To the city's poet laureate, Jorge Luis Borges, Buenos Aires was as eternal as air and water. To many Argentines, their capital city is synonymous with the country itself - indeed, nearly 40% of the population lives in the city or its massive, sprawling suburbs. Buenos Aires is situated on the banks of the Río de la Plata.

A city transported from its European parents, its compact and regular centre is reminiscent of Paris, and its tree-lined avenues and frequent plazas have a beguiling, faded elegance.