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Explore Caminito Street's Eccentric Outdoor Gallery
Published by Jason Hussong, Writer
Country: Argentina 
The Experience
The outdoor gallery of Caminito Street, Buenos Aires is an area reminiscent of the Italian city of Genoa, from which much of the population emigrated, with its brightly painted buildings. The La Boca barrio (neighbourhood) in which Caminito Street is nestled, emits a certain European air, as the people of Caminito have transformed it by brightening the housing projects and surrounding area with vivid colors, splashes of pastel, and other artworks all their own. The Caminito Street outdoor gallery is owned by the residents who created it and continue to develop the 100-meter-long street, named in homage to the popular 1926 tango song of Penalosa and Filiberto.
Gentle colors of red, yellow and green wrap the buildings around Caminito Street, and the Tango is openly danced. Cafes are stirred and casually sipped in local bistros, and a pleasant scene of a stream that flowed here not long ago is painted along the street almost to the point of cliché. The Caminito museum is a favorite spot among locals and tourists alike, as people come from all over to enjoy the bright atmosphere of the open-air museum tucked into the La Boca barrio.
Caminito Street really is a subtle rebellion against what was once a drab rail yard of a neighbourhood that is sometimes credited with developing the famous national dance in the neighbourhood clubs and brothels. In the 1950's with the rail line closed, neighbours Arturo Carrega and Benito Quinquela Martin wanted to revitalize their neighbourhood that was lost in the depths of a landfill. By the 1960’s they had the walls lining the abandoned street painted and a small stage erected. This later went on to be a theater house in the 1970’s as the street grew and developed as an outdoor work of art. But it was in 1959 that Caminito Street was officially inaugurated as an open sky museum, with the help of several other contributing artists.
Newly restored, vibrant and beautiful, the outdoor gallery of Caminito Street, at the crossroads of Garibaldi and Olavarría Streets, has left the days of yesterday to the past as the future looks so much brighter. Occasional national economic woes sometimes cause problems, but generally keep the exchange rates low and the area a popular destination for tourists. And because of that, Caminito Street is busy with the Portenos, what people of the port city of Buenos Aires are sometimes called, and tourists that flock to its streets to experience the art, dance and culture it is best known for.
Gentle colors of red, yellow and green wrap the buildings around Caminito Street, and the Tango is openly danced. Cafes are stirred and casually sipped in local bistros, and a pleasant scene of a stream that flowed here not long ago is painted along the street almost to the point of cliché. The Caminito museum is a favorite spot among locals and tourists alike, as people come from all over to enjoy the bright atmosphere of the open-air museum tucked into the La Boca barrio.
Caminito Street really is a subtle rebellion against what was once a drab rail yard of a neighbourhood that is sometimes credited with developing the famous national dance in the neighbourhood clubs and brothels. In the 1950's with the rail line closed, neighbours Arturo Carrega and Benito Quinquela Martin wanted to revitalize their neighbourhood that was lost in the depths of a landfill. By the 1960’s they had the walls lining the abandoned street painted and a small stage erected. This later went on to be a theater house in the 1970’s as the street grew and developed as an outdoor work of art. But it was in 1959 that Caminito Street was officially inaugurated as an open sky museum, with the help of several other contributing artists.
Newly restored, vibrant and beautiful, the outdoor gallery of Caminito Street, at the crossroads of Garibaldi and Olavarría Streets, has left the days of yesterday to the past as the future looks so much brighter. Occasional national economic woes sometimes cause problems, but generally keep the exchange rates low and the area a popular destination for tourists. And because of that, Caminito Street is busy with the Portenos, what people of the port city of Buenos Aires are sometimes called, and tourists that flock to its streets to experience the art, dance and culture it is best known for.
When to Go to Caminito Buenos Aires
Anytime is a great time to experience Caminito Street, Beunos Aires. The warmer summer months of November through January tend to experience more rainfall than the cooler winter months of June through August in Buenos Aires, but it's all enjoyable as there's lots to do and see, particularly on the weekends. In Caminito barrio, and the surrounding areas, there is a craft fair with tango dancing on both Saturday and Sunday.
Odds n' Ends
When in any large metropolitan area, Buenos Aires or otherwise, it's best to be mindful of the various kinds of street crime, like pick pockets, so you don't become a victim while on a great holiday. It's best to use common sense and be mindful of anything that seems problematic, particularly around the La Boca barrio.
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