Traveling into the center of the city will bring you to a large building colored somewhere between pink and brown. This is the famous Casa Rosada. This building is a must see for those that are even remotely interested in Argentine history. Today, the Casa Rosada serves as the Argentine government house. However, it is more famous for those that occupied it decades ago. The balcony on the front of the building was where the infamous Evita Peron gave her highly charismatic speeches while her husband, Juan Peron served as president of the country. The Casa Rosada and the same balcony were also used in the 1997 film "Evita," staring Madonna. The building itself isn't open to the public and sneaking in isn't recommended. However, 99.9 percent of the tourists go to see the outside which is absolutely free.
Those who may want to delve into the dark side of Argentine history will not have to travel far from the Casa Rosada. Almost directly in front of the building lies the Plaza de Mayo. The Plaza itself is nothing special. However, every Thursday a special event occurs. The mothers of the disappeared gather continuing there decades long protest against Argentina's dirty war. Even the hardest hearted person cannot helped but be moved by the dedication of these women, who gather every week in search on answers. They gather in the plaza, make speeches and then join hands and walk around the square. The mothers all wear white bonnets, with the name of their child and the date that they went missing sewn in. They also have stands with art work and memorabilia for sale, putting all the proceeds to their cause.
For those that want a cultural experience, travel to La Boca. This is a section of Buenos Aires that lies at the mouth of the Rio de La Plata. This area claims to be where the famous Tango dance was born. You'll have no problem finding live performances in the street. There are also plenty of bars and clubs that will have tango shoes. If your looking to purchase some art, they have a local artists fair. The work is incredible and you can pick up some gems for a very reasonable price. Finally, a must see in La Boca is La Calle Caminito. You won't have a problem finding it as all the houses are decorated in bright vibrant colors. La Boca is one of the most culturally rich areas of the city and is definitely worth a visit.
Understand that one of the criticisms of Buenos Aires is that it became too modern too quickly. Many of the old colonial sites have been torn down. In fact, nearly half of the movie, "Evita" had to be filmed in Budapest because it more closely resembled Buenos Aires in the 1930s than Buenos Aires itself. There are a few pockets of old Buenos Aires left and one of the most beautiful of these is San Telmo. Walking through the cobbled stone streets of this old barrio is like walking back in time. From the antique shops, tango bars and coffee houses, one could loose themselves in antiquity. On Sundays there is an enormous street market featuring everything from foods to rare antiques. San Telmo also has some of the best steak houses in the city to take your appetite.
Finally, a visit to La Recoleta Cemetery is highly recommended. This cemetery is immaculately kept. All of the tombs are above ground and many quite lavish. It is famous for being the final resting place for none other than Eva Peron. To find her, you need to ask for the Duarte family tomb. Eva is buried with her family, not with her husband Juan Peron. There is also a story that Eva intentionally choose her family's tomb to face a directly in front of a rival family. No one knows exactly why but the two families are now staring at each other for eternity.
