La Boca & San Telmo

These two barrios, south of the centre, are different in appearance but share much in common; history, character and the tango.

The traditional San Telmo barrio is characterised by leafy squares, tango dancers and old-style cafes. It is also home to a famous Sunday flea market, various renowned tango clubs and, somewhat surprisingly, a large Russian onion-domed church, overlooking a peaceful residential park.

La Boca is the barrio of 19th century Genoese immigrants and is famed for its brightly coloured houses. This idea originally arose from the poverty of the home dwellers who, not being able to afford paints, took whatever was left over from ship builders to decorate their houses, creating this vibrant mishmash of colours. Tradition still holds here, with local artists selling their work and tango dancers performing in the middle of streets. This neighbourhood is also home to the famous Boca Juniors football club.