San Telmo Market Buenos Aires: What Can You See?

The San Telmo Market in Buenos Aires is easily the best market in the entire country and is the best place to buy souvenirs to take home.

If you ever find yourself in Buenos Aires for a few days, make sure your time falls over a weekend. The Sunday San Telmo Market in Buenos Aires is the best representation of the capital city and Argentine culture.

The energy of a Sunday in San Telmo is unmatched. You can enjoy drumming down the street, handmade goods, fresh juice, and live tango on the cobblestone side streets and in the plazas. You can hear music and laughs coming from every corner.

If you want to bring some keepsakes home to your friends and family, the San Telmo Market is the best place to find what you need. In this blog post, I’ll explain everything you need to know about the best Sunday market in the city.

Short on time? Quick Details about the Sunday Market:

• Time: 10 am to 6 pm.
• Location: Along Calle Defensa, from Plaza de Mayo to Parque Lezama.
• What to buy: mate cups & straws, jewelry, art, knives, antiques, magnets, etc.
• Best place for lunch: Mercado San Telmo or Parrilla Lomo
• Where to see tango: Plaza Dorrego
• Money: Cash is mostly king but several places accept cards.
• Footwear: Wear something comfortable because the cobblestone is not even.

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San Telmo Market Buenos Aires

The Buenos Aires San Telmo Market is a great place to spend a Sunday in the city. It is one of the best markets in Buenos Aires. You could easily spend hours wandering the streets, checking out all the handmade goods, and sampling the local foods.

In this post, you can learn about what to buy, where to eat, and where to see tango in the Bohemian San Telmo neighborhood.

San Telmo Market Basics

The Feria San Telmo is so large that I like to think of it in 4 parts:

• The tents along Calle Defensa (between Plaza de Mayo and Av. Independencia)
• The Mercado San Telmo (Indoor mercado)
• Plaza Dorrego
• The tents along Calle Defensa from Plaza Dorrego to Parque Lezama

There are hundreds of market stalls in these areas and you can shop to your heart’s delight. It can get very crowded, so be prepared to be surrounded by many people. Keep your phone and money in a fanny pack across the front of your chest.

If it is a drizzle, the vendors will still set up their tents but don’t count on it if it’s fully raining.

Where is San Telmo (the neighborhood)?

The San Telmo neighborhood is located on the southeastern edge of Buenos Aires, just south of Plaza de Mayo. It is considered to be a Bohemian or “hippie” area of the city. Most of the streets in the center of San Telmo are covered with cobblestones. It is also known for its many antique shops.

Where is the San Telmo Market?

The San Telmo market goes all along Calle Defensa, starting at Plaza de Mayo and ending at Parque Lezama. That said, you can find most of the vendors between Av. Hipólito Yrigoyen and Avenida Independencia.

Feria San Telmo Map

What day is the San Telmo Market?

The San Telmo market occurs every Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm. However, the Sunday market is a full-day experience. Once the sun starts to go down, the drummers come out. You’ll find big crowds moving around the street, laughing, dancing, and drinking, following the drumming from street to street.

If you don’t want to follow the drum beats, you can always watch tango in Plaza Dorrego with the crowds. The surrounding bars will also be full of folks enjoying a Sunday evening beer and empanada.

What is the best time to go to the market?

The busiest time of the market is during the lunch hours, about 1 pm – 3 pm, especially inside the covered market section. You can find street performers all day long, however. If it’s a nice day, you’ll see tango dancers on side streets dancing on top of cardboard. A lot is going on between 11 am and 4 pm.

If you want to avoid the crowds, the best times to go are at the start (10 am) or the end (5 pm) of the market hours. However, not all vendors may be there if you go too early or too late. You can also head over to one of the streets parallel to Calle Defensa if you want a break from the crowds.

What to buy at the Sunday Market

There are so many fantastic items that you can find at the San Telmo Sunday market. Every time I go to the feria, I’m blown away by the creativity of the local Argentines.

Sunglasses

Okay so these sunglasses are not handmade, but they are fun. There is usually a man with a board of sunglasses on each corner, and they’re very affordable. I bought a pair for $2 a couple of years ago, and I’m constantly getting compliments on them. When I went to the market recently, the average price was about $6.

Mate and Bombilla

If you come to Argentina, you will see everyone drinking yerba mate, the country’s national drink. It’s a highly caffeinated loose-leaf tea. The herbs go inside a mate cup and then you pour hot water on top. You drink the mate through a metal straw (bombilla) with a filter. Never stir the mate. The straw stays in one place.

There are dozens of market stands where you can find mate cups and straws. Some are plastic, some are metal, and others are made from gourds.

Antiques

San Telmo is famous for its antiques. There are antique shops all along Calle Defensa, on the outer edges of the Mercado San Telmo, and scattered around the rest of the neighborhood. On Sundays in San Telmo, the antique stands are mostly concentrated within Plaza Dorrego.

Clothing

There are dozens of options for clothing in the San Telmo Market, and they are all very unique and creative. You can find baby clothes, tie-dye, prints, knits, concert T’s, etc. Two years ago I bought a bright yellow cardigan with beautiful fabric along the edges and I still love it.

Socks and Shoes

There are several stalls with various types of shoes. The most common shoe is what you might know as a Tom’s. However, these were popular in Argentina long before Tom saw them and created an empire. You can also find shoes with interesting fabrics sewn into the sides. And of course, you can find all the Messi socks your heart desires.

Jewelry

One of the most consistent types of stalls you’ll find is for jewelry. There are earrings, necklaces, bracelets, etc. all with their own unique style. The rodocristo (Rhodochrosite) is the reddish/pinkish national stone of Argentina that you will see everywhere.

Toys

There are so many cute toys, dolls, and musical instruments in this market. My sister found my nieces the cutest little things here when she visited. It will not be difficult to find great gifts for the little ones in your life.

Art and Paintings

There are so many creative people in Argentina, and it really shows as you walk around the market. The work is unique and impressive. You can find fantastic works to hang up on your walls to remind you of your trip to Buenos Aires.

Homegoods

You can also find tons of items to decorate all the rooms of your home from ceramic pottery to woven pot holders and wooden spoons. When my family came, they loaded up on unique magnets and coasters. If you are on a mission for home goods and have a little more time, you should head to the Puerto de Frutos in Tigre, where they have excellent prices on items for the home.

Leather Goods and knives

Argentina is famous for its steak and leather. Villa Crespo may be the neighborhood with the most leather shops, but you have a ton of options here at the San Telmo Market as well. You can find leather belts, bags, and holders for hand-carved knives. There are dozens of market stalls selling knives.

What to do in San Telmo Buenos Aires

Beyond the Sunday San Telmo market, there are a lot of other great options for things to do in this area of Buenos Aires.

Visit Museums

San Telmo has some of the best museums in the city:

• Zanjón de Granados
• Cabildo (in the Plaza de Mayo)
• Museo Histórico Nacional (in Parque Lezama)
• Museo Moderno (on Av. San Juan)
• Túneles – Manzana de las luces (on Calle Peru)
• Puppet Museum (Museo Argentino del Títere, on Calle Estados Unidos)

Go Shopping

Whether you come to San Telmo on a Sunday or not, you can still find a lot of great shops. There are art stores, antique stores, and fantastic vintage shops.

Wander the streets

There is a lot to find around the streets of San Telmo. Most notably, you can find several statues of the characters of the old Argentina cartoon called Mafalda. You can also search for La Casa Minima, which is the thinnest apartment in Buenos Aires. You can go inside the Casa Minima as an add-on to the Zanjón de Granados tour.

Where to eat in San Telmo Buenos Aires

There are a ton of great eateries spread out around the neighborhood.

Mercado San Telmo

Inside the Mercado San Telmo, you can find dozens of restaurants. Some are local pasta, parrilla, or empanada places. Some are French or Japanese or Mexican. There is something for everyone.

The most popular parrilla restaurant inside the indoor market is called Hierro Parrilla. Two years ago, you could a steak and a glass of wine for $10. When I went in 2024, that same steak cost the equivalent of $60, which I found absolutely shocking. Instead of eating there, I went down the street to a more local parrilla called Parrilla Bar Polo.

Bares Notables

You can find Bares Notables all around Buenos Aires. They are traditional cafes from decades ago, and they still retain that original flair, using the same decorations and meat cutters as before. In San Telmo, you can find Bar El Federal, La Poesia, El Hipopótamo, and Bar Britanico.

Hierbabuena

Hierbabuena is a trendy vegetarian restaurant near Parque Lezama with adorable decorations, cute indoor design, and outdoor seating.

Atis Bar

Atis Bar was once a monastery and later a home for immigrants. Now it is a massive restaurant with hundreds of plants inside. From the outside, you would never guess how big it is inside. It gets very busy during Argentine dining hours. Go for an early lunch or dinner to avoid waiting in long lines.

Travel Insurance for Traveling in Argentina

It is definitely a good idea to get travel insurance when you go to Argentina. You never know what could happen. My phone was stolen in Buenos Aires, and unfortunately, I didn’t have insurance on it at that time. For my personal health, I use SafetyWing.

I use SafetyWing, which is great travel medical insurance created by nomads for nomads. You can sign up for as many days as you need, and cancel whenever you want. They have particularly good prices, especially for those under 40 years old. Check them out here.

Best Time To Visit Buenos Aires

I always suggest visiting Argentina in the shoulder seasons (fall and spring) to avoid the big crowds and higher prices. January and February are the hottest months. Many families go on holiday in January, which means that lots of businesses close down for several weeks.

July and August are the coldest months, which means you won’t get to fully enjoy all of the outdoor activities that Buenos Aires has to offer.

In October and November (spring), the purple flowers start to bloom around the city. The weather is gorgeous and it is not quite full-on tourist season yet. I think this is the best time to visit.

Getting Around Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires has amazing public transportation. Get yourself a blue Sube Card at a kiosco, load it with some cash, and then you can ride the subte (metro), buses (colectivos), and trains. Google Maps works really well here for finding the timetables and planning your strategy to move around the city.

You can also use ridesharing apps such as Uber, Didi, and BA Taxi. Uber and Didi both offer a moto-taxi option as well, which is more affordable.

Where to Stay in San Telmo

If you want to stay right near the action in San Telmo, check out these locations.

Casona en San Telmo

This is a private apartment in the center of San Telmo. The apartment has wifi, a terrace, and a fully equipped kitchen.

STAY HERE in this fully equipped private apartment in San Telmo

San Telmo Suites

The rooms here are modern, in a renovated historical building. You can easily walk to the market and the Plaza de Mayo from here.

Stay in a renovated historical building in the heart of San Telmo, BOOK NOW

Pasaje Solar

This accommodation feels like a private home with a fully equipped kitchen and a beautiful garden. It’s in a perfect location, just two blocks from Plaza Dorrego.

BOOK NOW to stay close to the action in San Telmo

Final Thoughts on the San Telmo Market Buenos Aires

Visiting the San Telmo Market is one of the best things to do in Buenos Aires and should be added to your Buenos Aires itinerary. Here you can find the pulsing heart of the city as you find great handmade souvenirs from local Porteños, eat at a parrilla, watch the tango dancers in the street, and hunt for antiques.

San Telmo has something for everyone. Visiting San Telmo during the week will be much quieter and offer a different experience. But to really find what brings the neighborhood alive, you need to visit the Feria San Telmo on a Sunday.

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