Day 5 | Wednesday, March 28 | Buenos Aires Our morning starts with a visit to the Colón Theatre, one of the world’s grandest opera houses. This turn-of-the-century Italian Renaissance-style building with elegant French and Greek influence, covers a full city block Our backstage tour focuses on the theatre’s behind-the-scenes life. We will be able to catch glimpses of rehearsals of upcoming shows, visiting the amazing set design construction and possibly even the numerous workshops located in an underground labyrinth, where they create, design and make the various elaborate costumes, wigs, shoes, props and scenery. Then we continue to the Ateneo Bookstore, the bookstore to end all bookstores. Originally built as an opulent theatre in 1919, the bookstore sells 700,000 books a year and was heralded as the second most beautiful bookstore in the world by the Guardian. Lastly, we head to the Fundación Costantini at the Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (MALBA). The Costantini Collection consists of a selection of more than five hundred works, including drawings, paintings, sculptures and objects by artists from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Uruguay and Venezuela. The collection allows one to appreciate both the similarities and the differences among the great Latin American artists, and to allow for a new understanding and deeper reading of Latin American art history. The museum is in a neighborhood with lots of restaurants, art galleries and shops to explore. Those that wish can stay in the neighborhood and return to the hotel on your own or you may transfer back to the hotel with the bus for lunch on your own and time to rest before the grand evening event. Tonight we are delighted to be presented with an evening of Argentinian Tango, with a full dinner show and performance. Ole! Carles Hotel Buenos Aires or similar (B/D)  

SAN ANTONIO DE ARECO Perhaps the prettiest place in all the pampas (lowland plains) this 18th century town preserved the history and culture of the Guacho (cowboy) lifestyle. Famous for silver and leather works, San Antonio is one of the only areas still working in the traditional ranching and cattle raising industry. 

Day 6 | Thursday, March 29 | San Antonio de Areco Today we head out of the city and into the countryside for a full day excursion to the town of San Antonio de Areco and lunch at an estancia (traditional ranch). We visit the Gaucho town of San Antonio de Areco, to learn about the long history and traditions of the Gaucho lifestyle. Our first stop is a visit to a famous silversmith workshop, whose work, even to this day, is long sought after by kings and collectors worldwide. Then we visit the Molina Campos Museum, an Argentinian painter and illustrator who documented and embellished the passion and hard work of the Guacho life. His influential relationship with Walt Disney, can be seen in the stylized drawings of the classic Disney movie, Bambi. We then continue to a private estancia, where we savor the delicious culinary traditions of a typical Argentine beef barbecue, supplemented with fine beers and wines, among the soothing landscapes of the rolling pampas. It is a truly wonderful way to see and enjoy the countryside, immersed in the nature, history, and tradition of the area. Afternoon activities will include a chance to go horseback riding, or take a spin in a sulky, a small two person horse racing chariot. This estancia is not tourist park, but a working estancia, where you might catch glimpses of the cattle returning to pasture or the employed gauchos mounting up for work. We return to Buenos Aires in the early evening for dinner on your own. Carles Hotel Buenos Aires or similar (B/L)