Buenos Aires travel guide

The romance of crumbly European architecture and cobbled streets makes Buenos Aires an alluring city, but it is the food that wins most hearts.

While pavements are peppered with potholes, no one seems to understand when a Subte (underground train) carriage is full and tourists regularly find themselves in possession of fake bank notes, the slabs of steak, scoops of dulce de leche and oodles of smooth red wine never fail to impress.

Daytimes in Buenos Aires can be filled with many pleasant activities – from basking in leafy parks to browsing art galleries – but it is at night that the city is in its element. Come 2100, parrillas (grill restaurants) fill up rapidly, with hungry tables enjoying a variety of animal parts charred to perfection.

New bars open weekly – the San Telmo and Palermo neighbourhoods are particular hotspots – and many milongas (tango halls) and dance clubs are still thriving at sunrise.