World's Best 2001: Top Cities: Buenos Aires

If the famed Recoleta cemetery, with its Byzantine, Gothic, and Baroque mausoleums, isn't lively enough for you, catch a soccer match between rival home teams River Plate and Boca Juniors (buy a good seat to avoid excessive rowdiness).

You can't leave without seeing—and dancing—the tango at El Viejo Almacén or El Querandi, both in San Telmo. The Teatro Colón has world-class opera and ballet, plus a great backstage tour that's conducted twice daily in English.

This is beef country—try Cabaña Las Lilas, on the Puerto Madero waterfront. Treat yourself to fabulous dulce de leche every chance you get (it's great for breakfast); the best brand is La Salamandra.

A mix of European and Latin influences make this a fashionable city. Women are faultlessly elegant, and any man in sneakers is most likely a foreigner.

Silver put the Argent in Argentina, so naturally it's exceptional: Visit master smith Juan Carlos Pallarols in San Telmo. Even if you don't buy a buckle, the workshop tour is worth it.

Super-soft leather from the carpincho (a sort of tail-less beaver) is a local bargain. On the other hand, car rentals are pricey, and gas is $4 a gallon, so use taxis to get around.