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hen you want a taste of the Old World, where do you go? The Continent, most likely.

Time for a change.

If you've never been to Buenos Aires, Argentina, it's high time you went. Think traditional elegance with a twist of Latin brilliance. Gorgeous, stylish people. High culture. Tango in the air. And a sophistication that puts some European cities to shame.

But Argentina is much more than just this Paris of the South. On a sweep through the country (and a bit of time in neighboring Brazil), we get a taste of Argentina's many faces.

First, Buenos Aires, a city with Paris's boulevards, San Francisco's sensibility, and Madrid's sense of time. Settle in at the Alvear Palace or the Park Hyatt, two of SOuth America's great hotels. Talk about pampering on the pampas.

In B.A., we move to the beat of the barrios. San Telmo, the city's answer to SoHo, and Palermo, whose green neighborhood-parks, botanical gardens, and the like draw weekend crowds. We pay our respects at La Recoleta Cemetery, final resting place of Argentine aristocrats and one still popular populist (Mrs. Peron). The gravesites are macabre, attractive, and sensual all at once.

No sense visiting Argentina without some time in her wine country. Alight in Mendoza, ArgentinaÕs answer to Napa Valley. The reds and whites are superb (if youÕre not familiar with the Malbec grape, you soon will be), and thereÕs excellent cuisine to match. Go wine-tasting, and get cozy in the luxurious Park Hyatt Mendoza, where a "wine library" (books and bottles) is sure to get your attention.

Next, fly to South AmericaÕs best-kept but not-so-silent secret: Iguaz ú Falls. Taller than Niagara and twice as wide. Count them: 275 individual cascades crash together to create the spectacle. ThereÕs something primordial about Iguazú ceaseless roar. If you like, we can helicopter you over DevilÕs Throat (where 14 falls converge). or opt for a boat ride that cruises (very) close to the cataracts. Transfixing mocha swirls and luminescent spray. Take the time to see the falls from both the Argentine and the Brazilian sides.

Down to San Carlos de Bariloche. Landing here seems puzzling — have we taken a detour and ended up in the Swiss Alps? Easy to think so, as weÕre surrounded by snowy peaks, Swiss chalets, and the smell of fresh-made chocolate in the air. Welcome to the Lake District and the heart of Argentinian Patagonia. Founded by Swiss, German, and Northern Italian settlers, which explains plenty. Explore the region from our home base, the Llao-Llao Resort, something else, indeed.

Then home, with a new sense of the New World's Old World.

Argentina & Brazil: Soul of South America. 12 Days.

This journey works well in combination with R. Cruose's seven-day journey, Chile: South America's Spine. We can also arrange travel to Argentina and Brazil as an extension to an R. Crusoe journey to Machu Picchu or Galapagos, Ecuador or Antarctica.Contact R. Crusoe & Son for more informatioon at 888.490.8045 (or 312.980.8000, if you are calling from outside U.S.).