San Telmo and Mataderos Fair Tour in Buenos Aires

10:30 am: we all meet in the Tangol offices, located at the heart of San Telmo, and head to the Feria de Antigüedades de San Pedro Telmo (San Pedro Telmo Antique Fair). This fair has taken place every Sunday since 1970 in the Plaza Dorrego and Calle Defensa, areas which become pedestrianized especially for this traditional event each week. More than 10,000 people, many of whom are tourists from all around the world, flock to the 270 stalls each Sunday. From furniture to traditional Argentine gifts, antiques to clothes and leather produce: there’s nothing you can’t find here. Orchestras playing music for tango dancers in the streets, live statues and other street performers as well as the antiques themselves and the cultural value really make this Feria worth the visit.

Early in the morning, every Sunday since 1970, the San Pedro Telmo Antiques Fair begins to take shape on the pavement of Plaza Dorrego. More than 270 stalls are distributed around the square and on the Defensa street which becomes a pedestrian street only for this day. The fair receives about 10,000 visitors each Sunday and there is a high percentage of tourists from all around the world. At the fair, you can find almost anything you are looking for. From furniture and artifacts, to traditional Argentine crafts, clothing and leather goods.

We’ll continue on to the Mercado de San Telmo (San Telmo Market) for anyone who fancies grabbing some original and unique souvenirs.

12:30 pm: We’ll head over to the southwestern side of the city and the Feria de Mataderos. where you will visit one of the most important fairs in the city, and, incredibly, one of the least known. The Mataderos Fair has become a traditional weekend tour for those who want to connect with Argentine countryside traditions. Founded 30 years ago, this unique fair serves as a true celebration of ‘gaucho’ culture. It is made up of 3 main areas and a food court: Artesanías tradicionales, Festival Artístico and Destrezas Gauchescas. Each Sunday, different activities take place, with talks, workshops and exhibitions creating a unique and exciting atmosphere.

Craftsmen man over 300 stalls with traditional ‘gaucho’ products such as mate, llama and alpaca ponchos, musical instruments, leather products and silver jewelry.

As soon as we get to the fair, you’ll notice that it is rich in parrillas (grills) on which delicious meats and other typical meals are cooked. This tour includes a great lunch where you can try traditional foods such as empanadas.

Both crafts and regional foods (jams, liqueurs, cheeses and ‘alfajores’) can be bought at better prices than in the more central, touristy shops. Sometimes you’ll be able to watch horse races or even get involved in some tango classes!

After this, we will have some free time to visit the Museo Criollo de los Corrales. This rural-style museum gives us a glimpse of how the gauchos live in the pampas: their clothes, tools and other everyday objects. We’ll also see how Argentina became one of the world’s leading meat exporters: things like traditional knives, weapons, carts, animals and rural paintings are all on show.

05:00 pm: approximately 3 hours later we’ll arrive right back where we started - at the Tangol offices in San Telmo!