Two venues impressed me: Madero Tango at Puerto Madera offers a dinner show that is dazzling in its athleticism, tango prowess and sheer glitter factor. This show wouldn’t be out of place at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. The other is Rojo Tango at the very swish Faena Hotel located in BA’s trendiest waterfront redevelopment. The Rojo Tango show was smaller, more intimate and oozed authenticity. I loved both shows so much that I booked my partner and I into a tango lesson at Madero Tango star Mora Godoy’s studio in central BA. We had an hour’s lesson, enough to convince me that I really should have begun dancing the tango at age six. I felt so un-suave and un-coordinated that I marvelled anew at the incredible grace and physical perfection of professional dancers. Of course if splashy tango is too much, you can always take in a coffee at one of the many cafes that line the La Boca waterfront and see a miniature tango show given by a young couple (rarely do you see old people doing the tango for spare change in La Boca) in from the provinces trying to make a few extra pesos. But it isn’t truly professional.

Apart from tango, the Portenos eat meat, smoke like chimneys and shop at local markets. A landmark restaurant for feasting in old BA style is La Cabana restaurant, also in central BA. It’s a famous place; everyone knows it. I went so far as to take a barbecue class before dinner. I cooked nearly every bit of flesh it’s possible to slice from: a pig, a cow and a sheep. The specialised grill the Argentinians use is obligatory equipment to gain true authenticity but the cookbook given to me at the finish of my lesson reminds me of the importance that meat has in Argentinian history.

BA is packed with hotels of the usual sort offered by such a huge metropolis. I stayed very happily at the boutique Park Hyatt-Palacio Duhau just a few steps away from the famous Alvear Palace. The Park Hyatt won me over with its generous and completely sound-proofed rooms, its gigantic bathrooms and its friendly helpful staff. We dined exceptionally well at its restaurant, which is one of the few in BA that offers a non-smoking section. A superb local wine list added pizzazz. I also liked the Palermo Soho All Suites Hotel in the sophisticated Soho Palermo neighbourhood. Finding a restaurant, café or boutique in this part of town is as easy as falling out the door of the hotel. Our two-bedroom apartment had a workable kitchen, two bathrooms and a balcony overlooking the passing parade below. I could have lived there.

Buenos Aires is a veritable shopper’s paradise. The devalued peso has made life tougher (yet again) for Argentinians. For travellers whose currency is strong, this was a dream come true. European fashion labels are prevalent, leather goods are incredibly good value and yes, bargains are numerous.