Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
fact, Jáchal's reputation as the Cuna de la Tradición (Cradle of Tradition) is celebrated
during November's Fiesta de la Tradición . Except during festival season, finding these
crafts is easier in San Juan.
Across from the main plaza the Iglesia San José , a national monument, houses the
Cristo Negro (Black Christ), or Señor de la Agonía (Lord of Agony), a grisly leather im-
age with articulated head and limbs, brought from Potosí in colonial times.
Jáchal's accommodation scene isn't what you'd call thriving, but the Hotel San Martín
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP ( 02647-420431; www.jachalhotelsanmartin.com ; Echegaray
387; s/d AR$195/275; ) , a few blocks from the plaza, does the job. It's not quite as
contemporary as it looks from the outside, but rooms are big and comfortable and the
bathrooms are modern.
La Taberna de Juan (San Martín s/n; mains AR$70-100; noon-11pm) is a bright and
cheery parrilla facing the plaza. Meat is the go here, but there's a range of pasta dishes
and salads, too. Set lunches are particularly good value.
There are several daily buses to San Juan (AR$55, three hours) from Jáchal's bus ter-
minal (cnr San Juan & Obispo Zapata) .
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
HUACO
Continuing north from San José de Jáchal on RN40, visitors pass through a beauti-
ful landscape that is rich with folkloric traditions and rarely seen by foreigners. East
of Jáchal RN40 climbs the precipitous Cuesta de Huaco, with a view of Los
Cauquenes dam, before arriving at Huaco, a sleepy village 36km from Jáchal
whose 200-year-old Viejo Molino (Old Mill) justifies the trip. Some visitors get cap-
tivated by Huaco's eerie landscape and middle-of-nowhere atmosphere. If you're
one of them, you can stay at Hostería Huaco ( 0264-460-0779;
www.hosteriahuaco.com.ar ; Calle La Paz s/n; s/d AR$225/275; ) , a beautifully set up little
hotel with great mountain views from the backyard pool.
One bus daily from Huaco heads to San Juan (AR$65, four hours), passing
though Jáchal (AR$23, one hour) on the way.
Backtracking to RN510 and heading westward, you pass through the town of
Rodeo and into the department of Iglesia, home of the precordillera thermal baths
of Pismanta. RN510 continues west to Chile via the lung-busting 4765m Paso del
Agua Negra (open summer only). South of Pismanta, RP436 returns to RN40 and
San Juan.
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