Street fairs and markets are a popular weekend activity here in Buenos Aires. In almost every plaza, artisans, tourists and locals come together to buy and sell crafts and jewelry. However, none compare to the biggest and best: the San Telmo Sunday market.
The San Telmo Sunday market (10-5) is interesting, fun, and exciting and one of the best things you can do as a tourist here. Cultural flavor, tango, art, music, and European abound in this weekly event that draws tourists and locals alike. Plaza Dorrega in San Telmo is normally an empty square occupied by pigeons and cafe tables, but on Sundays it turns in to the best street fair in Buenos Aires. The entire square is filled with rows upon rows of antique dealers who set up their stands and sell everything you could think of: tea sets, platters, silverware, art, endless objects in brass and silver, jewelry, photography, tiles, ancient locks and keys, clothing, leather, ancient photography and machine equipment, and knick knacks. Food vendors sells roasted and sugared nuts, fresh squeezed orange juice and warm sandwiches while tango experts and locals practising dance in a open square. Tango music floods the atmosphere and cafes enticine you with the lure of hot drinks in winter, ice cold drinks in the summer heat, lunch specials and tango shows.
It all continues as you take calle Dorrego up toward Rayuela Hostel on Avenue Belgrano. The street is lined with hundreds of artisans selling creative arts and crafts, dancing tango, grubby hippies selling clothing, art and granola, antique jewelry stands filled with both junk and rarely a few precious pieces, vendors selling warm pannini or meat, guitarists and pianists playing in the street, exhorbitantly expensive antique shops and hip clothing stores, funky wire creatures, printed t-shirts, leather in every form possible, mates, shoes, slippers, scarves...and on and on. It's a must do for anyone visiting Buenos Aires!