Intoduction to Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is an unforgettable city that fuses together a plethora of opposites to create a meeting point for the old and new, austere and frivolous, classy and chintzy. What you are left with is a mosaic of styles which slot together to create a very unique rhythm, not to be found anywhere else in the world. Many people describe Buenos Aires as elegant, drawing on the distinct European influence which distances it from neighbouring capital cities like Santiago de Chile and Bolivia's La Paz. Whilst Buenos Aires does elegance with style, subtlety and panache, the ambience and intricacies intertwined within its streets also do a whole lot more...

Home to over 13 million 'Porteños' (people from the capital), Buenos Aires is jam packed with things to do and places to see day and night. Porteños have a reputation for being snobbish and arrogant, (and it is true that they have a lot to be proud of), but once you scratch beneath the surface you will find that they are friendly and welcoming people, who are only too willing to show you around their beautiful hometown. Follow the tips in our Buenos Aires travel guide, and you will experience the city in its true glory.

Firstly, it is important to get to grips with the way in which the city is divided up. There is a very sharp divide between the northern neighbourhoods and the southern ones, however, all have masses to offer and should be explored in their entirety. The central zone of the city is where you will find many interesting historical buildings and monuments, like the Casa Rosada, a beautiful pink governmental palace, and the rather harsh looking Catedral Metropolitana with its typically baroque interior. These buildings are located around the Plaza de Mayo, which is a charming place to relax amongst the palm trees and soak up a bit of porteñan daily life. The 68 metre high Obelisco gives Buenos Aires much of its identity and is situated right next to the world's widest avenue, 9 de julio. Art lovers will be in their element and should not miss a visit to Eduardo Costantini's gallery, which houses an extensive collection of famous Latin American art, including works by Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.

The northern sector of the city is decidedly plush and home to many well-to-do families, gorgeous landscaped parks, endless museums, ritzy boutiques and fancy bars and restaurants. It is worth checking out Palermo, Retiro, Belgravo and Recoleto. The last of which has a slightly unusual but very popular tourist attraction - the Cementario de Recoletos. This cementary contains the remains of the (stonkingly) rich and famous, including Evita.

Heading south of the centre you reach the 'working class' area, where the voguish boutiques of the north are replaced by tanguerías (tango bars) and markets. The southern neighbourhoods of San Telmo, Montserrat (BA's oldest quarter), and La Boca are colourful, vivacious places to visit.

So if you wanna join the Porteños and get to know this exceptional city, delve into our Buenos Aires travel guide and enjoy!