Paris of the South- Latin Style

There are few places in the world where the night- life is nearly as enlivened and energetic as in Buenos Aires, Argentina. As most other cities are drifting off to sleep, the social scene here explodes with activity, mirroring that of many other Hispanic cultures. “Buenos Aires never sleeps; most people don’t begin their night until one or two in the morning,” says Sony Stark of GoNOMAD.com If you’re the type that sleeps til’ dusk and rises at dawn, this is your seventh heaven.

Yet, no worries, if Buenos Aires’s night life does not call to you, enjoy the good music, wine and food, dance a bit, and then head back to your hotel around 12 or 1am. Retiro is an ideal place to stay in. It is “lined with antiques, art and yerba mate cafes (loose green tea drank in a hollowed-out gourds) Retiro is the ideal barrio (neighborhood) to find a good night’s sleep. There are 87 barrios in Buenos Aires and those surrounding the city center are the most visited.

There is plenty to do in the city during the day as well. “Wander aimlessly to the pulsating rhythms of tango in the barrios (neighborhoods). Feast on a plate of succulent beef at a famous Asado (family-style barbeque). Browse for leather bargains in the friendly pedestrian mall on Calle Florida. The money saved here is enough to fly home first class. And don’t worry about your limited Spanish — sometimes a friendly gesture and a trusted map is all you need to make friends with a beautiful porteño (local). So, walk it, bus it, cab it, but be aware that the sophisticated old charm of Buenos Aires is only skin deep. This Latin city is still struggling from a high post-crisis unemployment rate so a gentle reminder not to take advantage of the exchange rate”.

Last but not least: Don’t forget to Tango!

Source: Sony Stark GoNOMAD.com