Buenos Aires on Screen: 10 Iconic City Locations Featured in Film and TV

If Buenos Aires already looks like a movie set, Focus proves it. Starring Will Smith and Margot Robbie, the film turned Buenos Aires into the setting for the reunion between professional con artist Nicky and his former protégé, Jess. The production used some of the city's most recognizable landmarks to tell a story of deception, luxury, and high-speed chases.

Among the most iconic locations are Caminito and San Telmo, with scenes filmed at the historic San Telmo Market and Galería de la Defensa, where the city's historic architecture becomes almost a character of its own.

Did you know? The film's route also includes iconic buildings such as Palacio Paz, along with Recoleta, Puerto Madero, the Faena Hotel Buenos Aires, a Buenos Aires subway station, and Hospital Moyano.

Where: Bolívar 970, San Telmo.

Some Buenos Aires buildings seem made for the movies. The Palace of Justice is one of them. With its monumental staircases, endless corridors, and French-inspired architecture, it provided the perfect setting for The Secret in Their Eyes, Juan José Campanella's Academy Award-winning film for Best Foreign Language Film.

In the story, the building serves as the workplace of Benjamín Espósito (Ricardo Darín) and his colleagues, while its interiors help create the atmosphere of mystery, justice, and memory that defines the film. Facing Plaza Lavalle, it remains one of downtown Buenos Aires' most impressive architectural landmarks.

Did you know? Construction of the Palace of Justice took more than four decades, beginning in 1905 and finishing in 1949.

Where: Talcahuano 550, San Nicolás.

Long before becoming a movie location, Banchero was already a Buenos Aires institution. Founded in 1932 by an Italian immigrant family, it's famous as the birthplace of the iconic fugazzeta pizza. In Argentina, 1985, the pizzeria appears in a scene recreating the moment when the judges of the Trial of the Juntas gathered to decide the verdict against those responsible for Argentina's last military dictatorship.

The choice of location is no coincidence. According to the true story, the judges deliberated in a Buenos Aires pizzeria before announcing the sentences, famously writing their final agreement on a paper napkin.

Did you know? The original La Boca location has been declared a Site of Cultural Interest for its importance to Buenos Aires' culinary heritage.

Where: Av. Almte. Brown 1220, La Boca.

Among Buenos Aires filming locations, La Tasca de Fosforito holds a special place. In this classic Monserrat tavern, Marcos (Ricardo Darín) and Juan (Gastón Pauls) meet in Nine Queens, Fabián Bielinsky's cult classic. The dining room still retains much of its original charm and required almost no alterations during filming.

The famous Table No. 7, at the back of the restaurant, has become a pilgrimage site for movie fans eager to sit where the protagonists plotted their schemes. The memorable scene involving the hundred-peso bill remains one of the most iconic moments in Argentine cinema.

Did you know? Beyond its cinematic fame, La Tasca remains a traditional Buenos Aires eatery serving homemade dishes, Spanish omelets, seafood, and fish.

Where: Hipólito Yrigoyen 1218, Monserrat.

The residential building at Arribeños 1600 has become inseparable from Eliseo, the protagonist of The Boss. Since the series premiered, starring Guillermo Francella, the building has served as the setting for the intrigues, secrets, and neighborly conflicts that drive the story.

Its façade, lobby, and common areas appear on screen almost exactly as they are in real life. Featuring modern architecture, distinctive V-shaped concrete columns, and spacious balconies, it has become one of the series' most recognizable landmarks.

Did you know? The building is still fully residential. The spaces featured in the show are real and were made available for filming by the residents.

Where: Arribeños 1600, between Virrey del Pino and José Hernández, Belgrano.

Long before becoming a must-visit location for fans of The Eternaut, the bandstand at Barrancas de Belgrano was already one of Buenos Aires' most charming public spaces. Surrounded by century-old trees, winding paths, and peaceful benches, it became the setting for one of the series' most important scenes.

The combination of the historic pavilion, lush greenery, and the show's tense atmosphere made it one of the series' most unforgettable images. After the premiere, the city paid tribute by recreating the final scene with actors, special effects, and giant beetle creatures, attracting hundreds of fans.

Did you know? The original bandstand was built in 1910 and still serves its original purpose as an open-air venue for concerts and community gatherings.

Where: 11 de Septiembre de 1888, Barrancas de Belgrano.

There are places in Buenos Aires where the city seems to disappear for a while. The gardens of the Isaac Fernández Blanco Museum of Hispanic American Art are one of those hidden gems: an oasis of orange trees, fountains, and Andalusian-inspired architecture in the heart of Retiro. The location was chosen for some of the most intimate scenes in Envious, starring Griselda Siciliani.

Here, Vicky shares coffee with her therapist Fernanda—played by Lorena Vega—for the first and only time outside the therapist's office, in a meeting that changes the course of their relationship. During spring and summer, the gardens also host concerts, theater performances, film screenings, and other outdoor cultural events.

Did you know? The gardens belong to the historic Palacio Noel, a beautiful 1920s Neo-Colonial mansion that still feels like a peaceful urban retreat.

Where: Suipacha 1422, Retiro.

In La Boca, among historic streets and colorful façades, Patagonia Sur stands out as one of Buenos Aires' most distinctive restaurants. Owned by renowned chef Francis Mallmann, it becomes the home of eccentric food critic Manuel Tamayo Prats, played by Luis Brandoni, in Nothing (Nada).

Housed in a restored 1920s Italian-style mansion overlooking the Riachuelo, the restaurant's checkerboard floors, velvet curtains, libraries, artwork, and eclectic décor create the perfect atmosphere for the series. Several memorable scenes—including those shared by Luis Brandoni and Robert De Niro—take place here.

Did you know? Very little of the restaurant's décor needed to be altered for filming. Most of the furniture, artwork, and decorative objects seen on screen were already part of the space.

Where: Rocha 801, La Boca.

Some Buenos Aires cafés seem as though they have a hidden camera permanently installed. El Progreso, one of Barracas' historic cafés, was selected as a filming location for Operation Finale, the film about the Mossad mission to capture Adolf Eichmann in Buenos Aires.

For the production, several parts of the city were transformed into the 1950s, and El Progreso provided the ideal atmosphere with its vintage tables, quiet conversations, and timeless neighborhood café aesthetic. In one memorable scene, the characters exchange information while the classic tango "Por una Cabeza" plays in the background.

Did you know? The film also used locations including Recoleta Cemetery, Palacio Paz, and the Popular University of La Boca to recreate different moments of the story.

Where: Bar El Progreso, Barracas.

With its platforms, trains, and grand architecture, Constitución Station was transformed into Madrid's Atocha Station in 1939 for There Be Dragons, directed by Roland Joffé (The Mission). During filming, the station traveled back to the Spanish Civil War, complete with Republican soldiers, flags, uniforms, and battle scenes.

Its architecture proved ideal for recreating another continent and another era, once again demonstrating Buenos Aires' extraordinary cinematic versatility. Starring Charlie Cox and Wes Bentley, the film combines drama, history, and religion through the story of Josemaría Escrivá, founder of Opus Dei.

Did you know? To recreate 1930s Spain, the production also filmed at the Basilica of Our Lady of Luján, San Telmo, and several other locations around Buenos Aires that doubled as European settings.

Where: Brasil 1128, Constitución.