ELLE DECOR Goes to Buenos Aires

With polo heartthrobs, glam fashion, and tango halls, the Argentine capital is the coolest place in South America

Written by Raul Barreneche

Residents of Buenos Aires, Argentina's sprawling capital on the southern shore of the mighty Rio de la Plata, boast that their city is the Paris of South America. And there is a decidedly French slant to much of this port's countenance, from the regal neoclassicism of Palacio Errázuriz, now the Museo Nacional de Arte Decorativo, to the astounding Belle Epoque and Art Nouveau mausoleums that line Cementerio de la Recoleta, where first lady Eva Perón lies entombed. But that's where the resemblance ends. The surface sophistication that turn-of-the-century architects borrowed from the City of Light is jolted by a frenetic energy that reminds some visitors of midtown Manhattan and warmed by a layer of sultriness perfectly suited to a land where the tango is not only the national dance but also the name of the president's official plane. Taking advantage of it all is a flood of international visitors who land at Ezeiza airport and fan out to reap the benefits of a favorable exchange rate of about three pesos to the dollar.

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