A Neighborhood Guide to La Boca, Buenos Aires: Caminito, La Bombonera & Local History

Many of the most iconic symbols of Buenos Aires trace their origins back to La Boca: tango, pizza, and the world-famous football club Boca Juniors.

In the 20th century, La Boca was a melting pot of different cultures, though the predominant was certainly the Genoese, who had immigrated to Argentina from Liguria in Italy. The linguistic, culinary, and artistic contributions of the Genoese to the fabric of Buenos Aires cannot be overstated, and the neighborhood was the birthplace of much of the city’s porteño culture.

Caminito

An open-air street museum stretching for several blocks, the Caminito is a stroll through the history of the neighborhood with its well-preserved collection of colorfully-painted, wood and sheet metal houses known as conventillos that were built by Genoese immigrants beginning in the late 19th century.

Today, the streets are filled with artists selling crafts and paintings as well as restaurants offering live tango performances.

La Bombonera

An iconic stadium of world football, La Bombonera is the home of Boca Juniors, the legendary club whose jersey has been worn by many all-time great players, among them Diego Maradona and Juan Román Riquelme.

Known as ‘the chocolate box’ due to its unusual shape and extremely steep sides, its intensely passionate atmosphere makes it one of the best places to see a football match anywhere in the world. Even simply strolling around the outside makes for a memorable experience, as the surrounding blocks function as a museum to the club’s history and the devotion of its fans.

Interested in going to a game? Check out our article Football in Buenos Aires for info on how to get tickets.

Looking for more tips on what to see and do around the city? Visit our Buenos Aires page here.