Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Around Tafí del Valle
A beautiful circular drive or cycle is a circuit of the valley (some 47km). Highlights in-
clude standout views and the Jesuit
estancia
, hotel and cheese factory of Las Carreras
(
Click here
)
(guided visits AR$15 including coffee; visit at 5pm to see the milking). At
pretty El Mollar, at the other end of the valley from Tafí, you can visit the
Parque de los
Menhires
(Plaza s/n, El Mollar; 9am-7pm Tue-Fri, 2-7pm Sat & Sun)
on the plaza, a
collection of more than 100 carved standing stones found in the surrounding area. They
were produced by the Tafí culture some 2000 years ago.
Tour companies in Tafí run mediocre excursions round this circuit (AR$200). If there's
more than one of you, a remise will do it for less. Aconquija buses head to El Mollar, and
also to Las Carreras. The final stop on the Las Carreras route is El Rincón, from where a
4km downhill walk will take you to El Mollar, allowing you to do the full valley circuit.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Santa María
03838 / POP 10,800 / ELEV 1900M
Actually within Catamarca province, this fine stopover between Tafí del Valle and Cafay-
ate, and is a handy base for the Quilmes ruins.
The attractive plaza, nine blocks north of the bus terminal, is the center of town. A
7am-11pm Mon-Fri, 8am-11pm Sat & Sun)
, with heroic opening hours, is located under the
trees in the square itself. On one corner of the plaza, the recommended
Museo Ar-
queológico Eric Boman
(cnr Belgrano & Sarmiento; 9am-1pm & 6-8pm Mon-Fri, 10am-1pm
& 6-8pm Sat)
has a worthwhile collection of ceramics and gold and silver grave
jewelry from this important archaeological zone. Ask to see the back room, where a
whole lot more elaborately decorated funerary urns are stored. Next door is an
artesanía
cooperative
, selling woven goods and other handicrafts at more-than-fair prices.
There are many places to stay in town, including welcoming
Residencial Pérez
(
420257; hotelperez@hotmail.com; San Martín 94; s/d AR$120/200)
, with spotless rooms set
around a viney courtyard behind a cafe near the plaza (no sign).
There are several buses daily to Tucumán (AR$113, five hours) via Tafí del Valle
(AR$55, two hours) and two daily to Cafayate (AR$43, two hours) via Quilmes. Several
buses and minibuses a week go to Belén (AR$70, four hours).
Remises
from the terminal
to the center cost AR$7.
