Latin American Day Out

8am: Start with a walk. As well as being a perfect example of Georgian architecture, Fitzroy Square (Warren Street Tube), is home to monuments paying homage to prominent Latin Americans who made London their home.

Take a 15-minute stroll over to Soho Square and you'll find more plaques dedicated to Latin Americans in St Patrick's Church. If it's Saturday you can hear mass in Portuguese at 5pm, and in Spanish on Sunday at 6pm.

9.30am: Have a Brazilian breakfast at Brasil by Kilo (17 Oxford Street, W1; tel: +44 (0)20 7287 7161). You can get tasty juices, including cashew, mango and passion fruit. Breakfast is usually just a sweet bun but if you want something more serious, you can have beans, rice, chicken and fried plantain. You pay by weight, just as in Brazilian snack bars.

11am: For a flavour of Latin American life in the capital today, head first for the Elephant & Castle area for a concentration of shops and services. Take a look at all the foods and fashions imported from Colombia, and stop by for a coffee or a chat at any of the small café-bars.

1pm: The best lunch south of the river is at El Vergel (8 Lant Street, SE1; tel: 020 7357 0057), a Colombian-run snack bar and sandwich outlet. Try the avocado and chicken fillings in pitta bread, or a pastry. Cheap, cheerful and only open for lunches, this place is always packed.

3pm: If it's the weekend, head for Clapham Common or Finsbury Park to see - or even play - some Latino football action. Alternatively, head for the Museum of London and explore the long history of rebels and exiles fleeing from Latin America to London.

6pm: Cocktail and/or cigar hour at Floridita, the London outpost of the famed old Havana bar. The venue also hosts the latest rap and rumba bands and some great singers.

7.30pm: Tango lesson time. Check out www.danceweb.co.uk/tango for details of classes all over London.

9pm: Dinner at Santa Maria del Buen Ayre in Hackney (50 Broadway Market, E8; tel: +44(0)20 7275 9900): perfect for a meatfest and to meet people!

10pm: Salsa time. Burn off the beef with some hip-shaking Cuban dancing. There are loads of venues to choose from but try Salsa! It's open till 1am.