Things to do in Chilecito
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El Rancho de Ferrito
Seven blocks from the plaza, this inviting local restaurant is worth every step. You’ve seen the menu before – except for house specialties such as cazuela de gallina (chicken stew: yum), and local wines – but the quality, price and atmosphere make it truly excellent.
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Museo del Cablecarril
The fascinating Museo del Cablecarril and cablecar station documents an extraordinary engineering project that gave birth to the town of Chilecito at the beginning of the 20th century. To enable the mining of gold, silver and copper from the Sierra de Famatina, a German firm was contracted to construct a cablecar running from here, at the end of the railway line, to La Mejicana, at an altitude of 4603m, more than 3.5km above Chilecito and nearly 40km away. With nine stations, a tunnel and 262 towers, the project was completed in 1904. Men and supplies were carried to the mine, operated by a British firm, in four hours. WWI put an end to this Anglo-German cooperation and t…
reviewed
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Samay Huasi
Joaquín V González, writer and founder of the prestigious La Plata university in Buenos Aires, used Samay Huasi, a finca (ranch) 2km from Chilecito, as his country retreat. The verdant grounds counterpoint the rocky cactus hills around them. González’ bedroom is preserved, as well as scrapbook material from his life. More interesting is a collection of paintings, mostly of the area; a canvas by González’ friend Alberto Alice, Claro de Luna, stands out. Below is a somewhat depressing natural sciences, archaeology and mineralogy collection.
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Chirau-Mita
Even if you're not a fan of succulents, it's likely that you'll appreciate Chirau-Mita, an impressive cactus garden a short stroll from town, where more than 1500 species have been grown from seeds and are elegantly showcased, divided by country of origin, in an attractive hillside setting.
Entry is by informative guided tour (some English spoken), and the visit includes a handsomely presented museum, which has some stunning Patagonian fossils, prehistoric weapons and tools, and pre-Columbian ceramics.
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La Riojana Winery
La Rioja is one of the best areas to taste the aromatic white torrontés, though it’s far from the only wine the province has to offer. La Riojana cooperative is the area’s main wine producer, and a sizable concern. A good free tour (call or drop in to arrange a time; English is spoken) shows you through the bodega – think large cement fermentation tanks rather than rows of musty barrels – and culminates in a generous tasting.
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La Posta
Just the sort of place you wouldn’t expect Chilecito to have, and here it is – an intimate, stylish restaurant warmly decorated and lined with shelves of deli products on sale. The dishes are innovative (stewed goat with torrontés, for example) and attractively presented. The taste doesn’t quite live up to the service or decor, but it’s pretty good, especially the empanadas cooked on the parrilla.
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Museo Molino de San Francisco
Chilecito founder Don Domingo de Castro y Bazán owned this colonial flour mill, whose Museo Molino de San Francisco houses an eclectic assemblage of archaeological tools, antique arms, early colonial documents, minerals, traditional wood and leather crafts, banknotes, woodcuts, early cell telephones and paintings.
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Fashion
If you’re in Chilecito on a Saturday night, you’ll want to check out castle-like Fashion, the town’s best discoteca. It’s on the way to Samay Huasi about 1km out of town, and a lot of fun. Girls get in a little cheaper, and you may even win a motorbike or similar in the prize draw.
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Capri
You step back three to four decades in time as you walk into this spacious confitería on the plaza. It's a reliable standby for lomitos or a beer on the terrace. It often has specials of the day, so it's worth asking.
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Inka Ñan
Inka Ñan runs trips costing around AR$150 to AR$250 per person depending on numbers. There’s usually a minimum of two people, but it’s always worth asking. Tailored multiday trips are available, too.
reviewed
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La Plaza
Right on the plaza (as the name suggests), this warmly decorated restaurant specializes in tasty pizza and pasta. There are various set meals for AR$24 to AR$32, and all-you-can-eat pasta for AR$16.
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Yop's
Atmospheric and darkish, this bohemian spot is comfortably Chilecito's best café, serving fine coffee and decent mixed drinks. Watch the locals' epic chess battles.
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Yops
Atmospheric and darkish, this bohemian spot is comfortably Chilecito’s best cafe, serving fine coffee and decent mixed drinks. Watch the locals’ epic chess battles.
reviewed
