IT'S easy to understand why Buenos Aires is dubbed the Paris of Latin America. With its grandiose parks, avenues lined with neoclassical palazzos, gourmet cuisine and stylishly dressed locals, it feels distinctly European.

Each of the 48 barrios, or districts, has a distinct appeal. The streets of bohemian La Boca are lined with colourful houses clad in corrugated iron while San Telmo is renowned for its vintage shops, Sunday antiques market and the tango. The streets of Palermo Viejo (old Palermo) have an old-world feel.

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BA, as the locals call the city, is good to walk around, with plenty of shady plazas, grand parks, street markets and atmospheric bars.

If you want to get at the heart of BA, do as the portenos or locals do. Hang out in one of its numerous traditional caf©s where you can order a steak as easily as a coffee and listen to heated debates on everything from the economy to football.

THE VIBE

Once a shabby suburb renowned for its high crime rate and seedy taverns, the leafy streets and decorative stucco buildings of Palermo Viejo are now filled with hip bars, designer boutiques and some of the best restaurants.

One formerly rowdy bar, immortalised by mystical writer Jorge Luis Borges, El Preferido de Palermo, preserves something of the old atmosphere. An almacen, a store doubling as a restaurant, its walls are lined with shelves of cans of peas and artichokes next to a bar propped up by porte±os.

THE HOTEL

The opulent interior of the Belle ‰poque-style five-star Palacio Duhau Park Hyatt (www.buonesaires.park.hyatt.com) on the Avenida Alvear doesn't disappoint.

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With its jaw-dropping classical columns, marble floors, high ceilings and huge chandeliers, it really does feel like a palace. There's a more contemporary feel in the 210 rooms and suites with dark-wood furniture, Persian-style carpets and sleek modern bathrooms.

Walk through a walled garden or underground walkway to reach the modern extension with its art gallery, all-white spa and pool. There''s also Vinoteca where you can sample some of its 3,000 wines accompanied by excellent cheeses. Two blocks away is the exclusive Patio Bullrich shopping mall, with everything from fashion outlet Zara to fine wines.

WHERE TO EAT

Buenos Aires is a temple for carnivores. The best parilla or steakhouse is La Cabrera (www.parrillalacabrera.com.ar) in Palermo Viejo, where queues of chic porte±os form nightly to sample the best beef in town.

Even the smallest cuts are huge. It's also worth trying the gigantic mollejas (sweetbreads), cooked chorizo and Kobe-style beef.

For something slightly less filling try San Telmo's Des Vivel, which is renowned for its chicken and meat empanadas (stuffed pastries).

If coffee is your thing, try a caf© solo or a cortado (with a dash of milk) at the Cafe Tortoni on Avenida de Mayo, with its romantic 1860s-style stone floors, marble- early.

DON'T MISS

The ornate, marble-clad mausoleums, pantheons and cenotaphs at the 19th-century La Recoleta Cemetery.

Argentinians invest thousands to bury their dead, which include the country's former First Lady Eva Per³n.

The town of San Antonio De Areco, set in lush farmland, is a 90-minute drive from the city and a great place to get a taste of Gaucho life. There is the incredible chocolateria La Olla de Cobre, where a box of liqueurs or nougat hand-made by local artisans is around £2. Travel agency Dehouche (0871 284 7770/ www.dehouche.com) offers tailor-made itineraries, including private transfers, from Buenos Aires. To appreciate the immensity of the fertile Pampas plain, visit an estancia or cattle ranch. One of the best is La Bamba De Areco. Polo fanatics will love the fields, considered the best in Argentina (the season is from October to December).

After a ride, enjoy an al asador barbecue where meat is cooked on spits.

You can't leave BA without taking in some tango. A good place to watch it is Piazzolla Tango, in the opulent surroundings of an Art Nouveau theatre.

THE RETAIL THERAPY

Scour the countless antique dealers and cool design stores in the crumbling streets of San Telmo.

Every Sunday there's a flea market, the Feria de San Telmo, at Plaza Dorrego, with everything from old china to vintage signs. Pick up a couple of bottles of first-rate Malbec at Ruffino.

The more style-conscious should head to Palermo, the city's design district. With its cupcake cafes, chic coffee shops and beautiful people walking their pint-sixed pooches, one could almost be in New York's West Village.

Don't miss Anika for quirky contemporary jewellery (www.anikaweb.com), Divia for hand-made shoes (www.diviashoes.com) and Chocolate, a fashion chain selling everything from casualwear to suits (www.chocolateargentina.com.ar).

THE KNOWLEDGE:

BA (0844 493 0758/www.ba.com/buenosaires) offers five nights at the Palacio Duhau Park Hyatt from £1,679pp (two sharing), B&B. Price includes return flights from Heathrow. Departs September 23, 2011. Argentina Tourism: 0207 318 1300/www.turismo.gov.ar