colón
- Explore historic palaces of Buenos Aires
- Learn about Argentina's rich cultural heritage
- Admire stunning architecture and art
- Experience the city's vibrant history firsthand
Full description
Included / Excluded
- Skip-the-line access to Teatro Colón
- Guided tour of Buenos Aires' historic palaces
- Expert English-speaking guide
- Meals and beverages
Itinerary
The Teatro Colón is an opera house in the city of Buenos Aires. Due to its size, acoustics and trajectory, it´s considered one of the five best in the world. Comparable with the most important lyrical rooms in the world, such as the Scala in Milan, the Metropolitan Opera House in New York, the State Opera of Vienna, the Royal Opera House (Covent Garden) in London and the Paris Opera, it is an unavoidable place for music lovers. The Teatro Colón has always been a theater revered by the public and the most renowned artists.
At the corner of Alvear Avenue and Rodriguez Peña Street, in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Recoleta, there is an imposing four-story building that draws attention for its particular physiognomy. This is Casey Palace, the current headquarters of the Ministry of Culture of the Nation. Its red and gray façade, made up of exposed bricks and strips of Paris-like stone and exquisite ornamental details, plus the mansardas in the black slate roofing at the top, make up a visual appeal that causes people passing by not able to resist the temptation to photograph it.
The house that belonged to Ortiz Basualdo-Zapiola is today the headquarters of the Embassy of France. Built between 1912 and 1918, it is considered one of the buildings that best represents the architecture of French academicism. It keeps a great variety of styles that reflect the artistic value
At the beginning of Alvear Avenue, in front of the Embassy of France and the Plaza Carlos Pellegrini, there is the Pereda Palace, a château of the 20th century that reflects like no other the marked influence of French architecture in the Buenosairean physiognomy of the time. But its imposing facade, its lavish staircases and its rooms decorated with majestic ceilings, Carrara marble and incredible works of art, hide a unique history, and the whims of a man that led to the design of the palace being projected and finished by two different architects
The Álzaga Unzué palace speaks of an Argentina of the beginning of the last century, with a society of contrasts between the arrival of poor Europe and the Creole agro-export aristocracy that looked at Europe and dreamed of a new Paris on the banks of the Río de la Plata. The construction was in charge of the Scottish architect Robert Russell, who spent four years in the work, but managed to combine the English Edwardian style that Felix liked with Elena's taste for the French castles of the Loire. It has the typical structure of a hotel particulier of the Belle Époque: a large mansion designed where a single family with four floors of well-defined functions would live.
The Palacio Fernández Anchorena is a luxurious mansion from the beginning of the 20th century and one of the few residences of the Buenos Aires upper class that still survives on Avenida Alvear. It currently belongs to the Holy See and functions as the headquarters of the Apostolic Nunciature in Buenos Aires.
Declared a historical monument in 2002, the Duhau Palace is one of the architectural examples that remain of the Buenos Aires Belle Epoque. With its history that dictates from the beginning of the century, and its changes in the structure, the Duhau Palace is a sample of the passion that previous owners had for architecture. At the beginning of the 30s, the Duhau brothers acquired the building that belonged to Teodoro de Bari, and they commissioned the architect León Dourge to build the current building. He built it with a French neoclassical style that is still inspiring and unique today.
On the corner of Rodríguez Peña and Alvear streets, stands one of the most enigmatic buildings in the city of Buenos Aires, the Maguire Residence, one of the few surviving works of a corridor of mansions of the upper middle class that were demolished or transformed into hotels. Since 2002, this lavish villa was declared a National Historic Monument, as were its two adjacent residences, the current Duhau-Park Hyatt Palace and the Apostolic Nunciature, all belonging to a family of French origin: the Duhau.
Meeting point
Start Location
Unknown location
Important information
Know before you book
- The tour is conducted in English; please ensure you understand the language.
- Photography may be restricted in certain areas; follow the guide's instructions.
- Check the weather forecast and dress accordingly for the day.
Know before you go
- Wear comfortable walking shoes for the tour.
- Bring a camera to capture the stunning architecture.
- Ensure your phone is fully charged for photos and navigation.
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Good to know
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- May be operated by a multi-lingual guide
- This is a kid-friendly tour
Traveler reviews
The tour guide was very...
The tour guide was very good. The description of the tour was a bit confusing. I had to ask around for information in meeting points before actually finiding the right spot.
An Unforgettable Visit to Teatro Colón
This walking tour was absolutely fantastic. The history behind the Teatro Colón is truly impressive. Our guide was outstanding—very knowledgeable, professional, and friendly. After the theatre visit, she took us to explore the beautiful architecture of the city. I genuinely enjoyed every moment of this walking tour and highly recommend it.
Exploring Teatro Colon and the Grand Palaces of Buenos Aires
The last time I was in Buenos Aires in 2005, I took a short tour of Teatro Colon and wanted a more in depth experience this time. I found this tour, which also included a palace walking tour afterward. Our guide, Mariela, facilitated our entry into the theater, where another guide, Vanesa, led the theater portion. Vanesa spoke excellent English and kept the tour moving, even though the group was much larger than I expected. Next time I will look for a private tour. The only time the group size became an issue was during the visit to the private boxes. There were not enough boxes open for everyone, so if you were not among the first to enter, you ended up in the back, which limited your photo opportunities. Since my partner and I were toward the back, she used a selfie stick to compensate and was scolded by the guide. I am not sure why a selfie stick was a problem in such a large space, but it was forbidden. Please be aware of this rule when you visit, because we did not see it posted anywhere. After the theater portion, we met back up with Mariela, who continued with the palace walking tour in English. This part of the tour was fascinating, because we learned about the nearby palaces and their history. We also discovered some hidden gems, such as the small Museo Nacional de Arte Decorativo inside the Palacio Errazuriz Alvear. It was packed with so much to see in such a compact space. It was wonderful and very interesting. The walking tour included the following stops: Palacio de Justicia (Tribunales), Teatro Cervantes, Av. 9 de Julio, Palacio Paz, Palacio San Martin (Cancilleria), Calle Arroyo, Palacio Noel (Estilo colonial espanol), Embajada de Francia (Palacio Ortiz Basualdo), La Mansion (Four Seasons), Palacio Pereda, Nunciatura, Palacio Duhau (Park Hyatt), Mansion Maguire, and Alvear Palace. Mariela would have kept going, but after nearly two hours of walking, we were tired and hungry, so we parted ways. We definitely got our money’s worth and appreciated Mariela’s knowledge and friendly demeanor. She even offered to walk us back to our hotel, although we told her it was not necessary. This combined experience was worth the price, and I highly recommend it for anyone who is comfortable walking moderate distances and wants a deeper understanding of Teatro Colon and the surrounding palaces.
Great experience
We had the best time on this tour! We saw the stunning opera house and many more beautiful mansions while learning history and interesting trivia.
Fantastic tour guide!
Franco was our tour guide and can I say, he was fantastic! I messed up and we went to the wrong location making us 30 minutes late. He gave us two options and fixed the tour with the museum. He’s incredibly smart and funny! Knows so much history of BA. I highly recommend him and would definitely book with him again!