Buenos Aires Cultural Encounter

Discover the real Buenos Aires through this in-depth exploration of the rich and vibrant culture of the city through its art galleries,  museums, tango, varied architecture and its street life.

Day 1: Arrive in Buenos Aires
Arrival in Buenos Aires, reception at the airport. We will hand out a guide which points out the most important museums of the city and the exhibitions taking place during your stay. Transfer to the hotel. 

In the afternoon, city tour The Fine Arts in Time, starting in La Recoleta, one of the most elegant and sophisticated districts. Here we will visit Nuestra Señora del Pilar church, Recoleta Cultural Center known for giving impulse to the fine arts in their most contemporary expressions, and the cemetery, well known world wide due to its rich architecture and because it is the place where the high society and political celebrities remains dwell. A brief visit to the National Museum of Fine Arts, which offers an important collection of paintings belonging both to Argentinean and European artists. The visit will continue to the Palais de Glace. This circular shaped place used to be an ice skating rink, and is currently the National Expositions Place, where different temporary exhibitions are held. We continue towards Palermo neighbourhood, characterized by its elegant mansions surrounded by green areas. We will drive through Parque 3 de febrero (February 3rd Park), the Biblioteca Nacional (National Library) and the Facultad de Derecho (Law School).

At night, tango dinner show at Esquina Carlos Gardel. This theme restaurant is located at the exact same place where another restaurant once existed: El Chanta Cuatro. That was the place where Carlos Gardel used to meet his friends. We will enjoy the sensual magnetism of tango represented by the best tango dancers, singers and musicians of Buenos Aires. Return to the hotel.

Day 2: Buenos Aires - Teatro Colon - La Boca - Plaza de Mayo
Breakfast. In the morning, city tour, starting at Teatro Colón (Colón Theatre), considered the best accoustic room for lyrics in the world. We will make a guided visit to the theatre (1h. 30) where you will be shown its most important rooms, among them, the main room, which can accomodate up to 3,000 people. It first opened in 1908, with the Guisseppe Verdi´s opera Aída. This theatre supplies itself with scenography, costumes and shoes, and it is the headquarter of both the Stable Ballet of Colón Theatre and of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Buenos Aires. The visit continues towards Avenida 9 De Julio (9th of July Avenue) until the intersection with Corrientes Avenue, where the Obelisc stands as the most important symbol of the city. The visit continues towards the picturesque district of La Boca, where the famous Caminito street is located, which constitutes one of the few outdoor museums in the world. There, numerous artists exhibit their works, which are usually related to the influence of European citizens (mainly Italians), that arrived at this port at the end of the XIX century and imbued it with its particular physiognomy. One of the most renown Argentinean artists is Benito Quinquela Martín, who lived in La Boca, and painted about this characteristic neighbourhood and its port. His atelier is nowadays a Museum named after him. Then we will continue with a walking tour of Montserrat and San Telmo, visiting the most important square of the country, Plaza de Mayo (May Square). Here, where the country was founded in 1580, the most important governmental buildings are located, including the Casa Rosada (Pink House), the Cabildo (City Hall), the Catedral Metropolitana (Metropolitan Cathedral) and San Telmo neighborhood, one of the oldest of the city. This neighborhood keeps a great part of its architectonic heritage untouched, such as the colonial houses and cobbled streets. Every Sunday there is a fair of antiques in Plaza Dorrego (Dorrego Square) which has numerous antique shops that open daily. We will visit the most distinguished ones. (On Sundays you will have free time to visit the fair). Afternoon at leisure.

Day 3: Buenos Aires- San Antonio de Areco
Breakfast. Enjoy a full day visit to Estancia El Ombú de Areco, a traditional ranch in the province of Buenos Aires. Departure from the hotel to San Antonio de Areco, 110 km (68 miles) away from the city. Arrival at San Antonio de Areco, one of the oldest and most representative towns of the Argentinean countryside. We will visit Osvaldo Gasparinis atelier and his historic house. Mr. Gasparini lived in San Antonio de Areco and painted about the life of gauchos in Argentina. Nowadays, his son Miguel Angel has followed in his father’s footsteps, and he receives visitors at this house.

We will also visit a silversmith workshop, and we will have the chance to appreciate how the craftsman works the pieces related to farm motifs. In El Ombú de Areco you will enjoy an exquisite traditional asado criollo (Argentine barbecue) having the rest of the afternoon at leisure, being able to spend it either at the swimming pool, enjoying a drive on sulky or a stroll around the place. Return to the hotel.

Day 4: Buenos Aire - Palermo Viejos
Breakfast. In the morning, we will embark on a Literary Tour, a fascinating itinerary where we will see the very interesting trail of Argentinean Literature. At this tour we will visit places related to the life and work of the greatest Argentinean writer, Jorge Luis Borges. We will go through Palermo Viejo, Florida Pedestrian Street, the beautiful Plaza San Martín (San Martín Square) and the Centro Cultural Borges (Borges Cultural Center), where many manuscripts as well as personal objects are on exhibition. Then we will do a Museums Tour: we will visit two museums that the passenger may choose out of the different possibilities the city offers and according to the museums opening hours. We suggest visiting the Museo de Arte Decorativo (Decorative Art Museum) and the Museo de Arte Hispanoamericano Isaac Fernandez Blanco (Isaac Fernandez Blanco Latinamerican Art Museum) which offers the most important colonial Southamerican silverware collection in Iberoamerica. Afternoon at leisure –as an optional alternative, we recommend a Wine Tasting, which is the perfect way to be introduced to the charms of the national wines and their spirit. Return to the hotel.

Day 5: Fly out from Buenos Aires
Breakfast. We will visit the Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (MALBA – Latinamerican Art Museum of Buenos Aires), the first one to be opened this century in the whole country. This modern building hosts permanently the Constantini Collection, 222 pieces of art which reflect the development of Latinamerican paintings and sculptures throughout the XX century. After the visit we will enjoy tea at the museum cafeteria. Transfer to Ezeiza International Airport to board the international flight