Welcome to Tangopolis

Buenos Aires and beyond

8 days - November 8-15, 2008

11 days - November 8-18, 2008

Astor Piazzolla's songwriting sidekick and tango poet par excellence Horacio Ferrer has called Buenos Aires 'el tangopolis'. The Argentinian capital lives and breathes tango, from the taxis radios, to the way people walk and talk, to the old streetlamps and cobbled streets of San Telmo and Monserrat.

Tango came to prominence in Buenos Aires at the beginning of the 20th century, when the beef exporting economy was booming and the creole middle-classes were finding their cultural identity. As French architects were flown in to give the expanding city its grand parks and chateaux, so the first orchestras were catching steamers to Paris to show off the new sound. To understand Buenos Aires and its uniquely Latino-European feel you have to understand tango.

On a tour of this tangopolis, with Songlines Travel Leader Chris Moss, you will see the diversity: a live orquesta típica at the Torquato Tasso, with virtuoso players performing classic and contemporary tango; at the neighbourhood milongas you will see young and old dancers take to the floor and compete for attention; walking through La Boca, Palermo Viejo and El Bajo you will trace the footsteps of tango's ghosts and legends.

Tango's origins were on the edge of the city, where country meets city. Out in San Antonio de Areco - the national capital of gaucho culture - you will hear the indigenous folk music that informed the early tangos. In November this small rural town celebrates the national Día de la Tradición, an excuse for horsemanship, guitar-strumming and feasting at huge al fresco barbecues.

Buenos Aires Itinerary - 8 days

Day 1

Our flight leaves London in the morning, routing via Madrid before heading out across the Atlantic.

Day 2

We land at Ezeiza Airport, Buenos Aires, in the early hours of the morning. Met by our Songlines Travel Leader we transfer to our hotel and catch up on some sleep. The morning is left free for you to either have a lie-in or to take a first stroll along the streets of the city. In the afternoon we have arranged an orientation tour to show you what is where in the capital. After dinner we start delving into the music of Buenos Aires.

Days 3 & 4

Two days in Buenos Aires gives us a chance to mix some sightseeing with an in-depth look at the music of the city. Sightseeing must include a visit to the cemeteries of the capital - the architectural gems which are the last resting places of some of the rich and famous are quite amazing. In the afternoons and evenings we'll catch some of the best tango events in the city.

Day 5

Today we leave the city behind and drive out across the plains - the pampas - that stretches for miles to a distant horizon. Our destination is San Antonio de Areco, regarded as a home of Argentinian folk music and home to all things connected to the gaucho life. It is only a short drive to San Antonio but we are now in a world very different to the bustle and sophistication of Buenos Aires. After checking into our accommodation we will visit the Gaucho Museum, to learn about this traditional way of life - and still a part of the country's musical heritage.

Day 6

A free day to explore San Antonio. We hope to coincide our visit with the Día del Tradicíon, a festival celebrating all things gaucho. Barbecues, horse-riding events and local music make a day not to be missed. (Please note that we are still awaiting the dates of the Dia del Tradicion so the precise itinerary may be subject to change).

Day 7

Today we drive across the pampas back to Buenos Aires, arriving in time to transfer to the airport for our overnight flight home.

Day 8

Our flight arrives back in the UK around midday.

Tour Costs

Inclusive cost - £1,795

Land-only arrangements - £1,095

For information and reservations, call Songlines Music Travel on 020 8505 2582

 

Buenos Aires Itinerary - 11 days

Days 1-6 as above

Day 7

Today we drive back across the pampas to the bustle of Buenos Aires. Checking in again at our city hotel, we head out for dinner then resume our visits to the tango clubs of the city.

Days 8 & 9

A weekend in BA. Saturday is left free for you to explore the city at your pace, but with a little tango activity during the day and the evening. On Sunday you might want to take an optional trip out to the Tigre Delta. Sunday is the day when families head for the waterways of the Delta to enjoy long lazy lunches at one of the many riverside restaurants. Join them and get a feel of life in and around the capital. At night, to bring the weekend to a close, we enjoy our last night in the clubs of Buenos Aires.

Day 10

A last day in the city; time to do a little last-minute shopping, before we head for the airport and our overnight flight to the UK.

Day 11

Our flight arrives back in the UK around midday.

Tour Costs

Inclusive cost - £1,995

Land-only arrangements - £1,295

For information and reservations, call Songlines Music Travel on 020 8505 2582

 

Optional 2 day/1 night trip to Iguassu

As an alternative to spending the entire weekend (days 8 & 9) in Buenos Aires it is possible to enjoy Saturday and Saturday night in BA before catching an early flight on Sunday (day 9), to Iguassu. The Iguassu Falls, in the far north of the country, along the border with Brazil, are one of the world's most spectacular natural sights. Arriving on Sunday morning you will have time to visit the falls, viewing them from the Argentinian side. The next day, if your departure flight time allows, an early start might allow you to see them from the Brazilian side as well. But your flight will leave in time to connect in Buenos Aires with the group flight back to the UK, departing on day 10.

This excursion is subject to availability of accommodation at Iguassu and flights to and from Iguassu. Prices available at the time of enquiry.

For information and reservations, call Songlines Music Travel on 020 8505 2582