Feria de Mataderos

Preparing a trip to Feria de Mataderos means getting ready for a festival of sights, sounds, and tastes. Located on the city’s western edge, this street fair brings rural heritage right into the capital. Crowds do flock on sunny Sundays, eager for food, crafts, and traditional shows. Arrive with patience; the event is free, but some activities—like horseback shows or workshops—may gather lines. Most attractions are open-air, so visits depend on good weather. Getting there can take time, but catching this genuine slice of Argentine life is worth the effort.

• Best time to visit: Sundays between March and December, after 11 AM. Evenings grow lively with music and dancing.
• How to get there: Bus 55 direct from central Buenos Aires, or take a taxi (a 35–50 minute ride from downtown). Mataderos is not close to Metro lines.
• Accessibility: Most areas are wheelchair and stroller-friendly, but cobblestones may be tricky for some visitors.
• Average visit duration: Allow 3–4 hours to enjoy food, crafts, and performances.

Feria de Mataderos fills several blocks with color and life. The first thing many notice: rows of market stalls overflowing with handmade leather goods, silver jewelry, ponchos, and mate gourds. Artisans chat with shoppers about their crafts, happy to explain each tradition. Gauchos strut in from the Pampas for horseback games (corridas de sortija), sometimes letting children pet their horses afterwards. South of Avenida Lisandro de la Torre, a stage hosts folk dancers and musicians playing chacarera and zamba. Street food is everywhere, from sizzling choripán grills to sweet pastelitos fresh from the fryer. For those craving history, the Museo Criollo De Los Corrales reveals the neighborhood’s roots as the city’s old cattle market.

• Key sights or features: Artisanal craft market, gaucho horseback games, open-air folk music stage, Museo Criollo.
• Unique experiences: Dance a chacarera with locals, watch children’s puppet shows, or sample a regional empanada at a family-run tent.
• Photo-worthy locations: Horseback game arena, colorful handicraft stalls, dancers in full folkloric dress.
• Cultural or historical facts: Mataderos means "slaughterhouses"—the area once fed Buenos Aires before it became the home of urban folklore.