Although appearing as one big swath on the official map, Palermo can be subdivided into several contrasting and acutely individual parts, the most clearly delimited of which may be considered further
de facto neighborhoods of Buenos Aires.
Palermo Chico y Barrio Parque The most upmarket part of Palermo, "Palermo Chico" ("Small" or "Exclusive" Palermo), is on Palermo's north-eastern edge, across Figueroa Alcorta Avenue and between San Martín de Tours and Tagle streets. Neighboring "Barrio Parque" is strictly a residential area, laid out in winding streets by
Carlos Thays; many of the wealthy and famous own homes in this section, which also includes numerous embassies and the
San Martín National Institute. It was once an area full of splendid mansions set in broad private parks; many have been demolished by developers. The quarter nevertheless remains one of the wealthiest in the city, home to luxury condominium and apartment developments, the largest of which is currently the
Le Parc Figueroa Alcorta towers.
MALBA, the Museum of Latin American Art in Buenos Aires, is located next door between Barrio Parque and the
Paseo Alcorta shopping center.
Palermo Norte, Alto Palermo y Villa Freud Alto Palermo is downtown Palermo, the main shopping area and transport hub around
Santa Fe Avenue. Centered on Las Heras Park and the
Alto Palermo Shopping Mall, this section is the easternmost edge of Palermo and borders the
Recoleta section known as
Barrio Norte. Palermo Norte is located along
Libertador Avenue to the northwest of Palermo Chico, and the site of landmarks such as the
Argentine Automobile Club and the
National Museum of Decorative Arts. Villa Freud, based around Plaza Güemes, is a residential area known for its high concentration of psychoanalysts and psychiatrists, hence its name.
Palermo Nuevo y Palermo Zoológico of the
Palermo Woods This area borders Palermo Norte further northwest along Libertador Avenue centered on the Monument to the Four Regions of Argentina; raised by the Spanish community in 1910, this landmark is commonly referred to as the "Spanish Monument". The
Buenos Aires Zoo, the
Buenos Aires Botanical Gardens,
La Rural expo grounds, the U.S. Embassy and
Ambassador's Residence, the
Buenos Aires Japanese Gardens, and
Parque Tres de Febrero (commonly known as
Bosques de Palermo, or "Palermo Woods") are located in this area. Inspired by the "
Bois de Boulogne" in Paris and the
Prater (or Vienna Meadow) in Vienna, the Palermo Woods are the largest green area in the city of Buenos Aires and itself includes landmarks such as the Rose Garden, the
Eduardo Sívori Museum, and the
Galileo Galilei planetarium.
Las Cañitas y La Imprenta Las Cañitas, further northwest along Libertador, was a tenement district early in the twentieth century; but it has since become an upmarket area of high-rises, restaurants and bars, particularly in the vicinity of the
Palermo Racetrack and the
Campo Argentino de Polo. The
King Fahd Islamic Cultural Center was built in 2000 just east of the Polo fields. The
Regiment of Mounted Grenadiers headquarters and other military installations, such as the
Central Military Hospital and the Military Geographic Institute, are located to the south. La Imprenta, west of Las Cañitas, borders the
Belgrano ward. One of its best-known landmarks is the Parish of San Benito Abad and the neighboring
Solar de la Abadía shopping gallery.
Palermo Viejo , a focal point in Palermo Viejo. Palermo Viejo (Old Palermo) is, as its name implies, the oldest part. It runs from Santa Fe Avenue south to
Córdoba Avenue, and from Avenida Dorrego east to
Coronel Díaz Street. The neighborhood is centered on Plaza Palermo Viejo, and reflects an older
Spanish Colonial Revival style in architecture, often "recycled" with modern elements. The new headquarters of the
National Research Council, opened in 2011 in the refurbished former GIOL winery, is a notable recent example of this trend. Such well-known figures as
Jorge Luis Borges and
Che Guevara once lived in this
ward and indeed Borges first wrote poetry in the then quiet barrio. Borges's poem "The Mythical Founding of Buenos Aires" names a typical square (bordered by Guatemala, Serrano,
Paraguay, and Gurruchaga streets) adjacent to his childhood home, a popular tourist landmark. It was historically a residential area, popular with
immigrant communities from
Poland,
Armenia,
Ukraine, and
Lebanese; as well as old Spanish and Italian families, whose traditions are reflected in local restaurants, churches, schools and cultural centres.
Palermo Soho Palermo Soho is a small area of Palermo Viejo around Plaza Serrano (officially Plazoleta Cortázar) near Palermo's south-western edge. It is a newly fashionable area for fashion, design, restaurants, bars, and street culture. The atmosphere in many cafés and restaurants strives to be "alternative", which makes this area of the city especially popular with young, upper-middle-class Argentines as well as foreign tourists looking for a "hipster" neighborhood. The traditional low houses have been adapted into boutiques and bars, creating a
bohemian feel. The square has a crafts fair.
Palermo Hollywood In the mid-nineties a number of TV and radio producers installed themselves in the area between Córdoba, Santa Fe, Dorrego, and
Juan B. Justo Avenues in Palermo Viejo. For that reason, this part of the neighborhood began to be called "Palermo Hollywood". It is best known for the concentration of restaurants, sports clubs (such as
Club Atlético Palermo), cafés, and an active nightlife.
Pacífico This area is centered on Santa Fe Avenue, a few blocks both north and south from Pacífico bridge, so-called because of the Mitre railway line—previously called the "Buenos Aires to Pacific Railway"—bridge which spans the avenue and is an urban landmark and reference point. Pacifico is a mid-market commercial area and an important transport hub, for the train, metro and many bus lines connect here. ==Public transportation==