Buenos Aires, Argentina
Avenida Nueve de Julio, the widest avenue in the world, flows around the Obelisk, Buenos Aires' landmark. The portions of most interest to visitors surround the compact central area around this street, which runs from Plaza Constitución to Avenida del Libertador and the exclusive northern suburbs.
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The people of Buenos Aires who refer to themselves as porteños, or port people,
relish their ties to Europe, flaunt their creative energy, delight in culture,
fashion and food and share a traditional melancholy for things past.
This remembrance is slowly changing as the demographics of the city change. With many universities and an active commercial life, the median age of the population is getting younger. Buenos Aries sports an active nightlife, with tango bars and other forms of entertainment going late into the night. |
Photo from ArtToday |
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As noisy and congested as 9 de Julio gets, this is only part of the city.
The charm of Buenos Aires for many visitors lies in the neighborhoods known as barrios.
There are many tourists never sees unless they go out from the center into the
newer suburbs but the most famous ones surround the center of the city and have
their roots in the city's history.
The most famous barrios are the upscale Recoleta, San Telmo which displays the colonial flavor of past years and is steeped in the city's history, and Palermo with its open spaces, polo fields and access to the delta where many porteños enjoy as a weekend getaway. In addition, there are always quiet spots tucked away in the center, like this corner of the Plaza de Mayo. |
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Perhaps the most famous, and certainly the most colorful barrio is La Boca,
where Caminito pedestrian walk is ablaze with colors.
This working class area originally populated by Italian dock workers has bloomed into a colorful center of art, restaurants and the colorful metal houses which present a refreshing change from the rest of the city. The painter Benito Quinquela Martín was a leading influence in the use of color and his home, now the Museo de Bellas Artes de La Boca, displays his paintings of dock workers. |
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You'll find these, and many more photos of this country, in the Photo Gallery
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