A cruise offering from Smithsonian Journeys and PONANT

Immerse yourself in a magnificent realm of ice on an unforgettable journey to Antarctica, and encounter astonishing wildlife—from thousands of penguins to breaching whales—on excursions with our naturalists.

Starting at: $13,660 * Price includes special offer Make a Reservation Ask Us A Question or Call 855-330-1542
 Evocative ice forms in Antarctica
Evocative ice forms in Antarctica
 Towering mountains of ice
Towering mountains of ice
 Ice mountains
Ice mountains
 Adélie penguins in Antarctica
Adélie penguins in Antarctica
 Exploring the ice cliffs by Zodiac
Exploring the ice cliffs by Zodiac
 Solitary penguin waiting to jump in the water. Credit: Cara Sucher
Solitary penguin waiting to jump in the water. Credit: Cara Sucher
 Penguin gazing at Le Boréal. Credit: Katryn Wiese
Penguin gazing at Le Boréal. Credit: Katryn Wiese
 Reflection of an iceberg, Antarctica. Credit: Brenda Morris
Reflection of an iceberg, Antarctica. Credit: Brenda Morris
 Looking out at Le Boréal from an iceberg. Credit: Katryn Wiese
Looking out at Le Boréal from an iceberg. Credit: Katryn Wiese
 Smithsonian travelers and expert Jim Zimbelman in Antarctica
Smithsonian travelers and expert Jim Zimbelman in Antarctica
 Chinstrap penguins
Chinstrap penguins
 Breaching humpback whale
Breaching humpback whale
 Leopard seal in Antarctica
Leopard seal in Antarctica
 Travelers going out to explore Antarctica.  Credit: Katryn Wiese
Travelers going out to explore Antarctica. Credit: Katryn Wiese
 Penguins on the ice
Penguins on the ice
 On the way back to Le Boréal. Credit: Katryn Wiese
On the way back to Le Boréal. Credit: Katryn Wiese
 Adelie penguins at home
Adelie penguins at home

Antarctica: The White Continent

Aboard the 264-guest L'Austral

12 days from $13,660

A cruise offering from Smithsonian Journeys and PONANT

Immerse yourself in a magnificent realm of ice on an unforgettable journey to Antarctica, and encounter astonishing wildlife—from thousands of penguins to breaching whales—on excursions with our naturalists.

or Call 855-330-1542

Accommodations

* Click on hotel name to visit hotel web-site.

Hotel Madero (or similar, 2025)

Buenos Aires, Argentina

This riverside hotel is based in the Puerto Madero district, a revamped docks area with upscale dining and a wildlife-rich conservation park. The historic neighborhood of San Telmo and Calle Florida shopping are less than two kilometers away. 

Activity Level

Expectations: Antarctica: The White Continent is truly an "expedition" program meant for healthy, able-bodied participants. When embarking and disembarking the ship itself, passengers need to be able to walk up/down the gangplank. Zodiacs are used for shore excursions and travelers need to be able to get in and out of the Zodiacs unassisted, which requires a large step over the side of the zodiac. This typically takes flexibility, agility, and balance. Also, passengers will need to be prepared to step from the Zodiac directly into ankle high water (passengers can rent boots on board for this), and step from the Zodiac onto icy surfaces. Navigating the surface of Antarctica, passengers will encounter uneven and slick surfaces during walking and nature tours of up to two miles, some excursions will have extensive standing for up to one and a half hours. Our guides will find a place to rest if necessary and if feasible. However, passengers can choose to stay aboard ship the entire time and take in the views from the ship itself (the ship does get close to land, so there are views from the ship). (There is an elevator aboard the ship.)

Appropriate for: Travelers who are physically fit, lead active lives, are comfortable participating in long days of activities, and expect some physical exertion. 

Pre-Cruise Extension

Buenos Aires Pre-Cruise Program - 3 Days, 2 Nights

Buenos Aires is a dynamic and cosmopolitan city with a rich cultural and architectural heritage, known worldwide for Tango and football, but also for cafés, book stores, and theaters. It is also the capital of a sprawling country of widely varying regions. This program is designed to introduce you both to the city and to life in the nearby countryside.

Day 1 – Buenos Aires, Argentina

Arrive in Buenos Aires, where you will be met and transferred to the Hilton Buenos Aires, your home for the next two nights. Early check-in will be available for those arriving in the morning. A local representative will be present at the hospitality desk in the afternoon to welcome you and to offer suggestions for dining and independent exploration. The day is at leisure, with lunch on your own.

Join your fellow travelers for a welcome cocktail reception this evening. Dinner is at your leisure.

Hilton Buenos Aires

Day 2 – Buenos Aires

After breakfast at the hotel, join an excursion designed to introduce you to the highlights of Buenos Aires. Begin at the historic Plaza de Mayo, surrounded by the Government House, the Metropolitan Cathedral, and the Cabildo, which served as Town Hall during the 18th-century Spanish Viceregency. Continue to San Telmo, one of the oldest quarters in the city and a treasure trove of antiques, and La Boca, where you stroll the "Caminito," a pedestrian street famous for its colorful houses constructed of corrugated iron. Next is the elegant Recoleta, an area of sophisticated cafés, restaurants, and art galleries, and home to the cemetery that is the final resting place of Eva Perón. Your tour comes to an end at your hotel. The balance of the day is at leisure, with an independent lunch and dinner.

Hilton Buenos Aires

Day 3 – Buenos Aires | San Antonio de Areco | Buenos Aires

Today's excursion takes you northwest of Buenos Aires to San Antonio de Areco, once described as "the prettiest town in the pampas," where gaucho traditions of craftsmanship and hospitality are lovingly preserved. You will have the opportunity to explore the village's 18th-century buildings, including a traditional "puplería"—a sort of combination grocery store and bar that was a favorite hangout for gauchos when they were in town. A drive to the outskirts of San Antonio brings you to Estancia El Ombú de Areco, dating to 1880 and still a working ranch, where you will enjoy a specially prepared asado—the traditional Argentinian barbecue. After lunch you can experience life on the estancia on horseback, enjoy a carriage ride, or simply walk around the grounds. Return to Buenos Aires in the late afternoon, and enjoy dinner at leisure.

Note: Your pre-cruise program ends when you return from San Antonio. You now join the main cruise program for an overnight in the hotel before an early morning departure to Ushuaia the following day.

Your hotel:

The Hilton Buenos Aires is located in the middle of the Puerto Madero district, a trendy waterfront neighborhood on the banks of the Rio de la Plata with upscale dining and a wildlife-rich conservation park. The historic barrio of San Telmo and the Calle Florida shopping area are nearby, and the hotel itself features a restaurant and bar, outdoor pool and spa, and all the amenities you would expect from a  deluxe property.

Your program includes:

  • 2 nights at the Hilton Buenos Aires (or similar)
  • Transfer and luggage handling from the airport to the hotel on the scheduled program arrival day
  • Welcome cocktail reception on Day 1
  • Breakfast on Days 2 and 3
  • Lunch on Day 3
  • Sightseeing and programming as noted in the itinerary
  • Local English-speaking guide
  • Gratuities for the drivers and local guides

Your program does not include:

  • Transfer from the airport to the hotel on any day other than the scheduled program arrival day
  • Personal expenses and other services and meals not mentioned as included in the program

Please note:

  • It is imperative that your flight arrival details are communicated at least 30 days prior to the beginning of your cruise in order to secure your transfer from the airport to the hotel.
  • Early check-in is available. An additional night is possible, upon request and depending on hotel availability. Please, contact reservations or your travel agent for further details.
  • The official currency is the Argentine peso. Credit cards are widely accepted in hotels, shops, and restaurants.
  • This pre-cruise program is offered as a package. There will be no refunds for unused accommodations, meals, or excursions.
  • Program is offered on a space available basis.
  • Program is subject to change without notice.

Tour Considerations

No sophisticated medical facilities are available in the Antarctic. The vessel carries a physician and a limited infirmary with basic medications and equipment, and its medical facilities are not equipped for serious illness or accidents. Evacuation is difficult, time-consuming and expensive. Consequently, you should consult with your physician before booking this trip. We recommend you purchase medical evacuation insurance.

Ship

L'Austral

The highly acclaimed L'Austral, launched by PONANT in 2011, represents the newest generation of five-star small ships, featuring state-of-the-art design, distinctive sophistication, and only 110 staterooms.


Spacious Ocean-View Suites and Staterooms, most with Private Balconies

Each large, deluxe suite and stateroom (200 to 484 square feet) features a private bathroom with shower and luxurious five-star hotel amenities. Most accommodations have two twin beds that convert to one queen bed, individual climate control, satellite flat screen television, wireless Internet access, safe, minibar, full-length closet, writing desk/dressing table, plush robes, and slippers.

Chic and Casual Dining

International and regional cuisine are served in the stylish, spacious Le Coromandel dining room in single, unassigned seating; alfresco in the casual indoor-outdoor Le Rodrigues Restaurant; or from 24-hour room service. Continental and buffet breakfast, buffet lunch, afternoon tea, and a four-course dinner are served daily. Complimentary alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are included.

Spacious Public Areas and World-Class Service and Facilities

Inviting and spacious public areas accommodate all passengers comfortably. Enjoy views from the Panoramic Lounge, nightly entertainment in the Main Lounge and lectures, cultural performances and film screenings in the state-of-the-art theater. There is a library, Internet salon, Sun Deck, swimming pool, beauty salon, spa, Turkish bath-style steam room, a full range of fitness equipment and two elevators. Complimentary Wi-Fi is provided throughout the duration of the cruise. The infirmary is staffed with a doctor and nurse. The highly trained and personable, English-speaking, international crew provides attentive service.

Respect for the Environment

The state-of-the-art propulsion system and custom-built stabilizers provide an exceptionally smooth, quiet and comfortable voyage by minimizing vibration and engine noise. The ship’s Clean Ship status offers an extreme rarity among ocean cruising vessels, showcasing the paramount importance of and commitment to energy efficiency and environmental protection of marine ecosystems. The ship has 10 Zodiacs.

 deck plan

L'Austral

The highly acclaimed L'Austral, launched by PONANT in 2011, represents the newest generation of five-star small ships, featuring state-of-the-art design, distinctive sophistication, and only 110 staterooms.


Spacious Ocean-View Suites and Staterooms, most with Private Balconies

Each large, deluxe suite and stateroom (200 to 484 square feet) features a private bathroom with shower and luxurious five-star hotel amenities. Most accommodations have two twin beds that convert to one queen bed, individual climate control, satellite flat screen television, wireless Internet access, safe, minibar, full-length closet, writing desk/dressing table, plush robes, and slippers.

Chic and Casual Dining

International and regional cuisine are served in the stylish, spacious Le Coromandel dining room in single, unassigned seating; alfresco in the casual indoor-outdoor Le Rodrigues Restaurant; or from 24-hour room service. Continental and buffet breakfast, buffet lunch, afternoon tea, and a four-course dinner are served daily. Complimentary alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are included.

Spacious Public Areas and World-Class Service and Facilities

Inviting and spacious public areas accommodate all passengers comfortably. Enjoy views from the Panoramic Lounge, nightly entertainment in the Main Lounge and lectures, cultural performances and film screenings in the state-of-the-art theater. There is a library, Internet salon, Sun Deck, swimming pool, beauty salon, spa, Turkish bath-style steam room, a full range of fitness equipment and two elevators. Complimentary Wi-Fi is provided throughout the duration of the cruise. The infirmary is staffed with a doctor and nurse. The highly trained and personable, English-speaking, international crew provides attentive service.

Respect for the Environment

The state-of-the-art propulsion system and custom-built stabilizers provide an exceptionally smooth, quiet and comfortable voyage by minimizing vibration and engine noise. The ship’s Clean Ship status offers an extreme rarity among ocean cruising vessels, showcasing the paramount importance of and commitment to energy efficiency and environmental protection of marine ecosystems. The ship has 10 Zodiacs.

 deck plan
Reading List

Highly Recommended

The Crystal Desert: Summers in Antarctica
By: David G. Campbell
THE CRYSTAL DESERT: SUMMERS IN ANTARCTICA is the story of life's tenacity on the coldest of Earth's continents. It tells of the explorers who discovered Antarctica, of the whalers and sealers who despoiled it, and of the scientists who are deciphering its mysteries. In beautiful, lucid prose, David G. Campbell chronicles the desperately short summers on the Antarctic Peninsula. He presents a fascinating portrait of the evolution of life in Antarctica and also of the evolution of the continent itself.
Antarctica: A Call to Action
By: Sebastian Copeland
Master photographer and Global Green leader, Sebastian Copeland, issues a global clarion call in his latest book Antarctica: A Call to Action, the sequel to his bestselling Antarctica: The Global Warning. Copeland’s awe-inspiring images of the frozen continent capture the beauty of the glaciers, biodiversity, and wild wide seas of the Drake. Along with exceptional new photographs, Antarctica: A Call To Action is a concise and visually compelling discussion about global warming with a hopeful and helpful new take: each of us can make a positive difference through small changes. With insightful commentary, the purity of undoctored photographs and "takeaways" provide readers with simple lifestyle changes to help preserve Antarctica’s fragile ecosystem. A highly accessible and hopeful book, Antarctica: A Call to Action will inspire everyone to save this magnificent continent for future generations. Simple changes to save Antarctica, and the planet: WASH COLD — Washing laundry in cold instead of warm water once a week saves 250 pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere per year. DRIVE LESS — Five miles less driving per week eliminates 900 pounds of carbon dioxide per year. SHOWERS — Taking showers instead of baths eliminates 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide per year.
Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage
By: Alfred Lansing
This harrowing tale of British explorer Ernest Shackleton's 1914 attempt to reach the South Pole, one of the greatest adventure stories of the modern age.In August 1914, polar explorer Ernest Shackleton boarded the Endurance and set sail for Antarctica, where he planned to cross the last uncharted continent on foot. In January 1915, after battling its way through a thousand miles of pack ice and only a day's sail short of its destination, the Endurance became locked in an island of ice. Thus began the legendary ordeal of Shackleton and his crew of twenty-seven men.For ten months the ice-moored Endurance drifted northwest before it was finally crushed between two ice floes. With no options left, Shackleton and a skeleton crew attempted a near-impossible journey over 850 miles of the South Atlantic's heaviest seas to the closest outpost of civilization. Their survival, and the survival of the men they left behind, depended on their small lifeboat successfully finding the island of South Georgia--a tiny dot of land in a vast and hostile ocean.In Endurance, the definitive account of Ernest Shackleton's fateful trip, Alfred Lansing brilliantly narrates the harrowing and miraculous voyage that has defined heroism for the modern age.
Antarctica: A Guide to the Wildlife (Bradt Travel Guide)
By: Soper, Tony

Also Recommended

Antarctic Explorer Map; (Ocean Explorer Maps)
By: Ocean Explorer Maps
This is an excellent foldout map of Antarctica. On one side there is a map of the Antarctic continent, around which succinct biographies of Antarctic explorers from William Spiers Bruce to Edward Wilson are shown. On the other side there are many fine colour photographs of seals, penguins and other Antarctic wildlife, together with an inset box summarising the Antarctic Treaty and other information on Antarctic waters, Cape Horn, Tierra del Fuego, the Beagle Channel, the Falkland Islands and South Georgia. It is aimed at visitors arriving by sea.
Lonely Planet Antarctica (Travel Guide)
By: Lonely Planet, Alexis Averbuck, Cathy Brown
Lonely Planet: The world's leading travel guide publisher Lonely Planet Antarctica is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Get up close and personal with the local penguin populations, cruise the picture-perfect Lemaire Channel, or pay a visit to Ernest Shackleton's eerily preserved hut, all with your trusted travel companion. Get to the heart of Antarctica and begin your journey now! Inside Lonely Planet Antarctica Travel Guide: Colour maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - history, landscapes, wildlife, environment Over 24 maps Covers the South Pole, the Antarctic Peninsula, Ross Ice Shelf, Lemaire Channel, Deception Island, Cuverville Island, Cape Royds, Cape Denison, Cape Evans, Port Lockroy, Paradise Harbor, and more About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company and the world's number one travel guidebook brand, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973. Over the past four decades, we've printed over 145 million guidebooks and phrasebooks for 120 languages, and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travellers. You'll also find our content online, and in mobile apps, video, 14 languages, 12 international magazines, armchair and lifestyle books, ebooks, and more, enabling you to explore every day. Lonely Planet enables the curious to experience the world fully and to truly get to the heart of the places they find themselves, near or far from home.TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice Awards 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 winner in Favorite Travel Guide category 'Lonely Planet guides are, quite simply, like no other.' - New York Times 'Lonely Planet. It's on everyone's bookshelves; it's in every traveller's hands. It's on mobile phones. It's on the Internet. It's everywhere, and it's telling entire generations of people how to travel the world.' - Fairfax Media (Australia)
Buenos Aires in 3 Days (Travel Guide 2023): Best Things to Enjoy in Buenos Aires, for First Time Visitors: 3-Day Plan,Best Value Hotels, Restaurants, Tango Shows,Things to Do and See with Online Maps.
By: Team, Guidora
The Crossing of Antarctica: Original Photographs from the Epic Journey That Fulfilled Shackleton's Dream
By: George Lowe, Huw Lewis-Jones
One hundred years after Shackleton attempted to cross the great white continent of Antarctica, this beautifully illustrated volume celebrates the men who succeeded where he had failed . . . and rewrote the history books The year 2014 is the centenary of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance expedition, which aimed to complete the first crossing of Antarctica. He did not succeed, and his great vision rapidly turned into a now-legendary struggle for survival. Shackleton’s lifelong dream―to cross the continent―was at last realized by Sir Vivian Fuchs and Sir Edmund Hillary in 1957-58. As a key member of this Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition, Everest veteran George Lowe was there to capture it all on film. In this remarkable book, a trove of unpublished photographs and other rare materials from the Lowe collection are brought together for the first time. Awe-inspiring landscapes, candid portraits, and action shots evoke the everyday moments of this historic expedition as never before.The Crossing of Antarctica provides a dynamic history of the Heroic Age expeditions and the emergence of adventure photography. A stellar array of polar experts also reflects on Antarctica and the meaning of true exploration, including Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Peter Fuchs, Jonathan Shackleton, Sebastian Copeland, Geoff Somers, Ken Blaiklock, Felicity Aston, and Paul Dalrymple. 154 illustrations, 60 in color
The Last Place on Earth: Scott and Amundsen's Race to the South Pole, Revised and Updated (Modern Library Exploration)
By: Roland Huntford
At the beginning of the twentieth century, the South Pole was the most coveted prize in the fiercely nationalistic modern age of exploration. In the brilliant dual biography, the award-winning writer Roland Huntford re-examines every detail of the great race to the South Pole between Britain's Robert Scott and Norway's Roald Amundsen. Scott, who dies along with four of his men only eleven miles from his next cache of supplies, became Britain's beloved failure, while Amundsen, who not only beat Scott to the Pole but returned alive, was largely forgotten. This account of their race is a gripping, highly readable history that captures the driving ambitions of the era and the complex, often deeply flawed men who were charged with carrying them out. THE LAST PLACE ON EARTH is the first of Huntford's masterly trilogy of polar biographies. It is also the only work on the subject in the English language based on the original Norwegian sources, to which Huntford returned to revise and update this edition.
Chasing Shackleton: Re-creating the World's Greatest Journey of Survival
By: Tim Jarvis
In this extraordinary adventure memoir and tie-in to the PBS documentary, Tim Jarvis, one of the world's leading explorers, describes his modern-day journey to retrace, for the first time ever—and in period clothing and gear—the legendary 1914 expedition of Sir Ernest Shackleton.In early 1914, British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton and his team sailed for Antarctica, attempting to be the first to reach the South Pole. Instead of glory, Shackleton and his crew found themselves in an epic struggle for survival: a three-year odyssey on the ice and oceans of the Antarctic that endures as one of the world’s most famous tales of adventure, endurance, and leadership ever recorded.In the winter of 2013, celebrated explorer Tim Jarvis, a veteran of multiple polar expeditions, set out to recreate Sir Ernest Shackleton’s treacherous voyage over sea and mountain, outfitted solely with authentic equipment—clothing, boots, food, and tools—from Shackleton’s time, a feat that has never been successfully accomplished.Shackleton's Epic is the remarkable record of Jarvis and his team’s epic journey. Beautifully designed and illustrated with dozens of photographs from the original voyage and its modern reenactment, it is a visual feast for readers and historians alike, and an essential new chapter in the story that has inspired adventurers across every continent for a century.
End of the Earth: Voyaging to Antarctica
By: Peter Matthiessen
End of the Earth brings to life the waters of the richest whale feeding grounds in the world, the wandering albatross with its 11-foot wingspan arching through the sky, and the habits of every variety of seal, walrus, petrel, and penguin in the area, all with boundless and contagious inquisitiveness. Magnificently written, the book evokes an appreciation and sympathy for a region as harsh as it is beautiful.“Luminous and haunting . . . the contemporary Thoreau.”—The Wall Street Journal   “[Matthiessen] doesn’t waste words, and in End of the Earth: Voyages to Antarctica, his homage to the austere splendor of that frozen continent, he hasn’t deployed a single one whose choice I would care to take issue with. . . . Matthiessen writes crusty, chiseled sentences that demand to be read slowly—the perfect prose equivalent of the landscapes he’s describing.”—The New York Times Book Review   “Matthiessen and polar landscapes seem perfectly suited. . . . I found myself constantly re-reading sentences or paragraphs to savour all of their rich resonances. . . . Few if any authors on the region have so successfully compressed . . . Antarctic life . . . and I suspect it will become standard reading.”—The Guardian
1912: The Year the World Discovered Antarctica
By: Chris Turney
Shares the stories behind the sensational newspaper headlines about the expeditions and discoveries in Antarctica a century ago, tracing the scientific achievements of five international teams who also made painful sacrifices to establish foundations for modern exploration.
Penguins of the World
By: Wayne Lynch
The internationally successful movie March of the Penguins showcases the life of these fascinating flightless birds that have become such prominent symbols of the fragile nature of our ecosystem. Faced with global warming, invasive tourism, pollution and loss of habitat, penguins -- if they are to survive -- need protection more than ever. Over the past 18 years, Wayne Lynch has traveled to Antarctica, the Galapagos Islands, Argentina, Chile, New Zealand and a dozen remote island clusters in the tempestuous Southern Ocean, studying and photographing all 17 species of penguins in their natural habitats. In Penguins of the World, he documents the extraordinary life cycles of these tough, resourceful and beautiful animals in the harshest environments imaginable. This second edition has been revised, redesigned and expanded, with detailed information and the latest facts and statistics on: Anatomy Egg and chick development Mating and feeding habits Predators Habitats Climate change Changes to food levels. Through his engaging text and on-location photographs, Wayne Lynch captures these birds in their wide variety of activities and behaviors. Penguins of the World will appeal to anyone interested in birds, nature and science.
Antarctica: The Waking Giant
By: Copeland, Sebastian
The Earth's Last Wilderness: A Quest to Save Antarctica
By: Robert Swan, Gil Reavill
Adventurer turned environmentalist Robert Swan illuminates the perils facing the planet come 2041—the year when the international treaty protecting Antarctica is up for review—and the many steps that can be taken to avoid environmental calamity.In 1985, when Robert Swan walked across Antarctica, the fragile polar environment was not high in his mind. But upon his return, the earth’s perilous state became personal: Robert’s ice-blue eyes were singed a pale gray, a result of being exposed to the sun’s rays passing unfiltered through the depleted ozone layer. At this moment, his commitment to preserving the environment was born, and in Antarctica 2041 Swan details his journey to awareness, and his firm belief that humans can reverse the harm done to the planet thus far, and secure its future for generations to come.Despite the dire warnings Swan raises in Antarctica 2041—exponentially high greenhouse-gas levels; rising seas; massive species extinction—he says there is much we can do to avert looming disaster. Ultimately an upbeat call to action, his book provides the information people need to understand the world’s crisis, and the tools they need to combat it, ultimately showing us all that saving Antarctica amounts to saving ourselves.From the Hardcover edition.
Buenos Aires: A Cultural History (Cultural Histories Series)
By: Jason Wilson
The most European of South American cities, Buenos Aires evokes exile and nostalgia. A nineteenth-century replica of Paris or Madrid set adrift in an alien continent, its identity is neither of the Old World nor the New. The Argentine capital's rootlessness has famously found expression in the melancholy of tango and, more recently, in a vogue for psychoanalysis even more widespread than New York's.Jason Wilson explores this contradictory and culturally rich city by tracing its development from remote ranching settlement to modern metropolis. Taking landmarks, both well-known and hidden, as starting points for a journey of discovery, he looks at the events, people and writing that have shaped modern Buenos Aires and its cultural life. The city of Borges and Cortazar: the European literary tradition, magical realism and fantasy, the construction of an Argentine voice, writers local and foreign. The city of tango: the music of longing and despair, a meeting-point of machismo and sensuality, lowlife culture of the port. The city of passions: the cult of Evita Peron, the life-and-death matter of soccer, the totalitarian political legacy.
History of the World Map by Map (DK History Map by Map)
By: DK

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