Cultural Activities
Study Abroad in Buenos Aires

As an additional activity, Study Abroad in Buenos Aires organizes a cultural module not to be missed, Buenos Aires and Rio de la Plata. This module is under the direction of Alejandra Sauze de Raggio, a renowned specialist in varied aspects of Argentine cultural life.

Alejandra Sauze de Raggio

As a professional tour guide, my goal is to be able to convey to the visitor Argentina’s culture, through my own personal experience deeply rooted in our traditions and idiosyncrasy. The fact of having lived abroad for 18 years led me to appreciate even more our cultural heritage and customs with increased respect and affection.The opportunity to share this experiences and personal approach with the visitor, who at the same time voices his or her own perception, is gratifying and enriching.

Buenos Aires and “los porteños” (how people from the city are called) are a kaleidoscope of cultures and traditions with a strong European influence but at the same time tinted with an undoubted South American light. City and people of contrasts and ambiguities: its gaiety and its melancholy, bohemians and bon vivants. Its political sequels and prejudices and its nostalgia for a gone by past, that seemed to be promising and rich, as well as its new Latin American awareness.

We find traces of all of the above everywhere, along with a new creative force manifested in museums and contemporary art galleries, its architecture and newly refurbished neighborhoods full of places for design stores and nouvelle cuisine restaurants.

The cost of the Buenos Aires and Rio de la Plata cultural module, which includes the first seven tours listed below, is US$200. Additional tours are billed separately. In all cases, students pay their own transportation to and from the tour, lunches, and museum entry fees.

Each of tours 1 through 7 lasts approximately four hours. They start with a brief introduction on Argentina’s history and an explanation throughout the visit on why and how each neighborhood originated. Through its architecture, green spaces, monuments, history and anecdotes the visitor will understand Buenos Aires of today.

1 - City Tour (part I)

Plaza de Mayo with an enormous symbolic value for the events that took place here. We will visit Buenos Aires’ main cathedral where San Martin, the hero of our independence, is buried. We will take a walk through Montserrat (the oldest neighborhood in the city) to the square block assigned to the Jesuit order called the “block of enlightment” where San Ignacio of Loyola church is located and also to the area assigned to the Franciscan order.
On our way to San Telmo we will ride on the oldest subway line in South America to the Tortoni Café Argentina’s oldest, most traditional, best preserved café on Avenida de Mayo.
On our way to San Telmo we will go by the National Congress building.
San Telmo: a neighborhood with a definite old flavor given by its cobble stone streets and plenty of antique stores, where the traditional flea market takes place each Sunday.
La Boca: a very attractive area where immigrants mainly from Italy settled. We could arrange a visit to Boca soccer stadium.

2 - City Tour (part II)

Recoleta We will visit Our Lady of Pilar church and the Recoleta Cementery, a major expression of funeral architecture. A walk along Avenida Alvear, the most elegant avenue of Buenos Aires. Retiro , the location of important historic events, today a busy residential and commercial area. A ride through 9 de Julio Avenue to the Opera House Teatro Colon and up to the intersection of Corrientes Avenue where The Obelisk stands to commemorate the 400 years of the city foundation. Puerto Madero the newest neighbourhood, named after Engineer Eduardo Madero.

3 - Palermo one of the largest neighbourhoods. The Palermo area is divided into Palermo Chico, Palermo Soho, Palermo Hollywood and 25 hectares of beautiful parks, the initiative of President Sarmiento in 1872. The city’s horse race track and Argentina’s main polo field.

4 - Museum of Fine Arts, one of the most important art museums in South America.

5 - Museum of Latin American Art (Malba) exhibits the works of the most influential Latin American artists of the 20th Century to our days.

6 - San Isidro, a residential historic suburb 22 miles from the city of Buenos Aires.

7 - Museo de Arte Hispanoamericano with an extensive collection of colonial silver.

Please note that the following tours are in addition to the Buenos Aires and Rio de la Plata module and the prices are to be announced.

Tango Show

Tango show with an introduction to the history of tango. A tango lesson will be offered and an opportunity to attend a “Milonga” where locals get together to dance.

Tigre

In Tigre we will be sailing through the islands of the Parana River Delta on a local commuter boat. While in continental Tigre, we will visit the fruit, vegetables and local arts & crafts market and visit the Tigre Art Museum, with a wonderful argentine collection, the museum building in a sumptuous two story French style from the argentine Belle Epoque days (1910).

San Antonio de Areco Gaucho Tradition

In order to experience the real argentine gaucho tradition, a day in San Antonio de Areco is the best option. Areco is a very unique place for its gaucho traditions and the pampas way of life, only 110 km from the city of Buenos Aires. Once in the center of this quaint historic town you will get to visit the house of one of the most famous silversmith and renowned rawhide leather braiders of the country. Also you will visit the “Gaucho Museum Ricardo Guiraldes”. At the museum you will be immersed in the gaucho’s life, which is still part of today’s life in the pampas. We will also visit a traditional estancia in the area.