Shopping at Feria de San Telmo – things to do in Buenos Aires
Every Sunday the street Defensa is lined up with stalls beside stalls throughout the old porteño neighbourhood, San Telmo. It is time for the weekly Feria de San Telmo.
Ever since I was young and travelled to different countries with my mum, I have enjoyed visiting street markets. I recall that my mum and I when in Australia always looked in the guidebook for street markets and tried to fit in as many as possible.
So, when I arrived in Buenos Aires, I (of course) had to visit Feria de San Telmo.
Feria de San Telmo is probably one of the most colourful markets that I have ever visited. Take a look at the pictures below, and you will see what I mean!
What is Feria de San Telmo?
Feria de San Telmo, or the San Telmo market as it is called in English, is a Sunday market packed with handcrafts, antiques, second-hand… and everything in between.
No matter whether you are looking for a new pair of shoes, a souvenir to take with you home or a piece of chic antique you will be able to find it here.
However, the quality is in some cases questionable. For example, I just had to have the shoes in the picture above. They are adorable, aren’t they?
Well, being adorable or not, the sole didn’t last long! Now you are warned, in case you want to purchase something!
When to Visit Feria de San Telmo?
Feria de San Telmo takes place every Sunday from around 10 am until 6 pm. It starts by Plaza de Mayo, and runs all the way through the street Defensa ending at the square, Plaza Dorrego. At this square, you can usually find couples performing small tango sessions.
How to get to Feria de San Telmo?
If you are staying in other neighbourhoods of Buenos Aires, the easiest way is to take the subway (which in Buenos Aires is called el Subte, read more about phrases you should know before visiting Argentina here) to the stations:
- Catedral (the green D-line),
- Bolívar (the purple E-line), and
- Plaza de Mayo (the blue A-line).
Different buses can also take you there if you live far away from el Subte.
I usually just use Google maps to find my way around. However, the municipality of Buenos Aires has also established the website Como llego (e.g. How do I arrive) which helps find your way around the city.
Other points of interest near Feria de San Telmo
Casa Rosada
A perfect fit to do on the same day if you are visiting Buenos Aires with a tight schedule is to do the guided tour of the iconic Casa Rosada. The guide tours are only available on weekends and public holidays. You can’t miss this huge pink-painted mansion when you get off the Subte and make your way towards Feria de San Telmo, so why not take advance of being in the area on a weekend? But! Remember, that you have to book tickets for the Casa Rosada beforehand! Read more about Casa Rosada and its free tours here.
Museo de Arte Moderno de Buenos Aires
Located in opposite end of Defensa from Plaza de Mayo is Buenos Aires’ museum of modern art, Museo de Arte Moderno de Buenos Aires. Truth is that this is still on my list of things to try in Buenos Aires. However, it is differently worth keeping in mind if you are around and the portenño weather suddenly shows itself from its rainy side!
Did you visit Feria de San Telmo? What did you think? Or do you maybe want to vist? Share your thoughts and experiences below! I would love to hear what you think!
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6 Comments
Bente Hoffmann * Bentes rejser
I love Feria de San Telmo 🙂 Ikke så meget for at købe noget, men mere for at kigge mig omkring og se alle de skøre ting, de sælger. Nå ja, og fotografere dem 😀 Fine fotos du har skudt!
Rebecca
Jaa, kigge på skøre ting og på skøre mennesker! 😀 Mange tak, har jo lært lidt om sådan noget fra de bedste 😉
Daniela
Some of the things look as if they come from Peru, Bolivia or Ecuador (because of the colors). I work on Sundays but hope to make it to San Telmo on one of my two Sundays in BA. Something else: I may be blind but I don’t see a contact form on your blog. Could you send me a friendship request on FB, please: https://facebook.com/nuriayasmin70. I know that I could contact you via Instagram but I hate to write on my mobile phone. Well, and it would really be lovely to meet and chat a little – en inglés o en español.
Rebecca
Yeah, the northern part of Argentina has a lot of the same colors and motives as known from Bolivia, Peru etc. You should for sure see whether you could manage just a few hours to check out the San Telmo market. Again, if you have been to markets in the other countries, this might just be a repetition in some way.
Haha, no, you were no blind! It was missing! Now I have updated the contact form and PM you on FB! Let’s figure someting in BA for sure!
Serene
Dear Becci , do you happen to remember how much was the bag on cover photo and if it had a long cross-over strap? 😛
Rebecca
Dear Serene,
They are cute, right? 😉 No, so so sorry but I can’t remember either of it… 🙁 Are you planning a visit to Buenos Aires?