We took the half day Recoleta tour today and it was well worth the cost. Jessica was astounding in her knowledge of Buenos Aires and the many different attractions she showed us during the tour. Starting in Retiro and ending at the Recoleta cemetery she taught us about the city and the many famous people who lived and died

What a great tour! Alan, our guide, was professional yet likeable and friendly. While he's super-knowledgeable about Buenos Aires' history and architecture, the tour never felt like a list of facts, but rather a series of vignettes with reoccurring characters and themes.

We took the full day tour, beginning in La Boca. In one day, we were able to weave our way through San Telmo, Microcentro (downtown), Plaza de Mayo, Retiro, and Recoleta. We went inside famous buildings of all sorts, from churches to government buildings. We had a relaxing coffee break at the famous Cafe Tortoni and a nice empanada and salad lunch in a charming Recoleta restaurant. Our tour finished at the Recoleta Cemetery, where Alan expertly weaved his way through the maze of mausoleums, highlighting the famous (Eva Perón) and the not-so-famous-but-interesting (a domestic servant buried just outside her employers' mausoleum). Having done all of these things, I am both surprised and delighted that the tour never felt hurried.

As a two year resident of Buenos Aires, I experienced the tour in a different way from other tourists. I didn't really need Alan's accurate translations, and I already had been to most of the locations on the tour. But, for me, it was an eye-opening experience. Anyone can get a map and walk around a city. But to really understand what you are seeing, from the cannon balls embedded in a historical church tower to the graffiti painted the day before by some politically active youth, one needs a guide. Moreover, I now finally understand who all those old men on the Argentine currency are.

The private tour format is a huge advantage. During our tour, we saw plenty of other tourists in large groups following lazily behing their guide. The were talking amongst themselves and had little or no connection to the guide. For us it was completely different: an engaging, personal and memorable experience.

We had the full day tour with Alan and it was great. He really knows his stuff and is particularly knowledgeable about the history of Argentina. We started ag Boca and finished at the cemetary. Usually I would not think of a cemtary as all that interesting, but this was, especially because of Alan's knowledge. I would highly recommend this tour to my friends and relatives.