Free Recoleta & Retiro Tour Buenos Aires

Jorge Luis Borges, a great writer from Buenos Aires, once said: “Argentinians are Italians who speak Spanish, think in French, and would like to be English.” A quote which perfectly reflects the well-earned reputation of Buenos Aires as being the most European city in the Americas. On the Free Tour of Retiro & Recoleta you will explore the most sophisticated area of the capital; a place so European in appearance and style, you will feel walking down the streets of a capital from the old continent. This is an elegant and easy walk along beautiful avenues where you will have fun learning about the contemporary history of Argentina. You will understand the importance of General San Martin in the great park dedicated to his memory, and you will understand why the impressive Tower of the English changed its name to Monumental Tower.

Discover how the wealthy 19th century bourgeoisie made a massive effort to “Europeanize” the city, materializing projects of great magnitude and worthy of Pharaohs; such as the Argentinean Pavilion of Paris’ 1898 World Exhibition which was dismantled piece-by-piece only to be put back together again on the other side of the Atlantic, or the Monumental Tower which is made only of British materials shipped across the ocean. Learn about the ever-so-complicated relationship between the UK and Argentina, which was so fertile at the end of the 19th century, when the Victorian empire financed the construction of the railway and commerce was plentiful between both countries, yet so difficult at the end of the 20th century due to the Falklands War.

Walk through Cordoba & Florida Avenue to see French shopping galleries built in imitation of the Bon Marche of Paris, but which copy the structure of the indoor streets of the Galleria Victor Emmanuel II of Milano. Admire the contrast between the late 19th century buildings and the impressive rationalist architecture from the mid-20th century, perfectly exemplified by the wonderful Kavanagh Building, an icon of Buenos Aires’ architecture. On the Free Tour of Retiro and Recoleta, amongst palaces and monuments that will make you doubt over which side of the Atlantic you are on, you will not only understand the Argentinean idiosyncrasy —so different to the rest of America— but also enjoy the most elegant and sophisticated Latin-American capital of all!