Like the other major capitals of South America, Argentina's is huge, populous, noisy and full of life. For Europeans who landed in Buenos Aires, both as a gateway to the gigantic country it administers and as an opening to the entire continent, this destination will appear familiar and may seem, at first, a little like its Uruguayan neighbour Montevideo, to lack exoticism. However, we will soon have nuanced this first impression by mixing with the Porteños (city dwellers of Buenos Aires), a passionate people with a fine soul whose great men of culture are no longer to be counted. The streets of the city vibrate with a fervour that only the New World infuses into its inhabitants, and on the terraces of cafés, in restaurants (porteña gastronomy is worth a trip on its own!) and in parks, we talk about literature, cinema, architecture, while at night, theatre and music take over. Because there's a lot of dancing in Buenos Aires, and not just tango! And what about football, raised, as in Brazil, to the rank of religion? Buenos Aires' tourist guide offers orientation trails, each barrio (district) having its own character, from the modern Microcentro to the colourful houses of the Caminito, from the cobbled streets of San Telmo where the slammed steps of tango resonate, to Palermo and its hotels, boutiques and chic bars, not to mention the wealthy Puerto Madero, its skyscrapers, its casino and its quiet docks. Put your seatbelt on and hang on tight, because Buenos Aires is happening at full speed!
