Buenos Aires is the capital city and the political, cultural, commercial and industrial centre of Argentina. Often called the “Paris of South America”, the culture of the capital is very European.

The best-known theatre in the city is the Teatro Colón, one of the most famous opera houses of the Western world, which was reopened in 2010 after extensive renovations. In addition to this theatre, however, there exists a huge theatre and musical scene in Buenos Aires. It is alleged that Buenos Aires has more theatre stages than any other city in the world.

Both Uruguay and Argentina claim to the birthplace of  the tango. In Buenos Aires it developed in the poorer suburbs, the Arrabales.

San Telmo is part of the "Sur", the south of the city, which is considered to the original core of Buenos Aires. The quarter lies on a line stretching between the former port in La Boca and historical city centre, the area of Microcentro today, and originated through the establishment of numerous retailers on this important route.

San Telmo is hugely influenced architecturally by old buildings from the 19^th century. New buildings mostly from the second half of the 20^th century, which largely influence other quarters like for example Palermo, are more uncommon here, because a large part of the quarter lies under a preservation order.

After a period of economic decline, San Telmo has increasingly developed itself, since the mid-1990s, as a tourism quarter. Among other things, numerous restaurants can be found with daily tango shows specifically for the tourists. On the Plaza Dorrego, located in the centre of the quarter, a large antiques market takes place every Sunday, the Feria de San Pedro Telmo. Other places of interest are the Parque Lezama (Lezama Park), the Museo de Arte Moderno Museum of Modern Art), the historical national museum of Argentina and the Casa Esteban de Luca, the former home of the poet of the first national anthem, which is protected today as a national monument.

While San Telmo itself has very few green spaces, like many of the inner-city quarters of Buenos Aires, to the east it borders the Reserva Ecológica (Ecological Reserve), the largest continuous green area of the city.