This fabulous city is commonly called the Paris of South America. Make it your base for gap year travel and student adventure tours. Buenos Aires actually means “fair winds” in Spanish. It is located on the coast of Argentina and is also the capital and one of the largest cities in Latin America. This cultural mecca has a lot of history and serves as a departure point for the rest of the country, like the Iguazu waterfalls and rainforest, and Mendoza wine and rockclimbing region. A great spring break idea, Buenos Aires is rich with nightlife, restaurants, pubs, and clubs. If Latin music and culture is your thing then Buenos Aires is a can’t-miss! International airlines fly direct to the ultramodern Buenos Aires airport, and with a little looking you might land cheap student tickets. Once you are here it’s not hard to find reduced hotel prices in Buenos Aires, though it’s good to book at least the first night before you arrive.
Buenos Aires is incredibly diverse in attractions. If you want calm amidst the city hit up the Palermo to find open walking spaces, an immense flower garden with free entry, and a huge lake where you can rent paddle boats. A great place to find Argentina street life is El Puerto de Buenos Aires. Make sure to go during the day, however, because it can be dangerous at night. La Boca features arts and crafts, tango dancers, and a football stadium. If trendy boutique stores are more your style then check out the Palermo Viejo District. There are bookstores and bars and is perfectly okay to go out at night. Take the “Plaza Italia” stop on the Metro for access to the Palermo Viejo district. Buenos Aires is also known as the world’s soccer capital and features two teams, the Boca Juniors and River Plate. Games are exciting for sports fans and non-sports fans alike. Is dancing more your thing? Schedule some group tango lessons at the Centro Bourges Culturel. Tango is romantic and fun to do with a significant other; plus it’s great exercise. White tigers and pygmy hippos enjoy the run of the zoo at Parque Temeken: definitely worth a trip in Buenos Aires.