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Córdoba - A place with a lot of excitement
Tourists come to the province of Córdoba seeking for
sierras and plains, fun, culture, and a fascinating history
that is revealed step by step like the interesting history
of the 
Jesuit Estancias
in The Americas, which had a singular development in Córdoba.
The present traces back to the past in a mysterious way.
Historic monuments unique in The Americas, and the hospitality
of the locals coexist in the city and the countryside in
an astonishing scenery of beauty and peace.
The constant development of the city of
Córdoba
gives it the prestige of a capital of international level.
A net of services and facilities guarantee visitors first
class service. From its international airport to its hotels
and restaurants, from its non-stop cultural activities to
its nightlife options; everything is arranged for the enjoyment
of visitors.
Many people get surprised upon the possibility of finding,
just a few minutes from the Córdoba city, a landscape untouched
by time, monuments with exciting stories and most various
activities next to lakes and sierras. Córdoba offers tourists
the chance to have an unforgettable experience with tours
that combine history, nature and entertainment in every
town that is visited.
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 Heart of Argentina
Córdoba is located in the heart of Argentina. It is known
as the Mediterranean province placed in the center of the
continental territory of the Argentina Republic encompassing
168.864 km2. The strategic location of Córdoba has given
it a fundamental role in the development of the country.
Some of the most important events of the national history
have taken place in Córdoba, or they have been led by characters
educated at the U.N.C. (National University of Córdoba)
of "la docta", name given to the city due its cultural legacy
since ever.
About three million of people from Córdoba are proud of
such legacy, and they highlight their achievements in the
most diverse activities. The industrial and technological
development, which stands out in the national scene, shows
their pursuit of progress. Córdoba is the second most important
city of the country. Large domestics and international investments
have turned Córdoba into a center of development of heavy
industries and state-of-the-art service, and technology
since the 1960´s.
The landscape of Córdoba has a very special characteristic:
there is a combination of the vast territory of the wet
pampa and the oldest sierras that anticipate the magnificent
Andes. Such setting is full of valleys, pampas and hills
that range from 2.500 metros (8,202 feet) to 3.000 metros
(9,843 feet) of height, with a flora and fauna known for
their diversity and beauty.
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Heart of Tourism
The valleys that can be found among Córdoba sierras have
been considered some of the attractions of the province.
By the end of the last century, tourism has grown progressively
in the region. Tourist activities have been concentrated
in a series of interesting towns turned into major centers
of attraction due to the quality of its facilities and services.
The three most important tourist valleys in the
province of Córdoba are Valle de Punilla, Calamuchita and
Traslasierra.
It is important to highlight the dense system of small
stream, rivers, artificial dams and the huge salty lagoon
of Mar Chiquita, so it can be said that water is an essential
aspect of the landscape of Córdoba sierras.
The continental mild climate - cool in winters and warm
rainy summers - is suitable for the enjoyment. Córdoba is
one of the most important tourist destinations of the Argentina.
Córdoba has welcomed about 2,500,000 tourists per year;
it offers several accommodation facilities for 400,000 people
and an important variety of leisure activities (theaters,
restaurants, bars, night places, etc.)
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 The
City of Córdoba and the region
Founded in 1573 at the banks of the Suquía river (at the
present time Río Primero) and located between sierras and
plains, the city of Córdoba stands out as the great center
of culture and service of the inland. As the second important
city in Argentina, it preserves in its Centro Histórico
(Historic downtown) one of the most valuable monumental
heritage of the country, with a group of churches, convents
and colonial-style houses dated from the XVII to XIX centuries
with a remarkable architectural and artistic value. The
Cathedral, Manzana Jesuítica (Jesuit downtown area), Casa
del Marqués de Sobremonte, Libertador General San Martín
Theater are some of the most outstanding monuments the Argentine
architecture.
The historic city coexists with the modern, lively Córdoba,
with a university of more than three centuries of age -
one of the oldest in South America - a financial center,
shopping malls, a commercial center, and a wide cultural
and recreational offer.
The
International
Airport Ambrosio Taravella communicates Córdoba
with more than 100 cities in the world, and it is an important
center of domestic flights to the inland or to Buenos Aires.
The main airlines are:
Aerolíneas
Argentinas, Austral,
Lapa,
Southern
Winds,
Varig,
Lan Chile,
Lloyd
Aereo Boliviano.
Apart from that, there is also a system of road access
to Córdoba built in the last years, with modern highways
and alternative roads. Córdoba has five, four-stars international
hotels. It is important to mention the
Sheraton
Hotel,
Holiday
Inn Hotel,
Córdoba
Plaza International Hotel,
Windsor
& Towers Hotel,
Amerian
Córdoba Park Hotel,
NH
Panorama Hotel, among others.
Besides, there is a great offer in the whole tourist circuit,
such as estancias, and hostelries in the sierras. The Estancia
(Ranch) La Paz and the Candonga facilities are internationally
web known.
Córdoba cuisine, with its highly specialized restaurants,
offers traditional dishes and international menus. The nightlife
of Córdoba has a special flavor: university students, tourists
and locals that get together in bars, pubs, peñas (folkloric
social gatherings) and discos bringing life to streets and
avenues.
Tourists will find a save and comfortable city. They will
enjoy all the cultural activities that are held constantly
and the wide range of services that guarantee total satisfaction.
New services and traditional ones … In fact, Córdoba offers
the possibility of enjoying and urban atmosphere and natural
outskirts; leaving downtown to the Jesuit Estancias, and
visiting other spots included in the tourist circuit.
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Caminos del Norte (Roads of North)
The traditional rural landscape mingles with gentle undulating
sierras in reddish sandstone, Streams and the intense green
of carob trees, quebrachos and palm trees.
 
The area treasures one of the largest archaeological fields
of the country: in the Cerro Colorado, pictographs can be
found high above the rock walls. They evidence of an aborigine
culture and make up an important heritage.
Some of the most important examples of the colonial times
are Jesuit Estancias, and a series of settlements where
people used to stop in their way from El Camino Real to
Alto Perú. The architecture, customs, handcrafts and farm
work of some of these settlements show how life must have
been in colonial times. The religious and traditional festivities
take us back to the past.
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Camino de las Sierras Chicas (Road
to the Sierras Chicas)
Numerous rivers and streams flow through the sierras (mountain
range) and the gentle undulations, the beautiful woods of
the region.
Also the cultural testimony of colonial times such as the
Jesuit Estancias and the relevant features of the Italian
immigration. Everything coexists in a harmonious way in
a natural and cultural setting that marvels the tourists.
For example, discovering a first class golf course next
to a town with colorful little houses located in the very
heart of the sierras can be an experience worth living in
Córdoba.
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 Camino
del Valle de Punilla (Road of the Punilla Valley)
It is the major attraction in Córdoba. Tourist remote spots
of peculiar beauty, such as dams and rivers, can be found
among the numerous sierras. Every town offers a great variety
of recreational activities like hang gliding, sailing, windsurfing,
canoeing, cavalcades, trekking and climbing. Nightlife can
be very exciting with its theaters, casinos, bars, discos
and international cuisine. The most well known festival
of folklore -
Festival
de Cosquín - is held in this area.
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 Camino
de los Lagos (Road of the lakes)
This area starts in Paravachasca in the city of Alta Gracia,
which treasures one of the Jesuit Estancias. It stretches
along the banks of Anizacate River, and it ends at the Calamuchita
Valley with its sierras and lakes of unique beauty. Activities
of any kind can be enjoyed in the lakes and sierras: fishing,
horseback riding, and water sports. One can get the feeling
of being in Europe when visiting towns and villages established
by German and Swiss immigrants who show with pride their
traditional celebrations, such as the Beer and Chocolate
Festivals.
Finally, we can get to the Sierras del Sur (Mountain range
of the South) area, which combines the typical rural scene
with the sierras: landscapes, tradition and adventure.
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 Camino
de Traslasierra (Road of Traslasierra)
The Traslasierra Valley offers an extraordinary relaxing
and peaceful atmosphere. This Valley is characterized by
a mild climate, pure air, clear blue sky, large conservation
areas of natural vegetation, and cultivated lands. This
beautiful Valley is located at the foot of the solid and
breathtaking Cerro Champaquí, the highest hill in the province.
The area is also known for its black ceramic crafts, homemade
jams, alfajores (sandwich cookies filled with jam or caramel),
regional wines, and the kindest hospitality of the locals.
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Camino de Mar Chiquita (Road of
Mar Chiquita)
The huge saltwater lagoon of Mar Chiquita has an area of
6,000 km2. The lagoon gives shelter to a great variety of
birds, especially Pink Flamingos. Specialized centers of
mud balneotherapy can be found in the towns nearby.
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 Acknowledgments
Argentina On View is thankful to CORDOBA TURISMO AGENCY-S.E.M.,
for the valuable graphic and photografhic material, which
was offered to write this report about Córdoba, its natural
beautiful landscapes, and the one about "Camino de las Estancias
Jesuíticas".
If you want further information about Córdoba and its valleys,
please click on:
http://www.argentinaonview.com/english/p_04.asp?CodInt=4
http://www.argentinaonview.com/english/novedades16-1.asp
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Recommended links
http://www.cordoba.com.ar
http://www.cordobatour.com
http://www.cbatur.com.ar
http://www.calamuchita.com
http://www.alacumbre.com
- La Cumbre - Punilla Valley
http://www.bialetmasse.gov.ar
- Bialet Massé - Punilla Valley
http://www.candonga.com.ar
- Candonga
http://www.capilladelmonte.com.ar
- Capilla del Monte - Punilla Valley
http://www.carlospazturismo.com.ar
- Carlos Paz - Punilla Valley
http://www.cordoba.com.ar/portalsierras
- Information about the Sierras of Córdoba
http://www.elsitiodelavilla.com
- Villa General Belgrano - Calamuchita
http://www.lacumbreonline.com
- La Cumbre - Punilla Valley
http://www.nortecordobes.com.ar
- North of Córdoba
http://www.quebradacondorito.com.ar
- Quebrada del Condorito National Park
http://www.turismoloscocos.com.ar
- Los Cocos - Valle de Punilla
http://www.vallecalamuchita.com
- Information about the Calamuchita Valley
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