Safety

Safety:

Buenos Aires, unlike other South American cities, is not known for its crime rate; however, like in any big city, stay alert and be careful. At weekend markets, touristy sights, and public transportation, keep personal belonging close to the body and do not be flashy with expensive electronics such as MP3 players, digital cameras, and mobile phones. Pit pocketing is especially common on the subways and at football matches. Try not to talk loudly in languages besides Spanish, as this makes one a target. At crowded restaurants, do not hang purses on the chair but rather hold them closer in the lap. Only take the money that is needed that day, for example 100 pesos (25 USD), instead of 500 pesos (130 USD) in case anything gets stolen. Petty theft is more common than violent crimes (any major crime should be reported to the police and stolen passports should be reported to the respective embassy immediately).

At night, it is best to take a taxi instead of walking—even if one is with many people. Radio taxis are the best option. Avoid deserted streets at night. Some neighborhoods, such as Recoleta and Las Canitas, are reasonably safe at all hours while others, such as La Boca, are not (see Notable Neighborhoods and Respective Sights in Buenos Aires). La Boca should never be toured at night and during the day, one should not walk around outside of the touristy part.

Scams are not common but do happen from time to time. If something sounds fishy, it probably is.

tags: buenos aires ·