Possibly the continent’s most important performing arts venue, the ornate Colón (1908) reopened in 2010—though it is not yet ready for opera. Even as work proceeded, it managed to offer top-tier international opera, ballet, and symphonic performers, as well as first-rate local talent in opera, ballet, and symphony in alternative venues.

Six days a week, Plaza Dorrego is a quiet shady square where porteños sip cortados and nibble lunches from nearby cafés. On weekends, though, it swarms with Argentine and foreign visitors who stroll among dozens of antiques stalls at the Feria de San Pedro Telmo, the most famous and colorful of the capital’s numerous street fairs. Items range from antique soda siphons to brightly painted filete plaques with piropos (aphorisms), oversized antique radios, and many other items.

Buenos Aires is a 24-hour city with as much to offer as New York or London. Argentines in general and porteños in particular are night people—discos and dance clubs, for instance, may not even open until 1 a.m. or so, and they stay open until dawn. Not everything takes place at those hours, though, and since a deadly fire in late 2004 there are more municipal restrictions on live music venues and hours.

Many but not all tango venues are in the southerly barrios of Monserrat and San Telmo. Professional shows range from straightforward, low-priced programs to extravagant productions at high (often excessive) cost. Milongas are participatory bargains for those who want to learn.

One of the best values is Monserrat’s legendary Café Tortoni (Avenida de Mayo 825, tel. 011/4342-4328, www.cafetortoni.com.ar) Live song-and-dance shows at its Sala Alfonsina Storni, separated from the main part of the café, cost around US$10–18 pp plus drinks and food.

Rosario has a diversity of entertainment offerings. The “Cartelera” page of Rosario/12, the local edition of the left-of-center porteño daily Página/12, has the most complete listings. For purchasing seats, try Ticketek (Córdoba 1643, Local 133, tel. 0341/527-7200) in the Shopping del Siglo.

The four-screen Cine Monumental (San Martín 999, tel. 0341/421-6289) shows recent films. Other cinemas include the multiscreen Cines del Siglo (Córdoba and Roca, tel. 0341/425-0761), Cine del Patio (Sarmiento 778, tel. 0341/448-9842), and the restored repertory Cine El Cairo (Santa Fe 1120, tel. 0341/421-9180).

Mendoza has plenty to do at night. The liveliest nightlife area is the barhoppers’ row of Arístides Villanueva, where there’s a lot of turnover; El Abasto (Arístides Villanueva 308), which hosts live rock and roll, has lasted a while, however.

Most Mendoza cinemas are suburban multiplexes, but there are irregular programs downtown at the Microcine Municipal Davíd Eisenchlas (9 de Julio 500, tel. 0261/449-5180), in the basement of the Municipalidad. The Cine Teatro Universidad Nacional de Cuyo (Lavalle 55, tel. 0261/420-4549) also shows occasional films.

In a class of its own, the new Centro Cultural Palacio La Moneda (Plaza de la Ciudadanía s/n, tel. 02/3556500, www.ccplm.cl). In addition to gigantic atrium and special exhibit galleries, facilities include the Cineteca Nacional (national film archive, with regular repertory programs) and a sprawling crafts shop displaying museum-quality pieces from artisans around the country (not all of these are for sale).

Santiago has many live theater and music venues, with a range of offerings from serious classical and contemporary drama to vulgar burlesque, and from traditional folk to rock and classical; the best place to find current offerings is the entertainment section of the daily El Mercurio.

The landmark Teatro Municipal (Agustinas 794, tel. 02/3690282) is Santiago’s most prestigious performing-arts venue, hosting classical music, opera, and occasional popular musicals. Only opening performances are truly formal, and Santiaguinos sometimes appear in surprisingly casual clothes; during opera performances, the theater projects a Spanish translation of the libretto above the stage so that it’s easier to follow the plot (if you read Spanish).

The Teatro Municipal (Av. Uruguay 410, tel. 0322/214654) is the main performing arts venue.

There are alternative theater programs at the Parque Cultural ex-Cárcel de Valparaíso (Castro s/n, Cerro Cárcel, tel. 0322/258567); an interesting sight in its own right, it’s open 9 a.m.–7 p.m. weekdays and 11 a.m.–7 p.m. weekends.

Originally part of the colonial Hacienda Las Siete Hermanas, Viña’s famous public park and performing arts venue passed through the hands of the Carreras, one of Chile’s founding families, before being sold to Portuguese businessman Francisco Alvares, whose granddaughter Mercedes married José Francisco Vergara, the founder of Viña.