Thing to do
Feria de San Telmo
The Sunday antiques fair on Plaza Dorrego, started in 1970 to revive San Telmo and now spreading to more than 200 stalls of old objects and…
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.
At a glance
- Type
- Street museum and painted alley
- Area
- La Boca, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Good to know
- Open-air
- Free to walk
- Street art
Why we recommend it
Caminito is the most photographed street in La Boca and the image many people have of Buenos Aires before they arrive: a short pedestrian alley lined with walls painted in bright colours. Its name means little path, and it is barely 100 metres long, running from the corner of Garibaldi and Araoz de Lamadrid at one end to Magallanes and Del Valle Iberlucea at the other, but it packs in a great deal of the city's history and folklore.
The route was once a small stream that flowed into the Riachuelo river. Because a small bridge crossed it, the spot became known as the Puntin, a Genoese word for bridge. When the stream dried up, the tracks of the Ferrocarril Buenos Aires y Puerto de la Ensenada were laid along it, and disused rails can still be seen at the Garibaldi end. After the railway closed in 1954, the strip became a rubbish-strewn eyesore.
Its transformation was the work of Benito Quinquela Martín, who lived nearby. Over about three years he had the walls facing the street prepared and painted in pastel colours, turning the alley into an open-air street museum. By 1960 there was a stage at the southern end, and a small theatre later replaced it in 1972. The street had already given its name to the tango Caminito, composed in 1926 by Quinquela's friend Juan de Dios Filiberto, which helps explain why the alley became a symbol of the neighbourhood.
Today Caminito is a lively stop for photographs and street art, and the small theatre and the painted walls keep Quinquela's idea of art for everyone in the street alive. It suits first-time visitors and families, and it works well as part of a half-day in La Boca rather than as a destination on its own: half an hour is enough for the alley itself. Go during the day, when the area is busiest, and keep to the main tourist streets, keeping an eye on bags and phones as you would in any crowded sightseeing spot.
Caminito is in La Boca, near the Riachuelo. Combine it with the Feria de San Telmo on a Sunday, or with lunch in the neighbourhood: the traditional bodegón El Obrero is in the same district.
Caminito FAQs
How long is Caminito?
About 100 metres, running between Garibaldi and Magallanes streets in La Boca.
Why is it painted in bright colours?
The artist Benito Quinquela Martín had the walls painted in pastel colours, turning a disused railway strip into an open-air street museum.
Is it free to visit?
Yes, Caminito is a public street and walking it costs nothing.
How long should I spend there?
About half an hour for the alley itself, or half a day if you explore more of La Boca.
What is the link with tango?
The alley inspired the 1926 tango Caminito, composed by Juan de Dios Filiberto, a friend of Quinquela Martín.
When is the best time to go?
During the day, when the street is at its busiest; stick to the main tourist streets and keep valuables secure.
What was there before?
A stream that ran into the Riachuelo and, later, a railway line that closed in 1954.