San Telmo is the oldest neighbourhood in Buenos Aires and has plenty of things to do and places to explore. San Telmo is well located near the center of the city.
You should spend time exploring San Telmo if you want to see some of the historic sites of Buenos Aires. If you want to live in Buenos Aires, then I would recommend Palermo.
Here are our favorite things to do in San Telmo:
1 Shop at the San Telmo Market
The San Telmo Sunday Market is an institution in Buenos Aires. It takes place every Sunday and can get extremely crowded. You can find all sorts of street artists performing for tourists and locals alike.
The market is open from around 11 am to 5 pm when the vendors start dismantling their stalls. You can find all kinds of products for sale at the market including clothes, kitchen equipment, food, antiques, and old photographs.
If you like chocolate as much as I do, then you have to stop in the Havanna store and buy some alfajores, So…delicious….. can’t stop eating them!
2 Learn how to dance the Tango at a Milonga
Okay so you have heard so much about Tango, well why not get involved yourself! There are a few Milongas in San Telmo where you can get involved(or just watch!).
The Milonga Placita del Pañuelo Blanco has folklore classes and live music and singing on Sundays on Plaza Dorrego.
If you can’t make Sunday, then try Maldita Milonga which takes place on Wednesdays from 9pm and you can find more information here
3 Visit a bookstore
There are so many cool bookstores all around Buenos Aires and San Telmo is no different. You will find antique bookstores, second-hand bookstores, and bookstores with cafés attached
Walrus Books is the bookstore with the widest selection of books in English.
4 Go to a Tango show in El Viejo Almacén
If your dancing days are behind you, you can always go to a Tango show in El Viejo Almacén. There have been Tango shows here every night since 1969!
Enjoy a three-course meal and a tango show which costs around $80(for the show) and $130(with the meal).
5 Check out the food in Café San Juan
For a bit of a different food experience, check out Café San Juan in San Telmo. The menu often has food like rabbit and hake, and there are vegetarian options.
The restaurant is on the expensive side for Buenos Aires($10-$20 for a main at the blue dollar rate) and you might want to reserve a table as the restaurant is quite small.
6 Visit Manzana de las Luces
Visiting Manzana de las Luces is for the architecture and history buffs. The site includes many historic buildings including the Church of San Ignacio, the National College of Buenos Aires, and the old University of Buenos Aires.
Manzana de las Luces literally means “Apple of the lights” but possibly a better translation would be “The Enlightenment Quarter”. The whole space was created to promote intellectual activity and there are also cultural events that take place today.
7 Visit some underground tunnels at El Zanjón
This guided tour gives you a great insight into this 18th Century colonial home. There was once a river that ran under the house and you can visit the tunnels that were built to contain it. The stories are really interesting about how world events impacted the family living in the house. Tours in English are available at 12pm or 4pm.
8 Watch the world go by in Plaza Dorrego
Plaza Dorrego is where the Sunday market takes place but it is also a great place to spend any day of the week in San Telmo. There are old historic mansions that now have cafés and bars on the ground floor.
The historic Bar Plaza Dorrego is currently closed and Starbucks has opened across the road which is probably the best place to get a coffee now. Bar El Federal is our recommendation if you want a historic café/bar.
9 See the narrowest house in Buenos Aires
Right across from “el zajón” you can find the “Casa Minima” is famous for being the narrowest house in Buenos Aires. The story goes that these narrow houses were given to slaves who were given their freedom and the house was built on to their former residence.
The houses only measure 2 and a half meters wide and often form part of walking tours in Buenos Aires.
10 Modern Artwork in MACBA
The Buenos Aires Modern Art Museum (Museo de Arte Moderno de Buenos Aires) is located just a short walk from the market in San Telmo.This can be a nice thing to do if the crowds and heat are getting to you as it is also open on Sundays.
Expect modern artwork with some installations and another beautiful building.
11 Take a Bike Tour
If you fancy keeping fit while seeing San Telmo, Then why not take a bike tour? This bike starts in San Telmo and allows you to visit “La Boca”. You will then get some lunch and visit the city center and finish off by visiting Recoleta and Palermo.
More information about San Telmo
Here is some further information that might be helpful for your trip to San Telmo:
What is San Telmo known for?
San Telmo is known for its cobblestone streets and Sunday market. It is also well known as a place of culture with many Tango dance clubs and artists performing in the San Telmo neighborhood.
How do you get to San Telmo?
San Telmo is very close to the city center so you either walk or take a bus depending on where you are staying.
If you are staying in Palermo, you can take the numbers 64A or 64B, or the 152A anywhere from Santa Fe avenue.
How old is San Telmo?
The “San Telmo” neighborhood became incorporated into the city of Buenos Aires in 1708 but it is most definitely older than that. It was previously known as San Pedro Heights in the 17th Century.
Why is it called San Telmo?
The Neighbourhood is named after San Pedro González Telmo, the patron saint of seafarers.
Is San Telmo safe?
San Telmo is relatively safe compared to other regions in Buenos Aires. You can read more about safety in San Telmo here.
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