The antiques market at Plaza Dorrego is already a classic among tourists visiting Buenos Aires!

For more than 35 years, 270 stands are set up every Sunday at 11AM, at the Plaza Dorrego (at the corner of Humberto Primo and Defensa street), where all kinds of merchandise representing a big part of Buenos Aires’s glorious past, are displayed.

The selection is varied and comprehensive, and a careful look at the goods will help you understand the multicultural background behind today’s Argentine culture. Elegant fans and scarves brought by Spanish immigrants escaping from the civil war, pottery brought from Germany and England, delicate Italian embroideries…and, of course, traditional elements of the “gaucho” culture are an integral part of the offer in San Telmo.

It is not easy to have a stand at the Feria in San Telmo. Each stand owner must undergo strict controls in order to ensure the quality of goods that are offered, and permissions must be renovated every 3 years. Even though the Feria’s popularity has notably grown over the years, the number of stands allowed to participate has remained fixed, so that the proper controls and the quality of the merchandise can be assured. When you get to talk to the stand owners, you will immediately notice how proud they are of being part of this traditional market.

A special mention deserves the stand of Juan Carlos Rojas, called Sifonazo, a classic at the Feria that is definitely worth a visit. There you will be able to find a broad collection of antique siphons, decorated with typical porteño art. In Argentina, wine is usually served with soda (sparkling water), and the siphon is an essential part of a well set table. Juan Carlos and his family share a passion for collecting these porteño siphons, which started back in the 1970s at the beginning of the Feria and his business is now operated by the third generation. If you are interested in bringing a piece of, very decorative, Buenos Aires culture back home, look for the Sifonazo stand in San Telmo.

San Telmo is also a Tango neighborhood, and this strong connection with the traditional Argentine dance is also very present every Sunday at the Feria. Most of the neighboring restaurants offer free tango shows during lunch time, which usually include dancers, singers and a small orchestra that help turning a simple lunch in quite an experience. But you actually don’t need to go into a restaurant to enjoy some authentic tango, street dancers and singers are all over the Plaza Dorrego!

Simply relax and enjoy a very porteño shopping day, dive into the wonderful pieces of Buenos Aires’s past accompanied by the melancholy and passion of tango.

The Feria in San Telmo is open every Sunday from 11 AM until 10PM and, although the stands are installed at the open air, the Feria is not canceled when it rains.

You can walk down Defensa St. from Plaza de Mayo, or take a 5 minutes cab to Plaza Dorrego.

Pamela Martinez is an specialist for international tourism to Argentina. Her website WonderfulArgentina.com was specially designed to help international tourists plan their trip to this beautiful country.