Eva Peron City: Buenos Aires

There are many fascinating places in the world that everyone should see at least once but I usually shy away from cities. City life is not my idea of a relaxing holiday but I do make one exception there. The most intriguing city I have ever visited is Buenos Aires which is also known as Eva Peron City.

Everyone here seems so animated and does whatever they have to with passion and a certain amount of grace. The taxi drivers have little Argentinian flags in their cabs and small religious icons to keep them safe. They all talk football and ask questions about David Beckham and Manchester United football and I just say whatever comes into my head because neither holds much interest for me and I don't even know who plays for which team, let alone the workings of the off-side rule.

The first place to go here is the place where Eva Peron is buried, the Recoleta Cemetery. This important cometary includes the graves of all Buenos Aires' rich and famous, including president, famous scientists and wealthy landowners. The layout of the cometary was designed by French engineer Prospero Catalin and remodelled in 1881. It has a strange mix of architectural style. There is also a colony of feral cats living within the grounds. They gather in groups at dusk but can be seen at any time in ones and twos wandering around inside..

The Plaza de Mayo is the main square in Buenos Aires and it has, historically, been the site of several major events, including the May Revolution of 1810 from it gets its name. In 1974 Eva Peron was expelled from La Plaza by members of the Montaneros. In 1982 people stood in this square and hailed President Leopoldo Galtien for starting the Falklands War.

The Obelisk is a venue for various cultural activities is an important cultural icon in the city and the Teatro Colon, the Opera House also has a character that is specifically Argentinian.

Eva Peron Museum and the Presidential Palace shouldn't be missed but most important of all is La Boca, the Italian quarter for excellent food, wine and fantastic architecture. It still has an early European character to it. Caminito is not to be missed while you are here. It's a little street in La Boca which retains the architecture and flavour of early settlers from the Italian city of Genoa.

If you only visit one city that you wouldn't normally go to, make it this one. Eva Peron City has a very special flavour of its own and the experience is quite unforgettable.