Buenos Aires

An eclectic and charming boutique hostel near the center of the city is our home as we get to know the historic neighborhoods of Palermo, Recoleta, and San Telmo. There are cobblestoned streets, broad tree-lined avenues, and hidden plazas to discover as your On Assignment project brings you into contact with the heart of Argentine culture. Each day, we split into our On Assignment teams and head into the streets to experience the city. Use your Spanish to interview antiques vendors and artisans in the sprawling markets of San Telmo. Bicycle down to the river port, stopping to see the pink Italianate portico of the Casa Rosada, the Argentine version of the White House. With your camera, document the vividly clashing red, blue, and yellow tin walls of the Caminito in the Boca neighborhood. Take a lesson in the history and musical heritage of the tango—and then put on your dancing shoes and join a milonga, a traditional Argentine dance party. Stop to kick a soccer ball with kids practicing to be the next Diego Maradona, and explore the stone spires and arches of the of the renowned Recoleta cemetery.

In the evenings, share stories over a gourd of steeped mate, a traditional infusion, at a corner café before stepping out in the theater district to enjoy a world-class avant-garde performance.

We’ll explore the area surrounding Buenos Aires, too. Get to know rural life with an overnight trip to a traditional estancia (ranch) where, after a day of hiking and horseback riding, the sizzle of a hearty asado (Argentine barbecue) inspires tales of gauchos told under the stars. Photograph the river mansions, polished wooden water taxis, and rowing clubs of nearby Tigre, gateway to the Paraná Delta; and lean into the spray on a short ferry trip across the Rio de la Plata to Montevideo, the capital city of neighboring Uruguay. Over the course of the workshop, work closely with your National Geographic expert and trip leaders to shape your experiences and impressions into an articulate vision for your On Assignment project. We’ll share our findings on the final night in Buenos Aires.