Humahuaca
Humahuaca is a traditional town from the XVI century, placed in the Quebrada de Humahuaca. It's near Rio Grande, in the middle if the mountains. Humahuaca, words used to name the whole region, takes its name from an ancient tribe. Until the XIX century it was one of the main commercial centres of the Alto Perú. It has narrow cobbled streets and low houses made of adobe that still keep their ancient shape.
The Carnival of Huma huaca lasts for eight days and is very popular in the country. In the Carnival people use masks, wear shiny costumes and play rites. There are a wide variety of museums with crafts, paintings and sculptures. Apart from all this, the area is famous for its mountainous landscape.
Purmamarca
In Quachua language Purmamarca means "town of the lion" and in Aimara language means "town of virginal earth". Pumamarca rises 2275 metres above the sea level and is encircled by the River Purmamarca in the north and by hillocks, forming a canyon, in the south. As it is placed at the base of the Cerro de los Siete Colores the place has a special charm.
The buildings were built in the XVII century; its urban layout was designed to surround the church, built in 1648. All the houses of the town have walls made of adobe and roofs are made of straw. Pre-Hispanic traditions prevailed, especially in celebrations. The cult of the Pachamama (Mother Earth), as well as some other rituals, still exists in Purmamarca. Music, played with typical instruments, is very important in this region. One of the most wonderful marvels of the area is in Purmamarca:
The Cerro de los Siete Colores ("Hill of the Seven Colours") that has sedimentary rocks of different colours -ochre, red, purple- and is placed behind the city in the Canyon of Purmamarca, a canyon that meets the Canyon of Humahuaca.
Tilcara
Tilcara was founded in 1586 and bears the name of the tribe that settled there many years ago. Unfotunately, we don't know much about the Tilcara people. Religiously speaking, Tilcara has always been connected with Huma huaca and Tumbaya. The Pucará de Tilcara (The Fortress of Tilcara) is testimony of an agricultural community that has the guts and the ability to defend themselves from the attack of the Incas and other tribes. Remainders of the past - pucarás, paintings- are scattered all around. It's important to visit the fortified town of Pucará and the Botanical Garden of Altura. It is also recommended to visit the ecological houses and the Graganta del Diablo (Throat of the Devil). This fortress was inhabited by Omahuacas, 900 years ago, but the Tilcara were the ones that built the pucará ("fortress") in an strategic area, 80 metres above Rio Grande.
Huacalera
Huacalera, 2642 metres above the sea level- has a church built in the XVIII century, which still has ancient images and pictures. The body of General Juan de Lavalle was buried there. A monolith marks the imaginary line of the Tropic of Capricorn. There's also a sundial.
Tumbaya
Tumbaya is a small town placed in the margins of Río Grande, in the Canyon of Humahuaca, where the Omaguacas lived. The Church was built in 1796, and in its interior there are many paintings depicting Jesus Christ apart from many works of art made by native artists. There is a feast day -September 24th- in honour of the Virgin. That very same day there's a fair, were local products are exhibited.
|
Tafí
del Valle
This villa is placed in the the mountains,
in the middle of a fantastic landscape and
keeps treasures of great cultural value.
Its name comes from the Diaguita word Taktillakta
("Town with Splendid Entrance").
Until 1943 -when the road that skirts around
the mountain was made- the only way to get
to Tafi del Valle was on mule-back.
Today it is the most important attraction
in Tucumán. Tafi del Valle is 107
km away from the capital city of Tucumán,
1,976 metres above the sea level. It is
the excellent combination of mountains and
rivers as well as a climate (the temperature
range is 26°c in summer and 16°C
in winter) what invites everyone to visit
the city.
Los Menhires Park
The park has lots of stone monoliths that
were created by the Tafi people, one of
the oldest groups to practice the art of
making pottery. The Tafi people lived i
this valley in the early days of our era.
Their main activity was agriculture; they
were llama farmers.
The original site of the menhires was the
valley, but they had to be moved upwards,
when La Angostura dike was forming, to prevent
them from being lost. There are more than
one hundred menhires of different shapes.
Some have carvings depicting felines or
human figures. Some still have remains of
the paint used. It is possible to see them
walking through paths that reach the top
of the hill.
Quilmes Ruins
This is a native settlement and the main
attraction of the Argentinian Northwest.
It's an impressive stepped citadel built
on the slope of the Alto del Rey hill, which,
for more than a century, successfully stood
the Spanish conquest. It's a real fortress
in the slope of the hill.
In 1664 the native Quilmes were defeated
and condemned to travel to Buenos Aires,
although just a few of them survived and
got to the area that bears their name nowadays.
The Quilmes people defended the citadel
throwing arrows, stones and boleadoras from
two high fortresses placed in the north
and south margins. They were imposed the
use of the Quechua language to the detriment
of the Kakan, language spoken in the Calchaquí
valley. 3000 people lived in the citadel.
The exterior walls were usedays causeways.
Cafayate
Cafayate, placed in the centre of the Calchaquí valleys in the province of Salta, is internationally known for the quality of its wines and its beauty. Undoubtedly, the charm of this important city is fully appreciated when walking its streets, admiring the matchless architecture of its Cathedral, the wooded and flowery square, the old stone mill, and the museums filled with history and tradition.
Nature is present in the outstanding waterfalls of River Colorado, in the inviting sunsets of Santa Teresita Hill, in the white sand of Los Médanos and in the unforgettable Cafayate Canyon o Río de las Conchas, with their peculiar shapes and colours. Cafayate has high-quality hotels, resorts, restaurants and cafeterias.
Cachi - Calchaqui Valleys
The nice town of Cachi is placed in the confluence of the rivers Cachi and Calchaquí, in a region of the Calchaquí Valleys surrounded by the hills and mountains of the Precordillera de los Andes. The Town, of predominant colonial style, has a central square surrounded by cobbled streets and whitened houses, with walls made of adobe and covered with lime and sand, rails made of wrought iron, and roofs made of cane and mud.
On both sides the streets have irrigation channels. In conquering times the region was inhabited by the Diaguitas. The Diaguitas were an agricultural tribe, pottery makers and metal workers. They also domesticated llamas. Even though they successfully stopped the invasion if the Incas for a while, in the year 1300 they were dominated by them. In spite of this, they were allowed to keep their own way of life. The word "cachi" comes from the Quechua language and means "salt". This makes us believe that, in pre-Hispanic times, there might have been a salt deposit in this place.
Salta
Hernando de Lerma, Tucuman's governor, founded the city of Salta, capital of the province, on April 16th, 1582. The city is usually called "Salta, la linda (Salta, the beauty)". It's a city of colonial style -white walls, red-tiled roofs and terraces with nice wells-. The landscape -mountains, valleys, canyons and the Puna- together with the flora and fauna protected by its National Parks, make of Salta a tourist region of excellence. One of the attractions Salta has is El Tren de las Nubes ("The Train of the Clouds") that offers an amazing trip, full of emotion, andayscends up to 4200 metres above the sea level. Surrounding the city there are several towns full of monuments and historical places, as well as ruins, testimony of the past. Salta has excellent hotels, gastronomy, casinos, museums and a market, among many other attractions |
