In the northeast of Argentina, in the Norte Grande region of Argentina, there is a city with a diversified economy based on mining, livestock, agriculture, industry, commerce and of course tourism. A city that occupies the 11th place of the provinces with the highest human development. It is a land formed by mountainous relief, which turns this place into an excellent place to practice mountaineering and adventure tourism. We are talking about Catamarca and in the tourist map of Catamarca we will present you the best options for when you visit these lands that receive a great amount of tourists per year, so the recreational activities in this place are endless, especially when it comes to contact with nature. Catamarca has good roads, a growing tourist plant and a diversified proposal of tourist attractions.
Tourist Map of Catamarca
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Catamarca reveals among its most important tourist attractions the snowy peaks of the Andean Cordillera best known as Seismiles or Route of the Seismiles and its chain of high altitude lakes that make up the highest aerial passage zone of the Andes and the second in the world after the Himalayas. It is an area with landscapes of great beauty, where many of its peaks were the scene of long pilgrimages and ceremonies carried out by the original Andean cultures who recognized this place as the home of the gods. In the map of the city we will present the most important places of Catamarca as well as the places to visit in the region. We will also include a hotel map of the city so that you can find the ideal option for these days of rest in this quiet city waiting to be discovered.
Belonging to the semi-arid region of Argentina, Catamarca has two types of climate, the warm and the arid. With a variable vegetation depending on the area of the city, having in the west of the province semi-desert or desert lands where you will find low bushes and some cactus, while in the humid areas you can observe a more leafy and abundant vegetation, so it is an ideal destination for the traveler who wants to go into the jungle and practice mountaineering activities.
Tourist Route of Catamarca
Follow the tourist guide of Catamarca that we present to you throughout this article and discover the places that are hidden in these Argentinean lands waiting to be explored, with rivers and streams that offer the traveler the possibility of practicing kayaking, sport fishing or simply swimming and enjoying the water and nature of this place. This city of great beauty that mixes the simplicity of the valleys and hills with the architecture of the cities is the ideal destination to commune with nature and make the most of the opportunities it offers. Catamarca is a perfect destination to be visited throughout the year, so don’t think twice and discover this wonderful place.
What to visit in Catamarca
San Fernando del Valle
This is the capital of Catamarca and still maintains its colonial red roofs and has only 4 main avenues, is a religious center that stands out for events such as the pilgrimage to the Virgin of the Valley, in addition to its renowned churches. With a great amount of places to visit in this small town we cannot leave out the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Valley, a temple of neoclassic style in pastel colors, that presents a main construction accompanied by two towers in whose domes it has bell tower and decorated in the end with crosses, the main entrance in form of arch is accompanied by 6 columns that altogether present a beautiful structure, when entering we found the sanctuary in marble that imposes itself protagonist of the sacred enclosure, definitively the place is worthy to be admired with tourists and locals.
Cuesta del Portezuelo
A 17 km road that connects the capital with other locations. Mined of viewpoints that allow to appreciate the glorious panoramic views of the area, it was begun to be built in 1933 and inaugurated in 1939. The road has approximately 300 curves, many of which have sharp, zigzagging turns. In some cases it is described as a bridle path, as a reference to its former condition as a road only suitable for horses, which did not allow the vehicular traffic it has today. The slope has a northeast-southeast direction and begins at an altitude of 500 meters above sea level, near the town of El Pozuelo and reaches at its highest point 1680 meters above sea level.
The Pirquitas
A quiet place where its brick façades embellish the landscape, where a 250-hectare lake borders the village presenting the tourist with the opportunity to practice activities such as water sports, fishing and walks along the coast. This is a tourist town that began its formation in 1960 as a result of the construction of its famous dam. This town has a population of only 740 inhabitants, who lead a quiet and peaceful life in contact with the nature of the area.
The Rodeo
This place is located at the mouth of the Sierras de Ambato, the site offers travelers houses, campsites and cabins where you can spend a weekend, and enjoy its streets that are named after flowers and trees in tribute to the vegetation of the area, with summer weather prevailing throughout the year. This place has several restaurants to delight the palate of visitors to the region, also offers the possibility of activities such as horseback riding, fishing, cycling and motocross.
Fiambalá
This town is located on the road that crosses to Chile, with old buildings of colonial style, this place has 14 natural pools of hot springs on the top of the mountain whose temperatures range from 30 ° C to 50 ° C, surrounded by a multicolored mountain, which invites visitors to forget the noise and stress of big cities to give way to the peace and tranquility that this place offers. The hot springs have waters classified as hyperthermal, silicate, weakly chlorinated, sulfated and alkaline bicarbonate. These waters are highly relaxing and sedative, offering the visitor a natural detoxification, releasing toxins, cleaning the tissues and improving health.
London
This small town was the first one founded by the Spaniards in Catamarca at the time of the conquest, that is why it was named after the great European city. This town has a curious urban configuration, with two squares and two churches, due to the division of the territory generated by the Hondo River, being “the ones from above” and “the ones from below”, it also has a very wide library, the city began to be built in 1490 and has a great amount of enclosures, stairs and paths of the urban center. It has a population of 2456 inhabitants that has shown a small progressive growth in recent years. In this town you can visit the old mining mill, the church of the Immaculate Conception and even some Inca buildings of great historical value in the area.
Ruins of Shincal
The ruins of Shincal occupy a total of 30 hectares where the remains of the original indigenous civilizations of the area are found. Although there are pre-Incan vestiges that indicate Shincal as a settlement occupied by the Paziocas in which vestiges of the Belen culture are found, the place gained importance after the Quechua invasion and during a period that goes from 1481 to 1536. It is one of the most important archeological sites in the Argentinean lands, and the rest of the Shincal is the archeological point that presents at present the biggest quantity of services to receive the tourists and to offer them a unique experience in contact with the Inca civilization.
Tinogasta
The name of Tinogasta in the indigenous Pazioca language means “Gathering of Peoples”, and it is at this point that several towns of Catamarca converged. Nowadays, it offers the possibility of developing agrotourism due to the large amount of fruit trees, vineyards, olive groves and farms that are present in the place. Besides, due to the fact that it is a mountainous area, it offers the traveler adventure tourism services such as trekking, mountaineering, horseback riding and photographic safaris, activities that will provide you with a spectacular contact with the landscapes of this place that will result in activities full of fun and adventure.
Villa Vil
A small region dedicated to the shearing of wild vicuñas, with a meticulous protocol due to the fact that the animal is in danger of extinction, so the activity must be done without exposing it to high levels of stress. In addition to the presence of hot springs and large waterfalls, this place is home to the Laguna Blanca Biosphere Reserve, which has an area of 973,270 hectares, whose center is a salt lake, surrounded by peaks. This region was called a reserve in 1979 in order to protect the vicuña from its imminent disappearance, while later in 1982 it was incorporated into the “Man and the Biosphere” program of UNESCO. At present, the reserve is open to sustainable active tourism, allowing the practice of ecotourism activities such as flora and fauna watching and photographic safaris. The Chaku is also practiced, which consists of the enclosure of the vicuñas in the wild, their shearing and subsequent release, an ancestral practice that allows for the sustainable management and legal obtaining of vicuña wool for the production of ponchos and blankets.
Map of Hotels in Catamarca
When you arrive to Catamarca city most of the accommodation options are in the capital city, San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca, in the hotel map of Catamarca you can find the ideal place to stay for a few days in this place, usually because Catamarca is a small town, they are usually simple hotels in the style of inns that resemble the life in the area, however we have found for you the Amerian Catamarca Park Hotel, a 4 star hotel with swimming pool, gym, restaurant and bar in the hotel, with all the luxuries of the big cities in this area of the world, it is a luxury building whose swimming pool is located on the roof where you can not only enjoy the water but also a spectacular view of the city. If instead you are looking for something more rustic that brings you closer to nature you can opt for renting a picturesque cabin in the friendly town of El Rodeo, where you will feel at home, definitely whatever option you choose we are sure that in Catamarca you will feel in communion with nature, freed from the tensions and stress offered by the big cities of the world, in this site you will definitely rediscover nature and live a revitalizing experience that will fill you with peace and tranquility.