Sierras de Córdoba: Argentina's Mountain Playground
The Sierras de Córdoba — the mountain range stretching west and south of Córdoba city — are Argentina's most visited natural area after Patagonia; the green hills, clear rivers, colonial Jesuit estancias, and mountain villages draw millions of Argentine holidaymakers
- 1
Villa Carlos Paz
Villa Carlos Paz — the largest resort in the Sierras, on the shores of the San Roque Reservoir — is Argentina's most popular domestic tourist destination after Buenos Aires and Mar del Plata; the city's casinos, theaters and promenade draw millions of Argentine families; the resort's popularity is a window into middle-class Argentine holiday culture
- 2
Jesuit Estancias
The five Jesuit estancias in the Córdoba region (UNESCO World Heritage) – Alta Gracia, Jesús María, Santa Catalina, La Candelaria and Caroya – were the productive agricultural estates that financed the Jesuit schools and university in the city of Córdoba; the estancias are remarkably well preserved and provide the most complete picture of the Jesuit colonial economy in the Americas
- 3
Alta Gracia and Che Guevara
Alta Gracia — the historic town at the foot of the Sierras, 35 km from Córdoba — has the region's finest Jesuit estancia and childhood home of Ernesto 'Che' Guevara; Museo Casa del Che, in the house where Guevara grew up, is one of the most visited places in the Argentine hinterland
- 4
Hiking in the Sierras
The Sierras de Córdoba has an extensive network of hiking trails - through the Quebrada del Condorito National Park (where Andean condors soar), Cerro Champaquí (2,884 m, the highest peak in the mountain range) and the Calamuchita and Traslasierra river valleys; hiking is available from Córdoba city within an hour's drive
- 5
River swimming culture
The mountain rivers of the Sierras—particularly the Río San Antonio, Río Mina Clavero, and Río Cosquín—have clear, cold water that collects in natural swimming holes; the Argentinian tradition of río (river swimming) in the Sierras is a quintessential summer holiday experience; the combination of hot dry Sierra weather and cold mountain water is irresistible
- 6
Paragliding from the Sierras
The Sierras de Córdoba – with its consistent thermal conditions and its proximity to a large urban population – are one of Argentina's most popular paragliding destinations; the launch sites at La Cumbre and Cruz Chica offer tandem flights for beginners and solo flights for experienced paragliders over the green Sierra valleys