BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA

During this half-day driving tour of elegant Buenos Aires, we will have a chance to see beautiful Palermo – a neighbourhood of parks, gardens, mansions and embassies.

During this half-day driving tour of elegant Buenos Aires, we will have a chance to see beautiful Palermo – a neighbourhood of parks, gardens, mansions and embassies. The charming old city quarter of San Telmo was a river port neighbourhood, where both the high and humble society once lived and was later repopulated by shiploads of European immigrants who moved into the abandoned mansions. These mansions were subdivided into one or two bedroom dwellings (‘conventillos’) which still exist in San Telmo today. We will drive through the bustling banking and business centre of town, and the Plaza de Mayo – with Casa Rosada (Government House), Cabildo (Town Hall) and the Cathedral. We continue to the stately Congress Building and the historic Recoleta Cemetery, where we will enter into the giant walled cemetery in which hundreds of ornate marble crypts contain the remains of the city’s wealthiest families. We will visit Evita Peron’s grave. Afterwards we will have a refreshment break in one of the cafes bordering Recoleta. As we enjoy our first look at this delightful capital city, our guide will provide us with interesting facts along with entertaining and informative stories. We will hear about the immigrants who came from Europe, and about Argentina’s intense and passionate political life, which has inspired much of the country’s theatre and song. There is only a little walking involved in this tour, therefore it is considered suitable for passengers with limited mobility – as long as they have someone who can assist them. There are a few steps at the Cathedral. Please note that we will be transferred from our ship by shuttle bus to the cruise terminal building, through which it is an approximate 100 metre (300 feet) walk. The order of the visits may vary from the above to cope with local traffic conditions.

DESCRIPTION CORRECT FOR 2008 SOUTH AMERICA CRUISE