San Telmo & Mataderos Fairs Tour

From our office, go to San Pedro Telmo Antique Fair. Since 1970, every Sunday the fair takes place in Plaza Dorrego and Defensa street which becomes a pedestrian street only for this day. About 10,000 people, many of whom are tourists from all around the world, visit every Sunday the 270 stalls located in this famous Fair. You can find almost everything from furniture to traditional Argentine crafts, antiques, clothing and leather goods. Enjoy tango orchestras with its dancers, living statues and other street performers who make this fair a great place to visit. We will also go to the "Mercado de San Telmo" (San Telmo Market), ideal for those travellers who want to buy souvenirs and see unique stores.

After two hours enjoying the charm of San Telmo Antique Fair, we will depart to the southwest part of the city, where Mataderos Fair has started 30 years ago, and still works successfully as a celebration of "gaucho" culture. It has 3 basic areas always present along with a food court: Traditional Crafts, Artistic Festivals and Gaucho Skills. Every Sunday, different activities take place such as presentations, exhibitions and workshops. Incredible artisans have over 300 stalls in the fair, selling traditional "gaucho" crafts such as mates, ponchos, blankets, musical instruments, leather goods and silver jewelry.

We will have some free time to visit the "Museo Criollo de los Corrales". This countryside-style museum gives us an idea of how the gauchos live in the pampas: clothing, tools and other everyday objects. It will also show us how the stockbreeding industry in Argentina develops until the country became one of the main exporters and a world leader in the meat industry. We will be able to see weapons, knives, carriages, animals and amazing painting.

You will surely notice as soon as you arrive to the Fair, that it is packed with "parrillas" (grills) in order to cook delicious meat cuts and other regional foods. The tour includes a great lunch in this place full of tasty food! Both handicrafts and regional foods (jams, liqueurs, cheeses and "alfajores") can be bought at better prices than in the touristy shops in the city.

The Fair represents a colorful combination of traditions, handicrafts, music, dancing and artwork. Also lectures, exhibitions, traditional games for kids and adults take place here. At Mataderos Fair, you can watch the locals and visitors do folk dances accompanied by live musicians... even tango and folk lessons are organized, feel free to join in! You will be amazed by the interesting demonstrations of gaucho skills and, on special occasions, horse races and concerts.

We will be back at the Office of Tangol around 5 pm