La Boca is certainly one of the most famous neighborhoods in Buenos Aires. The colorful houses and figures you encounter in La Boca are depicted on many postcards.
The district was a port district and international trade was conducted through this port. In the past, many poor dock workers lived there in simple accomodations. The houses were painted with color leftovers from the ships. This is where the colored houses in the area originally came from. Later the harbour became too small, a new and bigger one was created in another part of Buenos Aires and the quarter lost its importance.
To revive La Boca, an artist initiated to make it brightly colored again. Even today the quarter is very poor and is also considered insecure. But it has a very touristic part on the Camino, with the colorful houses and figures, which is well visited and safe. Walking through other parts is not recommended. Also at night you should avoid La Boca.
La Boca is also the place of the Boca Juniors, the football club where Maradonna played. The atmosphere in the stadium is described as unique. The stadium is very steep and because of the construction the bouncing of the fans should be felt like an earthquake on the grass.
Fun Fact about where the colors blue and yellow of the Boca Juniors come from – They had other colors first, but another club already used them. Since they couldn’t really agree on anything, they said, the colors of the flag of the first boat of the next day will be the now color. It was a Swedish ship. Great rivalry is going on with River Plate, the other big club in town. Red and white colours are therefore not appreciated in the neighbourhood. Both were originally founded in La Boca. There was a game about who stays in the neighborhood and who moves to another part of town. The Boca Juniors stayed, the stadium of River Plate is now located in the north of Buenos Aires.
