Liveliest and most popular district of Buenos Aires
The city’s most atmospheric barrio is also its oldest. San Telmo starts south of the Plaza de Mayo, and is built along a slope which was once the old beach of the Río de la Plata. Formerly one of the wealthiest areas of the city, it was abandoned by the rich during a serious outbreak of yellow fever in 1871, and so was never modernized or destroyed for rebuilding like much of the rest of the city. San Telmo is one of the few areas where buildings have survived from the mid-19th century, crumbling and largely unchanged, so it’s a delightful place to stroll and explore the artists’ studios and small museums hidden away in its narrow streets, with plenty of cafés and shops selling antiques, records, handmade shoes, second-hand books and crafts of all kinds. In the last couple of years, new boutiques, design shops and chic bars have been opening up in newly renovated old houses in San Telmo and moving out towards Montserrat too, similar to those in Palermo Viejo.
A quiet place to meander during the week, the barrio comes alive on Sundays when there’s an antiques and bric-a-brac market held in the central Plaza Dorrego, a small square enclosed by charming old houses. This is a good place to start exploring, after enjoying the free tango demonstrations which take place near the plaza on Sundays 1000-1800. Behind the plaza, on Carlos Calvo (entrances on Bolívar, Estados Unidos and Defensa too), there’s a wonderful indoor fruit market – Mercado de San Telmo built in 1897. Walk south along Defensa, filled with street musicians on Sundays, many of them excellent, and pop into the artists’ studios, antique shops and cafés which line the street. Just a block from the plaza is the white stuccoed church of San Pedro González Telmo (Humerto Primero, T011-4361 1168, guided tours Sun at 1500, 1600, free.) Begun by the Jesuits in 1734, but only finished in 1931, it’s a wonderful confection of styles with ornate baroque columns and Spanish-style tiles.
One block further south, in an old tobacco warehouse, the Museo de Arte Moderno de Buenos Aires (San Juan 350, T011-4361 1121, http://www.museos.buenosaires.gov.ar/mam.htm) Tue-Fri 1000-2000, Sat, Sun and holidays 1100-2000, guided tours Tue-Sun 1700, US$0.30, Wed free, houses good visiting exhibitions of contemporary international and Argentine art. There is also a small fine art bookshop.
At the end of Defensa, is Parque Lezama (Defensa and Brasil, Sat and Sun 1000-2000) originally one of the most beautiful parks in the city, but now a little run down, and not a safe place to wander at night. According to tradition, Pedro de Mendoza founded the city on this spot in 1535, and there’s an imposing statue to him in the centre of the park. Also on this corner you’ll find the famous Bar Británico which has been open almost continuously since 1960. It has featured in films and was an institution in the suburb, but has been refurbished by new owners. It it still open 24 hours and is a good place to have a coffee and watch the world go by. On the west side of the park is the Museo Histórico Nacional (Defensa 1600, T011-4307 1182, Tue-Sun 1300-1800, US$0.50, guided tours Sat-Sun 1530) which presents the history of the city and of Argentina through the key historical figures and events, with some impressive artefacts, portraits and war paintings, particularly of San Martín. Sadly, there’s currently little information available in English.
There is an ever-growing number of restaurants along Defensa, many of them cheap and lively places to eat, and several venues offering tango shows. The best is the historical El Viejo Almacén (Independencia and Balcarce, T011-4307 7388, http://www.viejoalmacen.com, open daily, dinner from 2000, show 2200, US$70 with all drinks, dinner and show, show only US$50) started by celebrated tango singer Edmundo Rivero in the late 1960s. Here the city’s finest tango dancers demonstrate their extraordinary skills in a small, atmospheric theatre, with excellent live music and singing from some the great names of tango. Highly recommended. There are plenty of good restaurants sprinkled through San Telmo, and lots of hostels are here too....
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