Thing to do
Caminito
A 100-metre painted alley in La Boca, transformed by the artist Benito Quinquela Martín from a disused railway line into an open-air street museum.
Mercado de San Telmo
A covered market hall built in 1897 by Juan Antonio Buschiazzo, where butchers and greengrocers still trade beside antique dealers and two historic bars.
At a glance
- Type
- Historic covered market
- Area
- San Telmo, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Good to know
- Iron-and-glass market hall
- Fresh food stalls
- Antique dealers
- Two historic bars
Why we recommend it
The Mercado de San Telmo is a working neighbourhood market that also happens to be one of the most attractive 19th-century buildings in the old quarter. It was built for the entrepreneur Antonio Devoto by the architect Juan Antonio Buschiazzo, who also remodelled Recoleta Cemetery, and its central hall dates from 1897. Two wings were added in 1930, giving the market exits onto Defensa and Estados Unidos as well as its main entrance on the corner of Bolívar and Carlos Calvo.
From the street the building looks restrained, with an Italianate façade of round arches in the Tuscan order. The surprise is inside, where a roof of iron beams, metal panels and glass covers the hall and lets in daylight. It is worth stepping into the middle of the market simply to look up at the structure before you start browsing.
The market still serves local shoppers. Stalls sell fish, beef, chicken and pork, fruit and vegetables, and there are greengrocers and shops selling wine and spirits, so it is a good place to see everyday Buenos Aires food shopping. Antique dealers are concentrated in the two wings, which makes the market a natural extension of the Sunday antiques fair on Plaza Dorrego in the same neighbourhood. There is also a restaurant, and the building includes two of the city's Bares Notables, San Pedro Telmo and La Coruña, traditional cafés where you can stop for a coffee or a simple meal.
The market suits anyone who enjoys food markets, old buildings or browsing for curiosities, and it works for families as well as couples. Allow 45 minutes to an hour to walk through the main hall and the wings, more if you sit down for a drink. Bring cash for small purchases and keep an eye on your belongings when it is crowded, especially on Sundays when the fair draws large numbers to San Telmo.
There is no official website listing opening times, so plan to visit during the day, when the food stalls are trading. Combine it with a walk along Calle Defensa, the Feria de San Telmo on a Sunday, and lunch at a nearby parrilla such as La Brigada, or continue south towards La Boca and Caminito.
Mercado de San Telmo FAQs
When was the market built?
The central hall dates from 1897, and two wings were added in 1930.
Who designed it?
The architect Juan Antonio Buschiazzo, for the entrepreneur Antonio Devoto.
What can you buy there?
Fresh fish, meat, fruit and vegetables, wines and spirits, and antiques in the two wings.
Where is the entrance?
The main entrance is at the corner of Bolívar and Carlos Calvo, with wings opening onto Defensa and Estados Unidos.
Can you eat or drink there?
Yes. The market has a restaurant and two traditional cafés listed as Bares Notables, San Pedro Telmo and La Coruña.
How long should I allow?
About 45 minutes to an hour, more if you stop for a drink.
What is nearby?
The Sunday Feria de San Telmo on Plaza Dorrego and the antique shops of Calle Defensa.