San Telmo

San Telmo, Buenos Aires, west of Puerto Madero and north of La Boca, holds some of the old colonial mansions and wide avenues of Buenos Aires, making the neighborhood perfect for a relaxing walk—especially Sunday during the Feria de San Telmo (San Telmo Fair) on the beautiful Calle Defensa (Defense Street) where artisans sell original artwork, antiques, clothing, crafts, and souvenirs. Vendors also sell food such as home made cakes and freshly squeezed orange juice. Towards dusk during the summer, authentic tango dancers perform by donation in Plaza Dorrego. Along Calle Defensa, there are many authentic cafes, perfect places to relax and soak up that which is Buenos Aires. Museo Historico Nacional (National History Museum) brings visitors through history from Incan times to present day.  The Museo de Arte Moderno (Modern Art Museum), located in an old tobacco warehouse, showcases contemporary Argentine artists as well as seasonal exhibits. Many consider San Telmo to be one of the most charming neighborhoods of Buenos Aires. The rich lived in San Telmo during the mid-1800s until the yellow fever outbreak in 1871, causing wealthy residents to move to Recoleta. The turn of the century mansions with beautiful French influenced architecture still line the streets and today are mostly apartment buildings or bed and breakfasts. Some mansions are now art galleries, and there is a growing art scene also in San Telmo.  Other green properties were converted into parks, such as the Parque Lezama (Lezama Park) designed by Carlos Thays. After the rich left, many immigrants moved into the neighborhood. The Iglesia Ortodoxa Rusa (Russian Orthodox Church, http://www.iglesiarusa.org.ar/) exhibits the integration of cultures. Accommodations include (from least to most expensive) The Garden House (San Juan 1271, http://www.gardenhouseba.com.ar/), Lina's Tango Guesthouse (Estados Unidos 780, http://www.linatango.com/), and Mansion Dandi Royal (Piedras 922, http://www.mansiondandiroyal.com/). Restaurants include Aramburu (Salta 1050), Les Anciens Combattants (Santiago del Estero 1435), La Ventana (Balcarce 431), Caseros (Avenida Caseros 486), and Brasserie Petanque (Defensa 596).

The southernmost neighborhood situated along the Rio de la Plata, La Boca, was where most Italian and Spanish immigrants who worked in factories settled. La Boca is still one of Buenos Aires’ poorer neighborhoods. Originally, the immigrants lived in poor and simple houses with metal roofs and no money to buy paint. Inhabitants took local boat crew workers’ paint cans and splashed the paint onto their houses creating a multicolored neighborhood. This created El Caminito (“Little Path”), and today El Caminito has become the color infused streets on the front of many a Buenos Aires postcard. Lots of souvenir shops are along this street. The Fundacion Proa (Proa Foundation), located in La Boca, exhibits national and international contemporary art of all mediums in an open and airy space. The Museo de la Pasion Boquense (Boca Passion Museum) is a football museum, next to the Estadio de la Bombonera (Bombonera Stadium), with videos replaying famous matches and exhibits on famous Boca Junior team players such as Diego Maradona, Carlos Tevez, Martin Palermo, Juan Roman Riquelme, and Roberto “El Pato” Abbondanzieri (see Futbol section in Argentine Culture). To see a football match, one must buy tickets from the stadium the day of the game. Prices vary depending on the team Boca is playing and the seating section (http://www.bocajuniors.com.ar/). Restaurants include El Obrero (Agustin R. Caffarena 64), Il Matterello (Martín Rodríguez 517), and Don Carlos (Brandsen 699).  There are also countless restaurants along El Caminito. It is recommended for tourists not to stay in La Boca, as it is unsafe outside of the tourist area especially at night.

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