Buenos Aires seems to have been made for cycling. Flat, with wide and mostly well-maintained streets, the city is an invitation for some good cycling and skinny bikes seem to already be part of Buenos Aires’ daily life. So you don’t miss out, we’ve prepared this complete guide to the best bike tours in Buenos Aires.
There are people carrying them everywhere, as a means of transport or just for leisure. The rental stations, spread throughout the city, are always busy. Cycle lanes, although not omnipresent, make our lives easier on the main streets. For tourists, it is possible to rent bicycles through apps or in specialized stores. There are also several agencies that offer this type of guided tour, with equipment included.
Read too:
• What to do in Buenos Aires: complete guide
• Where to stay in Buenos Aires: best hotels and regions
• Where to eat in Buenos Aires
Travel insurance in Argentina
Taking out travel insurance is essential, even for countries as close as Argentina. No matter how close it is to home, it is best to travel protected so as not to suffer from unforeseen events.
The good news is that it is possible to take out good travel insurance for around 10 reais per day. To do this, we recommend using a search engine like Seguros Promo, which compares the main insurance companies and ensures that you find the best cost/benefit, according to your needs.
Furthermore, blog readers are entitled to an exclusive discount coupon: 360MERIDIANOS05. See some of the offers below and choose yours:
Application for bicycle rental in Buenos Aires
Like the main metropolises in the world, Buenos Aires also has its own bicycle rental service on the streets. Over there, it’s called EcoBici, and the best thing of all is that, unlike what happens in other cities, in Buenos Aires bicycles are completely free, free, on the lane.
The project is an initiative by the city council to encourage the use of bicycles as an alternative means of transport, but it also ends up being used for trips, especially on weekends, by both residents and tourists. There are more than 100 stations and 4 thousand bicycles spread across the city.
Using Ecobici is very easy. Just download the official app for Android or iOS and fill out the registration form there. To do this, you must have an international credit card on hand, which serves as a substitute for the requested proof of residence. The system will charge a minimum amount to ensure that the card entered is valid. The amount will then be refunded.
Once your Ecobici registration is active, you can go to one of the rental stations throughout the city. Before that, it’s worth checking within the app or on the map available on the Ecobici website to see if there are bicycles available at stations near you. Bicycles are also unlocked via the app.
Once you have your bike in hand, you will have half an hour to ride it. This time can be extended by returning the bicycle to any of the stations and collecting a new one, but you must wait 15 minutes between collections. There is a 5-minute grace period to return the bike. If you exceed this time, you will be charged a progressive fine.
Bicycle rental stores in Buenos Aires
The big advantage of EcoBici is that it’s free, but the restrictions on usage and renewal time can be quite inconvenient if you’re leisurely touring the city. Therefore, it may be worth renting a bike just for you for an afternoon and exploring the city’s main attractions at your own pace.
See some stores that rent bicycles in Buenos Aires:
Cycle paths in Buenos Aires and how to plan your cycling routes
With more than 230 kilometers of cycle paths spread across Buenos Aires, the Argentine capital remains firm in its aim to adopt bicycles as a routine form of transportation. This is great, because it improves traffic for everyone and promotes a much more sustainable means of transport than individual cars.
In practice, this means that it is very easy and safe to cycle there, even on a leisure trip. The city hall is aware that, for many people, cycling is a form of leisure transport. Therefore, we also placed signs indicating the direction and distance from the main tourist attractions on the cycle paths, which makes it very easy to plan your itinerary.
On the city hall’s Como Llego website, there is a complete map with all the cycle paths in Buenos Aires. It works like Google Maps and you just need to select the bicycle as your means of transport and it will show you the best routes.
Other great places to cycle are Bosques do Palermo and Costanera Sur.
Guided bike tours in Buenos Aires
There are several agencies that offer guided bike tours in Buenos Aires. In addition to the guide, they usually include equipment, helmet, water and some souvenirs, such as alfajores.
This is a good way to cycle around the city if you don’t have much experience using a bicycle in an urban area. Being in a group and following the guide’s instructions makes it much easier. It’s also a different way to see Buenos Aires’ main attractions and learn more about the local history and culture.
You can book your bike tour in advance here.
Check out this bike tour proposal that includes a picnic on the banks of the Rio del Plata!
Where to stay in Buenos Aires
The main neighborhoods to stay in Buenos Aires are:
- center
- San Telmo
- Recoleta
- Palermo
The first two are for those who want to save money, stay close to everything and don’t mind clutter. Recoleta and Palermo have more expensive accommodation, but they are more upscale and beautiful neighborhoods. You can find out more about the regions in our text Where to stay in Buenos Aires.
Recommended accommodations in Buenos Aires:
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