Visiting San Telmo, Buenos Aires
The Place to Go For Food, Nightlife, Antiques and Tango!
Buenos Aires, Argentina, is divided up into neighborhoods, each worth a visit. San Telmo is the place to go for nightlife, tango, great food and shopping!
What is San Telmo?
San Telmo was traditionally a working-class neighborhood, and is one of the oldest areas in the city. The early architecture of Buenos Aires is better preserved in San Telmo than it is in some other districts. As the city moves into the twenty-first century, San Telmo is reinventing itself as a hip, fun bohemian district with something for everyone.
Tango Shows
Buenos Aires is the home of the tango, that sweeping, passionate dance. Ask anyone in San Telmo, and they’ll tell you that the dance was born there (although you’ll get the same answer in La Boca, Barracas and other districts of the city). The best way to experience tango is by taking classes or going to a tango show. Tango shows take place in special restaurants, where you pay one price for a meal and an unforgettable display of dance and music. The tango dancers are artists and athletes, and the shows are marvelous. San Telmo has several restaurants specializing in tango shows: one of the best is El Viejo Almacén (at the intersection of Balcarce and Independencia streets).
Shopping
What’s a trip without some shopping? San Telmo is where you’ll want to go for antiques and handicrafts. The main street, Calle Defensa, is lined with antique shops. There are literally dozens of them, selling every sort of antique imaginable, from shiny old brass locks to books to old gaucho knives. There are some antique stalls in the San Telmo market as well. The best time to go is on Sundays, when Plaza Dorrego, a small park and the heart of San Telmo, fills up with even more antique vendors and gets packed with locals and tourists alike. On Saturdays and Sundays, Calle Defensa also features people selling locally made handicrafts as well as a small army of street performers and musicians.
Nightlife and Restaurants
If there are two things that the people of Buenos Aires love, it’s good food and going out to party! San Telmo is a good place to find both. You’ll find several good restaurants scattered around the neighborhood, including the famous Desnivel (located at 858 Defensa street), a traditional Argentine steakhouse hugely popular with locals and visitors alike. The helpful waiters will assist you if you don't know the fine points of an Argentine steak feast! There are many bars in San Telmo as well, but be warned that the locals don’t tend to go out until midnight, and often stay out until dawn.
