Buenos Aires is a sprawling city of 13 million people crammed into 48 districts.  With numbers that large, a list of things to see and do could easily get overwhelming.  So to make your task less daunting, we’ve narrowed it down to 10 things every tourist should do in Buenos Aires.

10.  Walk Caminito street.

The seedy barrio of La Boca is home to Caminito street, a colorful oasis of artists, tango dancers and over-priced souvenirs.  The histrionic antics of people trying to lure you into their stalls and restaurants make this the most touristy area in Buenos Aires.  However, the brightly colored corrugated steel houses of early Italian immigrants (called conventillos) provide some of the most unique and picturesque architecture in the city.  The street is lined with paintings and sculptures, and there’s even a nearby wax museum (at 1261 Del Valle Iberlucea) that depicts scenes from colonial times to present (most likely devoid of the “tattooed gangsters robbing tourist” scene).

9.  Relax in the parks of Palermo.

Palermo is the largest barrio in Buenos Aires, yet despite its size it is considered the most exclusive neighborhood.  Much of Palermo is occupied by a vast system of lush green parks and gardens replete with shady picnic areas, walking trails, lakes and colorful foliage.  The complex is made up of the Botanical Gardens, Japanese Gardens, Zoological Gardens, Rose Gardens and the Parque Tres de Febrero (called the Palermo Woods) and also includes major attractions such as the world-famous polo grounds, a horse racing track, the Galileo Galilei Planetarium and a plethora of monuments.

8.  Shop for inexpensive leather.

Thanks to a fortuitous exchange rate (currently 3.8 pesos to 1 American dollar) and a carnivorous culture that supplies an abundance of cow carcass, leather goods like saddles, belts, boots and even cup holders are ridiculously inexpensive.  Custom-made leather jackets can be purchased for as low as $100 on popular shopping streets like Calle Florida, Avenida Santa Fe and Avenida Corrientes.

7.  Cross the Bridge of Woman.

The Puente de la Mujer is a pedestrian footbridge that spans the third dock in Puerto Madero.  This barrio is the only neighborhood in the world where all the streets are named after important women in Argentine history, and the Bridge of Woman continues that theme.  The bridge, an abstract representation of a couple dancing the tango, doesn’t provide much of a romantic view (unless you consider old cranes and brick buildings with Hooters restaurants and trash bobbing atop muddy waters romantic).  Adjacent to the bridge is the Frigate Sarmiento, a retired Navy vessel that circumnavigated the globe six times; it’s now a ship museum.

6.  Buy something old at the San Telmo antiques fair.

Even if you’re not a decrepit, silver-haired woman looking to complete her thimble collection, you’re bound to find something rusty to take home at the San Telmo antiques fair.  Every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Plaza Dorrego packs in hundreds of stalls with vendors selling everything from inaccurate old maps to used military uniforms to offensive negro dolls to jewelry and watches that Grandpa Rigor Mortis doesn’t need anymore.  The entire street of Defensa, which runs through Plaza Dorrego, is also closed down on Sunday and lined with stands selling antiques, handmade jewelry, original paintings, retro clothing, and mate cups with fresh mate (a popular South American beverage).

5.  Check out the Floralis Generica.

The Floralis Generica, which may or may not translate to “the big metal flower,” is a 75-foot tall steel and aluminum sculpture of a flower located in United Nations Plaza.  The flower remains open during the day but wilts shut at sundown.  United Nations Plaza, adjacent to the University of Law building, is one of the few places in Buenos Aires you don’t have to worry about stepping in dog poop — dogs are off-limits.

4.  Visit Evita’s grave at the Recoleta Cemetery.

The Recoleta Cemetery is like a microcosm of Buenos Aires: a gridded layout that’s easy to navigate, structures designed in the Art Nouveau style, and plenty of stray animals.  You won’t find any hedge stones in this cemetery; instead, you’ll find opulent mausoleums larger than my apartment, adorned with religious statues and stained glass windows.  Many famous porteños are buried here, but the only person you’ll remember from your high school history books is Eva Peron, the controversial First Lady of Argentina from 1946-1951.  Even though she’s buried 27-feet below ground in a concrete tomb capable of withstanding a nuclear attack, we’re pretty sure she rolled over when Madonna played her in “Evita”.

3.  Eat a steak in a parrilla.

Like any major city, Buenos Aires is a melting pot of gastronomy with basically every genre of food available.  But the ubiquitous parrilla (Spanish for barbeque) is by far the most popular dining option.  Argentina’s well-maintained grass-fed cows produce some of the most tender, moist and juicy cuts of beef in the world.  And with so much meat available, high-quality steaks and huge portions (we’re talking 2-pound slabs of beef) are incredibly cheap.

2.  Dance the tango.

Buenos Aires is the birthplace of tango.  You can’t walk a block without seeing a tango hall, tango workshop center, tango music store or tribute to Carlos Gardel, “The King of Tango.”  This seductive dance form is a hallmark of Argentine culture, one that you must partake in to truly experience the porteño lifestyle.  Despite its current reputation as a classy dance, the tango has rather dubious origins.  A hundred years ago, brothels were like the DMV where men had to wait hours before a woman became available; so men started to dance with each other to pass the time, hence tango was conceived (hopefully the only thing conceived in the brothel).

1.  Walk historic Avenida de Mayo.

The best place to understand and appreciate Buenos Aires is on Avenida de Mayo.  The two-mile stretch between Plaza del Congreso and Plaza de Mayo features most of the city’s important historical and architectural attractions.  On one end is Congreso, the Argentine National Congress building that looks strikingly similar to The White House, and on the other end is Casa Rosada, the presidential headquarters or “Pink House” as it is commonly called because the facade was originally painted with cow’s blood that dried and turned pink.

A walk along Avenida de Mayo will also take you to the striking neoclassical Casa de Cultura, the Cabildo (the last remaining public building dating back to colonial times), the Metropolitan Cathedral (a church containing the remains of General Jose de San Martin, “The Father Of The Nation”), Cafe Tortoni (the most famous cafe in the city), and Palacio Barolo (designed to symbolize Dante’s “Divine Comedy” and topped with a lighthouse that represents salvation).  Half way through you’ll cross Avenida 9 de Julio, the largest avenue in the world, featuring a 220-foot tall Obelisk.

Tours and museums are available in many of these buildings, but plan your schedule around the march of the Madres de Plaza de Mayo at 3:30 p.m. every Thursday.  The mothers continue to march in honor of the 30,000+ children who were kidnapped during Argentina’s Dirty War from 1976-1983, many of who still clutch pictures of their own missing children in the hope that they will one day return.