The Teatro Colón of Buenos Aires is regarded as one of the finest theatres in the world, renowned for its acoustics and the artistic value of its construction. Its current venue celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2008. Bounded by Cerrito Street, Viamonte Street, Tucumán Street and Libertad Street, in the heart of the city of Buenos Aires, it was inaugurated on May 25th 1908 with a performance of Giuseppe Verdi's Aida. It is one of the most important opera houses in the world. Its rich and prestigious history and its exceptional acoustics and architectural features rank it among theatres such as Teatro alla Scala in Milan, the Paris Opera House, the Vienna State Opera, the Royal Opera House in London, and the Metropolitan Opera House in New York. The Teatro Colón keeps secrets in each corner and to live the experience of a Guided Visit is to get to know part of its more than hundred years of history representing Argentine and international culture. A visit to the Main Room, the Main Foyer, the Galery of Busts and the Golden Room, allow visitors to absorb amazing details of its architecture, the stairs, its sculptures, ceilings and vitreaux.
Argentina has been forged from a mixture of cultures of different ethnic groups, mainly European immigrants, which led to what today is the country. European traditions are combined with Native American, which along its vast territory also have different manifestations. It is a country with incredible cultural and artistic activity, which has worldwide recognition in disciplines such as theater, painting, sculpture, music and literature. Buenos Aires, the capital, is the epicenter of all this life and daily you can choose from a wide range of cultural events, but the activity also occurred in the other cities. Tango is the emblem of the country and its capital and has become a real hallmark of the Argentine people. It originated and developed especially in Buenos Aires in the late nineteenth century, and in recent years has been re-floated not only as a tourist attraction, but because its popularity has grown throughout the country. Although his birthplace is disputed, Carlos Gardel, the greatest exponent of tango world, lived much of his life in Buenos Aires. A unique emotion is also to live and breathe football, seeing the local derby’s such as Boca Juniors and River Plate.
Visit the historical complex of Plaza de Mayo, surrounded by the Government House, the Cathedral and the historical Cabildo, a beautiful 18th century building. Walk through one of the first avenues the city ever had, the Avenida de Mayo, seeing plenty of architectural samples of the end of the 19th century.
The tour continues south, to the oldest quarters of the city. Arrival to the traditional neighbourhood of San Telmo, with its cobblestone streets and its renowned antique fair, and to the picturesque area of La Boca, a colourful world where local artists show their paintings along the historical Caminito Street.
To the north, the tour visits the lakes in Palermo and its residential area. Finally, in the sophisticated La Recoleta quarter, one of the most exclusive ones, with elegant cafés and restaurants, we visit Our Lady of Pilar Church, said to be the oldest in the city, and the unique Northern Cemetery, to see the grave with Eva Perón's mortal remains.
