La Boca is a vibrant and colourful area of the city of Buenos Aires. It is but a short taxi ride away from our beautiful suite in the Four Seasons Hotel in Recoleta.
It is a neighbourhood, or barrio in the south east of the capital that has retained a strong sense of its European flavourings, that came about when early settlers from the Italian city of Genoa made it heir home.
The conventional explanation that it was so named because it sits at the mouth (“boca” in Spanish) of the Riachuelo is argued by those from Genoa who claim it was named by them after the Genoese neighbourhood of Boccadasse (or Bocadaze in Genoese dialect).
In 1882, it actually seceded from Argentina, with rebels raising the Genoese flag, but the rebellion was quickly put down with the flag torn from its pole personally by the then President Julio Argentino Roca.
Today Boca is best known for being the home of the famous football club Boca Juniors and as a popular destination for tourists visiting the city.
Its colourful houses and pedestrian streets form what is called the Caminito, where tango artists perform and tango-related memorabilia is sold.
Other attractions include the La Ribera theatre, many tango clubs and Italian taverns.