Buenos Aires

Sometimes referred to as the “Paris of the South” due to its European architecture and flair, Buenos Aires was recently named as one of the “10 best gay destinations for 2008” by Canada.com.  The city is extremely “gay friendly” and openly advertises for gay tourist.   While there in January of 2008, I watched a local newscast covering the opening of a gay tango club, which stated that approximately 20% of tourists were gay and lesbian.

Buenos Aires is situated along the Rio Plata, which forms the boundary between Argentina and Uruguay.  It is the capital and cultural centre of Argentina.  The metropolitan area (Greater Buenos Aires – GBA) has a population of approximately 13 million people.  The City, which was founded in 1536, is divided into 48 barrios (neighborhoods) each with its own distinctive flavor, history, culture and architecture.  Most tourist sites are located in the barrios including and surrounding the city centre (La Boca, Montserrat, Palermo, Puerto Madero, Recoleta, Retiro, and San Telmo), however I encourage visitors to be adventurous and explore many of the other neighborhoods, especially Belgrano and Once (great shopping).  While I believe the city is best seen by walking though the tree lined streets, the city boast an efficient, easy to understand and inexpensive (approximately 30 cents (US)) mass transit system.