Buenos Aires

With its colonial French and Italian styled architecture, manicured landscaping and wide boulevards, cobblestone streets lined with cafes and elegant mansions, Buenos Aires exudes European sophistication with a Latin flavor, more so than any other city in South America. This sprawling Argentine capital is modern, classical, traditional and bohemian all at once exhibiting the cosmopolitan essence of its people. Here in the home of the Tango, you will find a vibrant art scene and to a thriving cafe culture. Tango has its origins in brothels in the humble immigrant ghetto of Buenos Aires in the late 19th century, in the neighborhood that is today known as La Boca which also hosts the most famous soccer club of Argentina. Today this sultry music and dance is everywhere, from neighborhood dance clubs "milongas" to international ballrooms. Every neighborhood, known as "Barios" in Buenos Aires is unique and has its own different personality. What unifies them is their outgoing and friendly people whom you will see sitting for hours in one of the thousands of street cafes. The city gives you the feeling that it never sleeps. With its theaters, museums and opera houses, including the plush Teatro Colón, combined with its European-influenced neo-classical architecture and the sophisticated style of its residents, the city seems like a blend between Paris and Milan. Its main street is the 9th of July Avenue, which holds the record for the widest avenue in the world, with an imposing 16 lanes. Buenos Aires is also considered the best place for shopping in Latin America; you will be able to explore several high end shopping malls as well as some of the finest fashion boutiques worldwide, which are often located in a bohemian mansion making shopping a special experience. The main attractions and things to do in and around Buenos Aires include: La Boca District, with its colorful houses and Caminito, with its market and tango artists. San Telmo is the oldest but well-preserved neighborhood characterized by its colonial buildings, cobblestone streets, antique and boutique shops, bars, restaurants and cafes filled with artists and dancers. Palermo Soho for its many hip and cool cafes, bars and restaurants; and for its countless trendy boutique shops. The Recoleta Cemetery, located in the exclusive Recoleta neighborhood, is the final resting place of some of the most influential and important Argentineans, including Eva Peron. The many cafes and bars, which many residents treat as their second home. Among the oldest of these are the famous Cafe Tortoni and Café de Los Angelitos. Teatro Colon (Columbus Theatre) is the main opera house in Buenos Aires and acoustically considered to be amongst the five best concert venues in the world. Enjoy a tango show or even join in or take some lessons. Attend a football match, maybe even between their two largest clubs, Boca Juniors and Rio de la Plata (River Plate)!