In search of an affordable alternative to Europe, I traveled to Buenos Aires to find the Paris of the South. What I found was a city that has become much more than the European capital it tried so hard to emulate.
It’s one of the most overused clichés in travel today. “Buenos Aires, the Paris of South America.” Like a good marketing slogan, Buenos Aires seems to be permanently linked to the city of light as a bargain basement alternative to Europe.
With the Euro at an all-time high I decided to redirect my attention south, far south. My wife and I had our hearts set on yet another European voyage, but neither could find time to travel earlier in the fall. As our schedules pushed our plans back further and further it became apparent even a trip to the southern part of the continent was going to require more umbrellas and jackets than sunglasses and shorts. Conversely, late spring in South America emerged as a much better option.
I had heard great things about Buenos Aires, and the comparison to Paris made it even more attractive. So, it was with this predisposition that my wife and I boarded a Delta flight for Ezeiza International Airport. However, when we arrived I couldn’t help thinking that the comparison just didn’t hold up. There are certainly similarities to the French capital, but I found the contrasts to be far more distinctive and interesting.
It’s one of the most overused clichés in travel today. “
