As Buenos Aires is the capital of Argentina and home to a third of the country’s population, it’s hardly surprising then that it is the heart of country’s political, economic and social scene. Buenos Aires is the most European of all the South American cities and one of the most sophisticated. The streets are full of stunning architecture, fancy restaurants, smart cafes, trendy bars and designer boutiques, not to mention the countless theatres, cinemas and cultural centres. Dotted throughout the city are lovely shady plazas and beautifully designed parks. Portenos (people of the port) are extremely proud of their city. They live life in the fast lane (especially on the roads), tend to be very well-dressed and they love a celebration, whatever hour of the day it might start.

Buenos Aires is flanked to the north and the east by the Rio de la Plata and to the south and west by Pampas grasslands. These rich fertile plains were once dubbed “the breadbasket of the world” full of grazing Aberdeen Angus and carpeted in wheat. They are interspersed with sleepy gaucho towns such as San Antonio de Areco and Chascomus - where gaucho (cowboy) traditions are still very much followed - and fabulous old estancias where the farmhouse is usually hidden by a wind-break of willow and poplar trees.