Buenos Aires is a sprawling city on the banks of the Río de la Plata. The city center is fairly compact and has wide avenues, lined with trees, numerous plazas and beautiful buildings. The city's large suburbs consist mainly of shantytowns and are home to some 10% of the country's population. In Buenos Aires the enormous gap between rich and poor becomes clearly visible. While classy people do business on their cell phones, beggars can hardly survive on the few coins they get from passersby.

The central point where all activity is focused is Plaza de Mayo in the center of town. The nearby Avenida 9 de Julio is the world's widest thoroughfare and the city's most fashionable shops can be found on Avenida Santa Fe. There are several interesting attractions in Buenos Aires. The Catedral Metropolitana contains the tomb of Argentina's hero of the country's struggle for independence, José de San Martín. If you are interested in museums, don't miss the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, which has an excellent art collection. The Museo del Cine reveals all secrets involved in cinema, while the Museo Histórico Nacional shows all major events of Argentina's history. Opera, ballet and classical music is performed in the Teatro Colón.

Another nice place you can visit when you are in Buenos Aires is the colorful Italian suburb of La Boca. There are numerous brightly painted wooden houses along the Riachuelo waterway. It is a good place to buy nice paintings from street artists. The Cementerio de la Recoleta includes some magnificently decorated graves.

There are countless hotels and restaurants in Buenos Aires, but they are all quite expensive. The cheaper ones are located in the district of Congreso and around Avenida de Mayo. The suburbs of La Boca and San Telmo are the best places to enjoy nice local dishes. Buenos Aires is on Argentina's eastern coast, in the Federal Capital district.