The museum of contemporary art on the riverfront, Rosario

Lying on the Parana River, Rosario is a city that seems permanently in the throes of strutting, sunning and smooching.

Sultry and sophisticated, at first glance, Rosario seems like an unlikely hometown for South America's favourite socialist. But sure enough, Che Guevara popped out of the ornate white house (now an insurance business) on the corner of Entre Rios and Urquiza streets.

Amidst the city's ornate colonial buildings and inherent glitz and glamour, Che's legacy is celebrated in everything from pop art posters in swanky youth hostels to giant surreal murals in concrete plazas to recruitment posters for the local socialist organization.

Thanks to its plentiful green space, vibrant nightlife, lively arts scene, boutiques shops and excellent bars and tango dancehalls, this home of 1.3 million people has rightly secured a reputation as being Argentina's most liveable city.

Rosario's most imposing landmark is the Monumento a la Bandera, commemorating General Belgrano's military expedition against the Spanish in 1812. In front of the monument lies the Parque a la Bandera, a focal point for festivities, weekend markets and ice-cream-licking. Next to the park is the Estacion Fluvial (ferry station) and jumping off point for weekend excursions to the Alto Delta islands.

Strolling further along the riverfront (or Costanera), takes you past a host of art and cultural spaces, including the Complejo Cultural Parque de España and the Museo de Arte Contemporaneo, the latter housed in a pastel-painted former grain silo.

On sunny weekends, the Costanera overflows with dog-walkers, sun-bathers and barbecuing masses and the riverside cafes fill to the brim with wealthy families and body beautifuls.

When things heat up in Rosario, the city evacuates to Catalunya beach, 6km north of town. You'll also find plenty of restaurants and tacky nightclubs along this beachfront.