San Telmo ? :)

[Johnno]

Okay guys - a quick question for those of you living in (or who have lived in) San Telmo...

How did you find it ? Overall feedback and particular pros and cons would be good...

Myself and my lady (who is down there) have our hearts set on an apartment in this area - I know its very 'touristy' but overall what do people think ?

Any feedback at all would be great

Many thanks,

John

 

[MizzMarr]

I would never live in San Telmo again. It's very dirty, very touristy, and not terribly centrally located when considering other parts of the city. I was also robbed there. I do have several friends who live there and love it. It all depends on what you want.

 

[Johnno]

I guess I want convenience - I have some teaching hours in one university and its close to subway etc - but I want an overall feel of the place and what people think of it for living 'like a local' - I will be renting for at least 6 months before myself and my lady will be looking at buying an apartment...

 

[MizzMarr]

Where is the university where you'll be teaching? San Telmo is not "living like a local" for ME, and six months sounds like a long time! I only lived there for a month or so before moving elsewhere. I prefer the barrio Almagro for that "real barrio" feeling. Technically there are tons of places that are close to the subte, but it is convenient being down by Plaza de Mayo because that is where all the vertical lines in the city converge. Again, I am expressing personal preference. A lot of people love living in San Telmo. You could rent a temportary apartment there for 2-3 months or so and extend if you like it...

 

[Johnno]

The place I am going to rent will probably be for 6 months - after that I am hoping to have affairs settled back in Oz so I can get my money down there and buy - but getting an idea on this area (and others) now is probably a good thing - I'll be back down in only a few months and the only area I have really gotten to know is Recolata - and as my fiancee (from Moreno) has said to me "Recoleta is not really like anywhere else in Buenos Aires" lol

 

[sesamosinsal]

If you want non-touristy BA, I would recommend Caballito or a barrio that's farthest away from the city center.

San Telmo would not be my first choice. Mizz points out all of the reasons why. I'd have to echo her sentiments on being somewhere central.

If you're going to be teaching/working, I'd try to live in a place that's within walking distance, if I could. It's not fun when you happen to go to the Subway at 8 a.m. and find that the subways aren't running for whatever reason. Trying to take a colectivo (or a taxi) is a nightmare because everyone who can't get on the subway is trying to get on the colectivo/take a taxi. In other words, don't rely on public transportation, and for that reason I wouldn't live in a neighborhood where I had to rely on it.

ETA: I lived in Caballito in 2009, and it was an utter nightmare getting anywhere when the subway workers went on strike about two or three times...

 

[Zackdotcom]

I would never live in San Telmo again. It's very dirty, very touristy, and not terribly centrally located when considering other parts of the city. I was also robbed there. I do have several friends who live there and love it. It all depends on what you want.

Agreed its a dump!!!!

other than a great restaurant on Boliviar and the sunday market for stuff to send home i will never go there again...

 

[Liam3494]

Well far from me to disagree with greater minds, but I don't find San Telmo a dump at all - Far from it. There are some great restaurants, and not necessarily the ones that are quoted as being touristy... There are some good bars, a lot of locals drink in, as well as permanent ex-pats, as against tourists. I actually live further south of teh centre, in Avellaneda, but I socialise in San telmo, and have friends who live there, and love it.

Yes, there are tourists that go there, but if you have been in Recoleta, or god forbid, Palermo, then San Telmo is a haven ... Buenos Aires is a city where a lot of tourists come to visit, stay a while, and maybe move on, some stay. Ever area has its pluses and minuses, in my opinion, unlike some of the other posters, San Telmo is a great place to hang out, but each to their own I guess. Just wanted to put a little balance for you -

As some have said, commuting in rush hour can be a task, so maybe your priority should be proximity to where you will be working, but if you are heading away from the centre to work, the subte may not be as bad at 8 am.... Good luck....

 

[Zackdotcom]

John where are you coming from and what are your expectations? Maybe that will help us better answer your questions...

As for me I find only the Recoleta livable after my first month here... While I am in Microcentral specifically, I walk there for dinners and shopping and such regularly... I have found my time in San Telmo to be like the, "other side of the tracks" especially at night and around Peru and Independence (sp)... but I am new here and still getting acclimated to Paris with the thin sheen of Ensanada on top... during the day it fits it's tour book description of... an old part of town vacated by yellow fever where the old money moved out of and the tourists who stayed moved in...

I came from Portland Oregon and a very nice condo while cost of life here is cheap rentals are not... If she's here she should be the best gauge!

 

[MizzMarr]

It's interesting to see the way that perspective changes the more time one spends in the city. I've lived here for a few years now. When I first arrived I lived in Recoleta for the first month, felt safe there but bored. I remember being a bit nervous my first few times in San Telmo, and nervous again in Almagro, then nervous again in Caballito. I now feel completely comfortable in Caballito, loved living in Almagro, and wouldn't consider living in Recoleta again. Palermo/Barrio Norte/Recoleta are all good places to get your feet wet as a first time arrival, but most who decide to stay tend to move out of those barrios (well, except Palermo, which is huge and fairly diverse--people just migrate away from Pza. Serrano). Then again Barrio Norte has fantastic access to the parks, subte, and tren, so I wouldn't rule out living over there. I also wouldn't necessarily say Telmo is a dump, and there are plenty of areas that are quite charming. Additionally it has a lot of beautiful architecture, and some cool clubs and bars. *I* didn't enjoy living there, but several of my friends apparently do. I'm headed to San Telmo tonight for a birthday party, in fact.