The flea markets in Buenos Aires are unlike those in most capital cities. Argentina’s layered history — colonial, immigrant, European, proudly local — left behind an accumulation of objects that surfaces every weekend in San Telmo, Colegiales, and Palermo. The two main markets are the Feria de San Telmo and the Mercado de las Pulgas Dorrego. The first has run uninterruptedly since 1970 at the historic Plaza Dorrego. The second is a covered antique market open six days a week in the Colegiales neighbourhood. Beyond these two, a handful of smaller venues round out the picture for collectors willing to venture off the tourist circuit.
Feria de San Telmo — Plaza Dorrego
Every Sunday, 20,000 people converge on Plaza Dorrego in the heart of the San Telmo district for the Feria de San Telmo — officially the Feria de las Antigüedades y las Cosas Viejas de San Pedro Telmo. The market has operated without interruption since 1970. Its 270 booths are tightly curated: a prerequisite for any vendor is that items sold were produced before the 1970s. The result is a genuinely antique market, not a tourist bazaar dressed up as one.
The range is wide and consistently interesting. Stamps and coins from across the world, antique books, old musical instruments, glass, vintage jewelry and clothing, old furniture, and shawls all appear regularly. Tango dancers perform between the stalls throughout the morning. This feels less like a staged attraction and more like a natural extension of the neighbourhood’s character.
After the market, the bars and cafés of San Telmo are worth lingering in. The district is one of Buenos Aires’s most atmospheric. A Sunday there — market in the morning, lunch in one of the old bares notables — is one of the better ways to spend time in the city.
📍 Where: Plaza Dorrego, San Telmo, Buenos Aires
📅 When: Every Sunday morning
🌐 Web: feriadesantelmo.com
Mercado de las Pulgas Dorrego — Colegiales
The Mercado de las Pulgas — also known as the Mercado de Pulgas Dorrego — is a covered antique market in the Colegiales neighbourhood, on the border with Palermo Hollywood. Founded in 1988, it has been declared a Site of Cultural Interest by the Buenos Aires legislature. Over 160 permanent stalls fill a large warehouse, plus seven street-facing units on Calle Martínez. Together, they offer furniture, glassware, ceramics, chandeliers, lamps, paintings, vintage appliances, rugs, books, and decorative objects from across the 20th century.
The market went through a lengthy renovation between 2006 and 2011 and emerged more organized than before. Longtime visitors sometimes miss the old chaos — the unsorted piles, the unexpected finds buried under years of accumulated stock. What remains, however, is still considerable. With patience and a sharp eye, the Mercado de las Pulgas continues to reward. Murano glass, mid-century Scandinavian chairs, vintage lighting, porcelain, and quality furniture all surface regularly. Several stalls also offer restoration services for furniture and objects.
The neighbourhood around the market has grown up alongside it. Antique shops, design stores, bars and restaurants now cluster in the surrounding streets. As a result, the Mercado de las Pulgas has become the anchor of a broader antiques district worth spending a half-day in.
Notable Stalls at the Mercado de las Pulgas
A few stalls worth noting by name: Om Crystal (booth 86) specialises in 20th-century glassware — cups, pitchers, vases, cheese plates, candy bowls. Suam (booth 98) carries European, Asian, and Argentine crockery. Hector Diseño (booth 13) focuses on Scandinavian and North American furniture. Rincón Azul (booth 70) offers fittings, posters, and bronze pieces. Finally, The Peruvian (booth 136) deals in French chairs, primarily Louis XV.
📍 Where: Av. Dorrego 1620, at Álvarez Thomas, Colegiales, Buenos Aires
🚇 Subte: Línea B — station Dorrego
📅 When: Tuesday–Sunday
🕐 Hours: 11:00–19:00
🌐 Web: @elmercadodepulgas on Instagram
Other Markets in Buenos Aires
Beyond the two main markets, several smaller venues are worth knowing for collectors willing to explore the city’s outer neighbourhoods. Some focus on clothing; others on furniture. In either case, they require more effort to reach. Prices in this section are not quoted because peso values in Argentina shift rapidly — ask vendors directly and expect to negotiate.
Salvation Army — Pompeya
Off the tourist circuit in the Pompeya district, the Salvation Army store is worth the trip for clothing. The stock is secondhand but well curated — waterproof Perramus coats, vintage silk ties, dresses, and blankets turn up regularly at prices well below San Telmo.
📍 Where: 580 Av. Saenz, Pompeya
🕐 Hours: 09:00–12:00 and 14:00–17:45
Cotolengo Don Orione — Pompeya
Also in Pompeya, this charity resale store focuses on old and unrestored furniture — often with missing parts or still dusty from storage. It rewards patience considerably. Carved wooden chairs and antique beds have been reported at prices that would be impossible in San Telmo.
📍 Where: Cachi 566, Pompeya
🕐 Hours: Monday–Friday 08:00–17:00, Saturday 08:00–12:00
Feria del Anticuario de Acassuso
For antique enthusiasts, the Feria del Anticuario de Acassuso is a reliable find: glassware, crockery, furniture, lamps, books, and old cameras at competitive prices. It is held at the Acassuso train station on the Tren de la Costa line. Notably, it runs every Saturday, Sunday, and public holiday from 10am regardless of weather.
📍 Where: Perú and the river, Acassuso train station (Tren de la Costa)
📅 When: Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from 10:00
San Ramón Nonato Convent — Downtown
In the covered galleries of the San Ramón Nonato convent in the city centre, small antique and craft vendors operate alongside restaurants and bars. A green, quiet detour from central Buenos Aires with some unusual stock in the smaller stalls at the back of the gallery.
📍 Where: Reconquista 269, gallery of the convent San Ramón Nonato
🕐 Hours: Monday–Friday 08:00–17:00
Feria Plaza de Los Andes — Colegiales
Adjacent to the Mercado de las Pulgas, the Feria Plaza de los Andes occupies the square and Calle Concepción Arenal with secondhand clothing stalls. A natural complement to a Dorrego market visit — the square is a five-minute walk from the market entrance.
📍 Where: Plaza de los Andes, Dorrego and Corrientes (near metro station Dorrego, Línea B)
📅 When: Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays
Book Your Stay in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires rewards slow travel. The flea markets are spread across distinct neighbourhoods — San Telmo, Colegiales, Palermo — each worth exploring beyond the market itself. A central hotel puts you within easy reach of all of them, and gives you somewhere to leave your finds before heading back for a second look. Browse the map below for accommodation options across Buenos Aires.
FAQ: Flea Markets in Buenos Aires
What is the best flea market in Buenos Aires?
For antiques and atmosphere combined, the Feria de San Telmo at Plaza Dorrego on Sundays is the most complete experience: 270 curated antique booths, tango dancers, and the San Telmo neighbourhood to explore afterward. For a dedicated antique market open six days a week, however, the Mercado de las Pulgas Dorrego in Colegiales is the more practical choice.
When is the San Telmo flea market?
The Feria de San Telmo takes place every Sunday morning at Plaza Dorrego in the San Telmo district. It has run continuously since 1970. Arrive early — by midday the crowds are at their densest, and the best pieces have usually moved.
Is haggling expected at Buenos Aires flea markets?
Yes — at both the San Telmo market and the Mercado de las Pulgas, negotiating price is standard. Vendors generally expect it and often leave room in the initial asking price for a counter-offer. Moreover, a polite approach and some Spanish — even basic phrases — helps considerably.
What are the Mercado de las Pulgas Dorrego opening hours?
The Mercado de las Pulgas Dorrego is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11:00 to 19:00. It is closed on Mondays. The market is located at Av. Dorrego 1620, at the intersection with Álvarez Thomas, in the Colegiales neighbourhood. It is accessible by metro on Línea B, station Dorrego.