Hello San Telmo

One of the oldest barrios in Buenos Aires, San Telmo was once home to the city’s rich and wealthy. However, yellow fever and cholera epidemics struck the neighborhood in the 1870s and pushed many of them north to Recoleta. Today, think Cuba’s Havana with an irrepressible bohemian vibe. Its cobblestone streets are lined with conventillo tenement houses, and a mix of crumbling and restored facades house art and antique stores, traditional bars, and tango clubs. San Telmo is also home to the Buenos Aires Museum of Modern Art.

The big attraction is Sunday’s San Telmo flea market along Calle Defensa. Vendors sell crafts, food, clothes and souvenirs, and antique sellers pack out Plaza Dorrego, Buenos Aires’ second oldest square. It’s on Plaza Dorrego you’ll catch spontaneous tango performances. This Argentine dance lures many here, and legendary clubs like El Viejo Almacén put on electric performances. The district borders La Boca, ‘Little Italy’. Visit the colorful corrugated houses along Caminito where artists and tango dancers compete for space. If football’s your thing, match day at La Bombonera stadium is a chance to see Boca Juniors play.