The ideal setting for a tourist tour, only five minutes away from downtown: good cuisine, five-star hotels, wildlife and plenty of historic reference.

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Although this is an old and traditional area -it used to be the Buenos Aires port- Puerto Madero is the city's youngest district.
Eduardo Madero (who lent the area his name) was responsible for the project port inaugurated in 1889. Ir did not operate as such for much longer than 20 years, but its brick docks and warehouses built by British constructors in British style between 1900 and 1905, have remained.

In 1930 the port began to decline and it was finally abandoned until the 90s saw the beginning of the renovation of the whole area. The effort resulted in an unusual combination of state-of-the-art architecture and 19 the century structures docks, warehouse and silos-artfully recovered to house a wide range of restaurants, private residences, office space, high-end hotel projects like the Hilton and the Faena Hotel & Universe… and even a University.

The streets bear the names pf women who played an important role at different times of Argentina's history. For example, Encarnación Ezcurra, wife of Governor Juan Manuel de Rosas; Alicia Moreau de Justo, medical doctor and politician; Olga Cossettini, a teachear and pedagogue from Santa Fe province and Azucena Villaflor, founding member of the Madres de Plaza de Mayo movement, a desaparecida herself.
In the East side new buildings are sprouting at amazing rate. It's been estimated that 14,000 porteños will have chosen to live there by 2007.

Puerto Madero finds its northern border in DARSENA NORTE (The Northern Dock, at the end of Córdoba Avenue). Right there, from March to October, the BUQUE ALMIRANTE IRIZAE proudly displays its steep profile and unmistakable orange hull to be admired and visited. Keep in mind though, that each spring this icebreaker vessel heads south for the Antarctic Campaign. Groups for 20 visitors are shown all around the ship from the bridge down to the engine room by the icebreaker's own crew, People of all ages find this tour extremely interesting.

Opposite this vessel, a disco which take after the Opera of Sydney is perched on a strip of land overlooking DIQUE 4 (DOCK 4), where the Yacht Club has an only for members floating club house. At Dique 3, the PUENTE DE LA MUJER (BRIDGE OF WOMEN) stretches gracefully over the water. Designed by Santiago Calatrava, a Valencian architect and engineer, this pedestrian bridge was inaugurated at the end of 2001.
The Steel structure in the shape of a reclining harp was built at a cost of six million dollars. A unique rotation system allows ships to sail from one dock to the next (the existing old bridges between the different docks also allow ships to sail throught). A safety mechanism bars pedestrian transit with winds of more than 70 km per hour. A wind speed that never frightened the FRAGATA SARMIENTO (SARMIENTO FRIGATE), dear to Argentine's hearts, permanently docked in the vicinity to the Women Bridge. Built in England in 1898, the Sarmiento used to be a training ship of the Argentine Navy. Until 1940 its delicate figure could be seen in all the seas of the world, but since 1955 it has stood in Puerto Madero, to the supreme delight of children who can visit it and learn what ships were like in olden times. The Sarmiento is perfectly preserved; although it would be worthwhile to renew the signage and guided tours would be welcomed, the frigate is worth visiting.

On the eastern side of the dock, in the area known as Puerto Madero Este, the EDIFICIO MOLINOS RIO DE LA PLATA, a huge set of silos dating back to 1902, bears witness to the bountifulness of an age in which Argentina was known as the "granary of the world".
The CORBETA URUGUAY (URUGUAY CORVETTE) awaits on the last dock: Dock 1. With 131 years of age, the Uruguay is one of the oldest Argentine ships still afloat. British by birth, this corvette was also a Navy´s training ship and as such it made 37 training trips.

Beyond the docks, tourist will find the old COSTANERA SUR (SOUTHERN COASTAL PROMENADE) awaiting them, still complete with paths and steps down to the river and the old windbreaker from the time in which the area was a municipal resort, before the Ecological Reserve started to come into being. At the corner of España Avenue and Dellepiane Street, the MUSEO DE CALCOS (MUSEUM OF REPLICAS) display reproductions of many of the most important sculptures in the world. With only three small halls, the plaster of Paris replicas of works like the Venus of Milo and the David, among others, are a bit crowded in this museum, creating a curious collection.

Across the Avenue, diagonally from the museum, proudly stands in its uniqueness the FUENTE DE LAS NEREIDAS (FOUNTAIN OF THE NEREIDS) , one of the most important art pieces in the city, the work of Tucumán born sculptress Lola Mora. In 1903 the plan was to place this fountain in Plaza de Mayo but one year later the monument was located at Paseo de Julio (currently Leandro N. Alem Avenue). Considered offensive to public morals on account of its nude figures, it was moved to its present site, when the municipal resort was inaugurated in 1918.

Almost opposite the fountain visitors will find the main entrance to the RESERVA ECOLOGICA (ECOLOGICAL RESERVE). This is a tract of wilderness of 350hectares with typical Delta vegetation and 250 bird species. The best way to appreciate this array of flora and fauna is to undertake a long tour either on foot or by bicycle. On the rivers shore, undisturbed by noise, you will be able to enjoy the view of boats getting in and out of port and an unusual panorama of the city.

The Ecological Reserve is not the only green space in the area. In the vicinity of Dock 2, surrounded by Calabria Avenue and Rosario Vera Peñaloza, Julieta Lantieri and Juana Manso Streets the PARQUE MICAELA BASTIDAS (MICAELA BASTIDAS PARK) spans7 hectares boasting an ultramodern design which is both original and pleasant, Micaela Bastidas was the name of Inca leader Tupac Amaru´s wife. A stroll by wide sidewalk of Tristán Achavával Rodriguez Avenue, the area´s coastal promenade, reveals vestige of the Municipal Resort which from 1918 up to the end of the ´40s, was an important venue for summer activities. At the intersection with Boulevard de los Italianos, a mast commemorates the visit of Prince Umberto of Savoy in 1924. The CERVECERIA MUNICH (MUNICH BEER SHOP) - currently the seat of the Centro de Museos de Buenos Aires-, built by Hungarian architect Andrés Kalnay in 1927, is the only remaining building that once was the norm at Costanera Sur.

Fuente: Revista LUGARES (The Best of Buenos Aires).

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