Neighbourhood guide
San Telmo and Monserrat: cobbles, antiques and tango
The colonial streets of San Telmo, the Sunday fair on Defensa, the Mercado, the Museo Moderno and the tango houses of the old quarter.
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Banfield · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia CommonsSan Telmo is the oldest part of Buenos Aires after the Plaza de Mayo: cobbled streets, low colonial houses with patios, antique shops and the Plaza Dorrego, where tango dancers perform on Sundays. Monserrat, between it and the centre, holds the Cabildo and the oldest churches.
Sights
The Feria de San Telmo on Defensa, the Mercado de San Telmo, the Museo Moderno and the Parque Lezama.
Eating and drinking
Caseros (Bib Gourmand), El Querandí for a tango dinner show, and La Puerta Roja for a late drink.
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Liam Quinn from Canada · CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia CommonsCome on a Sunday for the fair, and return on a weekday to see the shops in peace.
Our advice: keep an eye on your bag at the Sunday fair, where the crowds are thickest.
Why it's on our list
- Sights
- Eating and drinking
What’s nearby
Distances from San Telmo and Monserrat: cobbles, antiques and tango are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 12 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Nearest Subte stations
- San JuanLine C600 m7 min walk
- IndependenciaLine C700 m9 min walk
- Independencia (C)Line C700 m9 min walk
Key sights
- San Telmo’s Plaza Dorrego200 mWalk 3 minCycle 1 minCar or taxi 6 min
- The Plaza de Mayo1.4 kmWalk 18 minCycle 7 minCar or taxi 10 min
- Puerto Madero1.7 kmWalk 21 minCycle 8 minCar or taxi 11 min
- The Teatro Colón2.4 kmWalk 30 minCycle 12 minCar or taxi 13 min
- The Recoleta Cemetery4.2 kmCycle 21 minCar or taxi 19 min
- The MALBA5.6 kmCycle 28 minCar or taxi 24 min
- Aeroparque7.8 kmCycle 39 minCar or taxi 31 min
- Ezeiza Airport27 kmCar or taxi 95 min