Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires

Puerto Madero

 

Puerto Madero is a modern neighborhood in Buenos Aires Argentina. The port that we see today was built in 1898 and was designed by a man named Modero. However the port was a failure due to navagation troubles and was abondonded after 30 years of use.

It was then turned into a warehouse storage space and later offices. Then the restaurants took over and it is now lined with one after another of some of the best Buenos Aires restaurants. There are also excellent hotels here including the Hilton and Fina.

Puerto Madero is a large area which hosts new high rise construction. There is alos a natrual reserve here that can be hiked in about 2 hours. This area of the city used to be the river. But during the widening of the streets in the late 1800’s, the city dumped debris here. Over time, natrual vegitation grew and the city designated this area an ecological reserve and park. This contributes to many misquitos and also can hurt the air quality of Buenos Aires. Where the city used to receive a fresh breeze from the river, now it stops in the area.

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Caminito Buenos Aires

 

Caminito

There is an area of Buenos Aires called Caminito. It is the world´s first free outdoor museum and was opened in 1959. Caminito is located in the neighborhood of La Boca, which is anything but a museum. La Boca is the oldest port in Buenos Aires and is rich in history and exotic tales. Not to mention the La Boca Juniors, a religion for football fans.

Caminito is painted many colors because the immigrants, mostly from Genoa Italy, worked on the shipyards here, and used the paint from the ships to paint their small dwellings, called conventillos. The Caminito we see today is a life size replica of what it used to be like at the beginning of the 1900’s when millions of European immigrants came to Buenos Aires seeking a better life.

The man that painted this area became a famous artist named Benito Quinquela Martin. He was raised in La Boca on the water front and from his childhood images, he painted the port. His works became world famous and he was asked to paint the outdoor museum itself. He also painted the inside of the school in this area and has his own museum next to it.

The name Caminito is taken from a famous Tango song that depicts a small country road in Argentina. Which alludes to the Tango history found within this interesting neighborhood in Buenos Aires. The immigrants would socialize in the brothels and it was there that Tango found its feet.

Today in Caminito, you will find lots of tourists. And also some Tango street performers as well as Tango musicians playing in outdoor cafes. There is also some great shopping for a variety of interesting Argentina products. The activity here begins about 10am in the morning and shuts up shop at 6pm. The weekends are the most crowded.

Just a few blocks away is the La Boca Junior stadium. This famous icon can be toured during the day.

If you would like more information about Caminito in Buenos Aires, or if you are interested in a tour of this area, and others, please do not hesitate to write to us and indicate your interest in viewing this special Argentina attraction.

Please write to us here for information about a tour of Caminito.