Two to Tango: A San Telmo Self Guided Walking Tour

Overview

San Telmo is the oldest neighbourhood in Buenos Aires, and its cobblestone streets hold enough history to fill several lifetimes. On this self-guided walking tour, you'll trace how sailors, slaves, immigrants, and tango singers turned a muddy colonial outpost into the soul of the city. You'll also discover how a yellow fever epidemic, two British invasions, and millions of Italian immigrants each left their mark on this single neighbourhood. The tour starts at Basílica de San Francisco, where a time capsule is hidden inside a stone statue on the facade. From there, you'll walk south along Defensa Street, passing the oldest pharmacy in Buenos Aires and the spot where residents repelled two British invasions from rooftops using stones and boiling water. You'll also hear how that resistance helped spark Argentina's independence movement, and why the street you're walking is named after those events.