Belle Époque Buenos Aires: Gardens & Mausoleums｜Argentina

Begin your tour at Plaza San Martín, right in front of the iconic Plaza Hotel and at the entrance to the traditional Florida Street. This square was once the garden of Buenos Aires’ wealthy families in the early 20th century. As we stroll past the surrounding palaces, we will uncover the social world of the city’s upper bourgeoisie during a time when Argentina ranked among the seven richest countries in the world.

Over the course of one kilometer, we will visit several mansions—today repurposed with new functions—that reveal how the other half of Buenos Aires lived. Along the way, discover how the city acquired an exact replica of the Winged Victory of Samothrace, now housed in the Louvre, and how a disciple of Rodin was commissioned to create some of the most iconic sculptures in Buenos Aires.

We will also explore where the aristocracy chose to be buried, contrasting their legacy with that of Argentina’s working-class leaders, most famously Evita.

The tour concludes in Recoleta, the neighborhood that remains the most emblematic symbol of Buenos Aires’ high society, right in front of the Museum of Decorative Arts.

The tour concludes in Recoleta, the neighborhood that remains the most emblematic symbol of Buenos Aires’ high society, right in front of the Museum of Decorative Arts. This museum was once the mansion of a wealthy family who, while traveling the world, acquired some of the most sumptuous decorative objects—among them the clock of Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI, treasures from Versailles before their tragic executions.