La Boca Neighborhood, Buenos Aires city, Argentina

La Boca is the most famous and colorful neighborhood of the city and probably the only place where is used to paint the houses, telephone posts and trees the color of football teams.

This tradition origin due to the historic neighborhood was populated by poor people who didn’t have money to buy paint for painting their houses; they used the spare paint of port’s ships. That’s why the houses were painted with different colors.

La Boca had the first port of the city, is located to the southeast of the city, nearness to La Plata River, cradle of immigrants especially Italians, also called “the small Italy”.

It is characterized by having irregular streets, some of them cobbled, high side walks and houses with multicolor roofs called metal sheets tenements which aren’t inhabited.

La Boca is also a neighborhood of artists, beside is the most visited one by tourists of all world. It is common to see tango dancers on the streets, artists and handicrafts.

The best day to visit the neighborhood is on Sunday, because there are attractive activities for tourists.

WHAT TO VISIT

Museo Caminito STREET

It is a pedestrian street is 100 meters long. In 1959, Caminito turn into a museum on the open air without doors. Its streets show the old metal sheets tenements and houses without doors, painted with brilliant and garish colors.

It was named “Caminito” by the popular tango of 1926 of Peñaloza and Filiberto.

Nowadays, there are artists that play and dance tango and handicrafts that sell souvenirs related with the neighborhood and the tango.

Vuelta de Rocha
Pedro de Mendoza Avenue and Del Valle Iberlucea

They were properties of Don Antonio de Rocha; nowadays it is a ship–shaped small square, place where the Genoese’s immigrants met for remembering their native country, that’s why it acquired the name “street of sights”.

From there, it is possible to appreciate a dock view of Riachuelo, La Boca and Avellaneda Bridge.

Fine arts Museum of la Boca
Pedro de Mendoza Avenue 1835

There, it is located the workshop of Quinquela Martín where lived his last years and his preferred work, “Crepúsculo”.

National works of XX century are exhibited and has a room where are exhibited ships´ scale models.


Teather of la Ribera – Paseo de la Ribera
Pedro de Mendoza Avenue 1821

It is a theater located in La Boca, was inaugurated in October 27 1971, there are big paintings of Quinquela Martín. It can hold up 475 seats in the high and 168 in lower stalls. Beside, it is located La Riviera shopping center.

OLD AND NEW BRIDGE Nicolás Avellaneda
Pedro de Mendoza and Almirante Brown

It was inaugurated in 1914, declared National Historical Monument. It is a ferry built in iron structure. It was the symbol of the old neighborhood and has been the inspiration source of several works of Quinquela Martín. It was used by pedestrians, cars and tramcars.

From the Old Bridge’s base, it is possible to rent boats that cross the Riachuelo.

You can have an interesting panoramic view to La Boca, from the modern bridge accessing by an escalator.

Boca Juniors athletic club
Brandsen 805

“La Bombonera” was remodeled in 1996. It is the head office of the most popular team of Argentina. It can hold up to 60.000 spectators and was inaugurated in 1940.


Mural
Almirante Brown 36

On the facade of an old metal sheet tenement, there is a typical scene of La Boca neighborhood that includes objects and draws, sculpture and paintings with its balconies, facades and its bizarre celebrities as Aníbal Troilo large accordion player, Diego Maradona and Benito Quinquela, painter of La Boca. The mural is work of Catalinas South Theater.
 

Yellow House
Almirante Brown 401

It is a replica of the Admiral Guillermo Brown’s house. Nowadays, inside it is located the Historical Naval Studies Department and Browniano Institute. It is located on Almirante Brown Institute.

Nuestra Señora de los Inmigrantes Church
Necochea 312

It is a Work of the architect Luis Lanari, pay homage to immigrants that arrived to Argentina, especially who settled in La Boca.

In the church, there are several objects as a low relief of Roberto Capurro; and glasses of famous artists.

Ghost’s Tower
Almirante Brown Avenue and W. Villafañe

It is an Art Noveau building, work of Guillermo Álvarez architect, located in La Boca neighborhood. La Boca’s legend tells us that the last floor is habited by a painter’s ghost who committed suicide in that place.

Banchero Pizzería
Almirante Brown 1200

It was inaugurated in March 28, 1932 by Agustín Banchero, genoan immigrant. The traditional pizzeria of Buenos Aires is the creator of La fugazza with cheese. Now, it has several branches in the city.

San Juan Evangelista Church
Olavaria Street 486

It is a work of Pablo Vesania architect, was inaugurated in 1872. It is a traditional parish church of La Boca. In 1877, the Salesian congregation was in charge of the church. The first chapel, the former one was built in 1859.

Volunteer Firemen’s Barracks
Brandsen Street 567

The institution was founded in July 2, 1884 by Don Tomás Liberti’s initiative.

The firemen had a fundamental intervention during the epidemics of yellow fever and the constant flood as result of Riachuelo´s overflowing, besides frequently fires because of the houses material. It is the oldest one in its category in Latino America.

Volunteer Firemen’s Small Square
Lamadrid and Garibaldi

The square is located on what it was a vacant lot on one of the ends of El Caminito (in front of Riachuelo). It has an amphitheater where there are street artist presentations. There, the Tourist Information Center of La Boca and The Train Station El Caminito are located.

Beeswax Museum
Del Valle Iberlucea 1261

It was inaugurated in 1980, is the unique beeswax museum of Argentina, exhibits works of Domingo Tellechea in their life-size and adapted for different screens.

La PerlaBar
Magallanes and Del Valle Iberlucea

It is one of the most traditional bars, located in an art galleries zone, has 115 years, antique dealers and exposition rooms, is an alive museum where the bohemian artist exhibit their paintings.

Proa Foundation
Pedro de Mendoza Avenue 1929

It is a non-profit-making organism that promotes the cultural projects of contemporary art. It functions since 1996. It has international exhibitions and has seasons and conferences about current art.

In the first floor, there is a terrace where you can have a panoramic view of El Riachuelo; in the second floor there is a reading place.

Pedro de Mendoza Primary School and Museum
Quinquela Martín
Pedro de Mendoza Avenue 1835

It was inaugurated in 1933, on the donated ground by Benti Quinquela painter, the building has a primary school, a Argentinean art museum and the theater, also its own house and workshop. The painter decorated the rooms with mural paintings.

Cantinas
Necochea Street, betwen Suárez and Brandsen

In La Boca, there are the famous Italian bars that are opened to wee small hours of the morning, restaurants with pasta and sea food specialties, a lot of music, dances and joy; it is worth of visit it.