One of the pleasures of Buenos Aires is its open-air markets (called markets, fairs, or ferias), many of which combine shopping with entertainment. The bargains you'll find are often accompanied by the wonderful, romantic sounds and sights of tango dancers putting on a show. I've listed below just a few of the many open-air markets you can find all over the city.
The San Telmo Antiques Fair, which takes place every Sunday from 10am to 5pm at Plaza Dorrego, is a vibrant, colorful experience that will delight even the most jaded traveler. As street vendors sell their heirlooms, singers and dancers move amid the crowd to tango music. Among the 270-plus vendor stands, you will find antique silversmith objects, porcelain, crystal, and other antiques. It's especially famous for tango performances that can go on into the late evening, even if most of the vendors themselves close up at 5pm. The star of the show is a dark, handsome dancer known as "El Indio," and you'll see his photos on sale throughout the city at other markets. I highly recommend this fair as a not-to-be-missed sight while in Buenos Aires. Schedule a Sunday in San Telmo when planning your Buenos Aires trip.
Head to Cabildo Patio Feria when doing sightseeing in the Plaza de Mayo area. This fair is held on Thursday and Friday from 11am to 6pm in the small garden patio behind the Cabildo, or old city hall. You'll find lots of locally made crafts here, especially pottery, stained glass, and jewelry.
Friday to Sunday from 11am to 6pm, the Madres hold the Feria de Madres de Plaza de Mayo fair in front of their headquarters overlooking Plaza Congreso. Children will also like coming here, since it is next to the part of the park with the merry-go-round and other rides. The fair has antiques, crafts, food, and a few interesting book vendors. Sometimes there is also live music. This is among the most casual and least touristy of all of the fairs, so it offers an interesting chance to chat with locals while supporting a good cause.
The La Boca Fair is open every day from 10am to 6pm or sundown on the Caminito, the pedestrianized and art-filled thoroughfare in the heart of this neighborhood. It's the most touristy of all the fairs, and most of the items are terribly overpriced. Still, if you need tacky souvenirs in a hurry, you'll quickly get it all done here. Besides, tango singers and other street performers will keep your mind off the inflated prices. Plans are in place to improve safety in La Boca by 2008 -- but until then, when the vendors start leaving at the end of the day, you should too.
Plaza Serrano Fair is at the small plaza at the intersection of Calle Serrano and Honduras, which forms the heart of Palermo Hollywood. Bohemian arts and crafts are sold here while dread-headed locals sing and play guitars. Officially, the fair is held Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 6pm, but impromptu vendors will also set up at night when the restaurants are crowded. Those very same restaurants will fold up their tables in the afternoon and fill with clothing racks for young designers who cannot afford their own boutiques. It's definitely worth a shopping visit. Plaza Serrano is also sometimes called by its official name, Plazaleto Jorge Cortazar.
Recoleta Fair (aka Feria de Plaza Francia), which takes place Saturday and Sunday in front of Recoleta Cemetery from 10am until sunset, offers every imaginable souvenir and type of craft, in addition to food. This has become one of the city's largest fairs, completely taking over all the walkways and then some in the area, and even the Iglesia Pilar, Recoleta Cemetery's church, gets involved by setting up tables of postcards and religious souvenirs in its courtyard. Live bands sometimes play on whatever part of the hill is left vacant by vendors. Officially, the fair is only on weekends, but you will find vendors selling here every day (though they are technically violating the city's vending licenses by doing so). If the police get bored and feel like enforcing the law, you'll sometimes see arguments between them and the vendors. But don't worry; it's just one more part of the entertainment of the fair when this happens.
