Things to do in  The Pampas

With its opulent architecture and fine acoustics, the Colon Theatre (Teatro Colón) ranks alongside Paris’ Opera Garnier and London’s Royal Opera House as one of the world’s most impressive theaters. It’s the premier venue for opera, ballet, and classical music in Buenos Aires, and stepping inside its hallowed auditorium means you’ll be walking in the footsteps of legends such as Igor Stravinsky, Maria Callas, Luciano Pavarotti, and Plácido Domingo.

Despite being just a half-hour drive from Buenos Aires, the provincial town of Tigre is a world apart. Sitting at the mouth of the Tigre Delta along the Río de la Plata, local life here centers around the water, whether paddling along willow-fringed canals or cruising around the islands and stilted houses. Popular with day-trippers and porteños (city-dwellers), laid-back Tigre is known for its handicrafts market, museums, and riverfront theme park.

It may seem odd that one of the top attractions in Buenos Aires is a cemetery, but this is no ordinary graveyard. Recoleta Cemetery (Cementerio de Recoleta) is one of the world’s most famous resting places, a labyrinthine city of the dead with row after row of grandiose mausoleums and monuments. Crowds always gather at Eva Peron (Evita)’s grave, but you will also find the tombs of former Argentine presidents, Nobel Prize winners, and other national figures.

Home to the Casa Rosada—where Eva Peron famously stood on the balcony—and the Metropolitan Cathedral, Pope Francis’ former church, Plaza de Mayo is the historic and political heart of Buenos Aires. Named for the May 1810 revolution, the square’s centerpiece is the Pirámide de Mayo, an obelisk commemorating Argentina’s independence.

Puerto Madero, once a lackluster cargo port, is now one of Buenos Aires’ most fashionable districts, teeming with upmarket restaurants and glitzy nightclubs. Marooned from the mainland by the Rio de la Plata estuary, the largely pedestrianized island is celebrated for housing some of the city’s most architecturally stunning buildings.

Palermo, Buenos Aires’ largest barrio, is one of the city’s most affluent and fashionable neighborhoods. Hemmed in by a green belt of parks and lakes, Palermo is where porteños (locals) come to eat, shop, and stroll. By day, cycle through the Palermo Woods and visit the MALBA Art Museum and the Evita Museum; by night, take your pick of cocktail bars, restaurants, and small nightclubs.

Tango Porteno, housed within a former movie theater, stages one of the best tango shows in Buenos Aires. The art deco theater is the perfect place for a trip back to the 1940s, considered the golden age of tango in Argentina. The show mixes clips of old tango footage with a live orchestra, sensual dancers, and elaborate costumes and settings.

Few places in Buenos Aires are photographed as frequently as Caminito Street. The main artery of the waterfront La Boca neighborhood is a jumble of old buildings, brightly painted facades, and street-side market stalls, with hawkers, buskers, and tango dancers adding to the atmosphere.

Alberto J. Armando Stadium, better known by its nickname La Bombonera or “the chocolate box,” is hallowed ground for football (soccer) fans. Even if you’re not a fan, the legendary stadium is an important part of Argentine culture, home to the beloved Boca Juniors soccer club, which has scooped up countless national and international trophies and created soccer megastars, including Diego Maradona.

Few places in Buenos Aires are photographed as frequently as Caminito Street. The main artery of the waterfront La Boca neighborhood is a jumble of old buildings, brightly painted facades, and street-side market stalls, with hawkers, buskers, and tango dancers adding to the atmosphere.

The central barrio of San Telmo is one of Buenos Aires’ tango haunts. Formerly an upmarket residential area, the area’s “old mansions and faded glory” vibe set the perfect scene for the artists and musicians who now call this enclave home. The streets here are picturesquely cobbled, and the fascinating little shops are well worth a browse.

The striking salmon-pink façade of Argentina’s presidential palace—the Casa Rosada (Pink House)—is one of the capital’s most iconic sights, presiding over the historic Plaza de Mayo square. Home of the Argentine President and government offices since 1862, it’s been the backdrop for some of Argentina’s most important political events.

Nowhere captures the sultry and sexy beauty of Argentinian tango quite like La Ventana, one of Argentina’s most famous tango halls. In La Ventana’s intimate setting, guests can enjoy an evening of Argentine tango and live music, with more than 30 performers on stage.

The dramatic centerpiece of the Plaza de las Naciones Unidas—the park that bridges the Palermo and Recoleta neighborhoods—is the Floralis Generica. This gigantic, 18-ton metallic flower sculpture has become one of Buenos Aires’ most instantly reboldcognizable landmarks.

An elegant residential district just north of downtown, Recoleta is Buenos Aires at its most polished—think luxury apartments, upscale boutiques, and perfectly manicured parks. The grand centerpiece is Recoleta Cemetery, a mini city of marble mausoleums and ornate crypts, where Eva “Evita” Perón was laid to rest.