Enter Dante’s Purgatory in Buenos Aires: Palacio Barolo Tour
Hands down, one of the best tours I did in all of Buenos Aires was at the Palacio Barolo. The creation of the Palacio Barolo building was inspired by Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy. The fantastic tour will explain all that went in to building this incredibly structure, that was once Argentina’s tallest building, and even has a lighthouse up top.
How Can I do the Palacio Barolo Tour?
Tour Types
Info for guided tours, click here.
Select “Visitas Guiadas Palacio Barolo,” and then select the tour you’re interested in. There are 3 types:
Thematic Tours: Only second Saturday of the month
Nocturna Tour (with glass of wine): M, W, Th, F, Sat
Diurna Tour: M, W, Th, F, Sat
Personalized tours are also available.
I personally recommend the Diurna Tour as it tells the story and symbolism of the Divine Comedy. Each tour has different prices. The tours are bilingual if necessary. Just let the guide know you speak English at the beginning of the tour so he/she’s aware and will translate for you. Below are the prices for the Diurna Tour, which is the most common.
Price
Non-residents: 5500 pesos
Retirees/student: 4000 pesos
Residents: 4000 pesos
Resident Retirees & Students: 3300 pesos
You must arrive 15 minutes before the tour begins.
Tour days/times of the Diurna Tour:
Mondays/Wednesdays/Thursdays/Fridays: 3pm, 4pm, 5pm and 6pm (no tours on Tuesdays)
Saturdays: 10am, 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm and 6pm
How to reserve Palacio Barolo tickets:
Go in person to pay in cash and reserve a spot. I suggest going a day earlier to ensure you get your desired time. If you’re in Buenos Aires during the high season, go several days in advance.
Reserve online. If you choose this option, it is slightly more complicated. You’ll fill in all the necessary information including your email. You will then receive an email with bank transfer information and an additional form to fill out. Make the bank transfer (or ask an Argentine friend to help you). Once you get the receipt from the bank transfer, email Palacio Barolo again to confirm the reservation. This is more complicated without the help of a local friend.
Telephone : 4381-1885 / 3221-1331
Whatsapp : +54 9 11 6915-2385
Email: info@palaciobarolotours.com.ar
What is in the Palacio Barolo Tour ticket?
The tour is about 90 minutes long. If you do a bilingual tour, expect that it will take even longer. The tour guide is fantastic- very qualified, highly knowledgeable, and speaks both English and Spanish fluently.
The tour will begin on the ground floor, near the ticket booth. The guide will give an intro to the building, the creators of the building, and the idea behind incorporating Dante’s Divine Comedy. The ground floor is considered to be ‘hell.’ You will then move to the 4th floor and have a chance to look over the ledge and down to the first floor. You’ll take the elevators up to a higher level to see what the office building looked like when it was first built.
The 14 floors in the middle of the building are considered purgatory. You will then go up to the 21st floor. You have now made it to heaven. From here you have absolutely incredible views of the city, and the Plaza Congreso. The final floor is the absolute top of the building, where you’ll sit in a small room with the original light that was once a lighthouse.
During the tour you will receive a ton of information that connects the architects and Dante Aleghieri’s Divine Comedy. They will tell you a ton of interesting stories, and facts about the numerology of the building. It’s absolutely fascinating.
Your tour includes free admission to the Barolo cafe (16th floor), which has a slightly different menu than the general public. You can return at any point on the day of your tour to go to the rooftop cafe. From here you have a wonderful view.
If you want to visit the rooftop cafe without doing a tour, this is also possible. However, you must choose from a set menu in order to enter, and you’ll need to pay in advance at the ticket booth on the ground floor. The set menu is around 5500 pesos.
If you like this tour, why not also check out the Zanjón Tunnels in San Telmo; another fantastic tour of Buenos Aires and its fascinating history.
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