San Telmo and the Sunday antiques market

Phones for sale at the Sunday antiques market in San Telmo

One of the things I really wanted to do while in Buenos Aires was to visit the Sunday antiques market in San Telmo.

San Telmo is a little neighborhood just south of the Microcentro with narrow cobbled streets and old houses. For a while this was where the artists and bohemians lived, but these days most houses are filled with fancy shops and expatriates and you can definitely tell that this area lives on tourism. Despite being touristy it is still a really nice place to go for a walk, especially if you head away from the main street called Defensa and down the little side streets.

San Telmo corner

San Telmo street

There are quite a few museums in San Telmo, but I must admit that I didn’t visit any of them. I’m just not much of a museum person. On the two occasions I came to San Telmo I spent most of my time walking around the old streets looking at the colorful houses, old churches, the shops and all the stuff for sale at the Sunday antiques market.

The market spills onto Defensa

The Sunday antiques market takes place at the central Plaza Dorrego and spreads out onto Defensa where local artists sell souvenirs and crafts. You can pretty much find anything at that market:

Old siphon bottles

Various items for your horse

A new hat

And, when you get tired of shopping there is always a street performer you can watch.

The invisible man

The puppet-show

Tango street performance

I didn't buy anything. I was still on the first week of my trip and didn't want to have to carry anything extra around with me for four months. Now, looking back, there are a few things that I wished I had bought. I guess I just have to come back to Buenos Aires again...