The town of La Viña is located 86 km from the city of Salta, on the way to Cafayate. It is the head of the department of the same name, and has 3,000 inhabitants. The main economic activities are agriculture and livestock, especially tobacco production, which grows from October to March.

A little history

The name La Viña is due to the fact that in 1556 the first vine plants from Salta were planted in this area, brought from Chile by a priest named Juan Cedrón.
As time went by, all this production moved to the Calchaquí Valley. Currently there are only two wineries in the department and some artisanal wine producers as well, despite this it is the only department in the Lerma Valley that still has wine producers.
The town was officially founded on December 4, 1886, when the land in the city center was donated by the first Spanish owners to the provincial government for the urban layout. The population is a mix of Spaniards and indigenous people from the Calchaquí Valley, who moved to this area.
 

Main attractions

La Viña Church

Its construction began in 1830 on an old oratory from 1700, when Juan de Dios Figueroa donated the land for the church, charity house and space for other activities. Its architecture is neocolonial, with a simple façade painted yellow and little ornamentation. It is possible to climb stairs to the interior of the Bell Tower. The building is made of brick, stone and adobe in the oldest parts. It preserves old silverware and some religious figures from the old Cusco and Lima school. Mr. Juan de Dios Figueroa and other respectable people were buried inside the church, as was customary at that time.

Downtown town

In the historic center there are some old buildings such as the municipality, the police station, the old school, the Community Museum, among others. All of them around the Main Plaza San Martín, where many events take place.

Along National Route No. 68

La Viña is the last town and department on the way to Cafayate, where you can visit some of the restaurants, wineries, paradores or artisan stalls available in the place. It is also a strategic point to make a technical stop before entering the town. Quebrada de las Conchas, since it does not have those services.

Viñas de La Viña Winery

This is the first winery on the “Wine Route”, and is located at km 95 with the attention of its owner. In the same winery you can buy, and sometimes taste, wines and especially “Chuflay”, which is a distillate made with Torrontés wine. A new product was also added to the family of distillates: it is a Gin based on Malbec wine, named “Chiflao”. In this Winery you can also access bathrooms.

Artisanal alfajores

Made by a family factory that makes them with a secret recipe, a family legacy. At this site you will also find food, drinks and bathrooms. By coordinating in advance, guided tours of the factory are made. It is located at km 92. The parador is named “El Quincho de doña Lía”, after the town called Talapampa.

Quebrada de las Conchas

It is a ravine that goes from km 80 to km 15 approximately, and part of the same ravine belongs to the department of La Viña. This striking site of rock formations was born about 90 million years ago due to geological faults. Currently you can enjoy the curious formations along the route along National Route No. 68. There are many places to visit, but the most relevant and close are “La Garganta del Diablo” and “El Amphitheater”.

Paintings

These are paintings made more than 500 years ago by the indigenous people who inhabited the ravine and the valleys; an invaluable treasure that is under the care of the community of indigenous people who live along the ravine. This place is located at km 76.5.

Finca Las Curtiembres

At km 62 is the Las Curtiembres stream; There you have to take a detour, for approximately 1 km. Finca Las Curtiembres is hidden in the hills and makes excellent wines available to be tasted on a guided tour by the owners. It is a prominent area for hiking, and a short hike to a waterfall is offered. You can also have lunch at the winery, reserving in advance. It is one of the best experiences in La Viña for those people looking for a quiet environment in contact with nature.

Parador Las Abritas

If we talk about good food, beautiful landscapes and excellent customer service, we must mention this place: Las Abritas is a restaurant run by its own owners, in a dream location in the Quebrada de Las Conchas. There the visitor can enjoy regional food, sweets, local wines from local families and also some walking circuits, especially to a spectacular panoramic point in the hills behind the house.

Morales Bridge

Inaugurated in 1929, it has the typical structure of the railway bridges that were built at that time. This crosses the Las Conchas River, the natural boundary between La Viña and Guachipas. “Wild Stories”, the film by director Damián Szifron, which stars Leonardo Sbaraglia and Ricardo Darín, among other prominent actors, was filmed in this place. It is currently a very popular tourist spot in the province. There are excellent panoramic views of the nearby hills. On the site, there is also a house where it is possible to buy empanadas, goat cheeses and takeaway meals.

Bird watching

La Viña offers a wide variety of options for bird watching, from the areas near the Cabra Corral dam to the Quebrada Las Conchas, passing through the Entre Ríos area, where a large number of birds can be seen. There are a few checklists on the E-Birds app. This is an excellent activity to do as a family. To carry it out, those interested must contact the tourist office to organize the walk with one of the local hosts suitable for the activity.

To ride a horse

This activity is an ideal option to explore the beautiful surrounding landscapes, at the top of the hills. Some local hosts offer short tours nearby; others offer more extensive tours, which include accommodation in hostels or guest houses, passing through different geographical strata.

Gastronomic experience

Some of the most delicious dishes available locally are asado, empanadas salteñas, humitas, tamales and locro. The regional alfajores stand out (including Talapampa) and both industrial wines (Torrontés, Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon) and artisanal wines (Pateros and Mistelas).

Unmissable

The outstanding characteristic of this site is the peace of the environment that, added to the warmth and values of its people, makes it the ideal destination to rest.

Craft fairs

They are usually held close to the route and folklore shows, games and gaucho skill contests, traditional games and traditional dance competitions take place there. Artisans display and sell their crafts made of metal alloys, leather, wool, wood, clay, stones and much more.

Municipal Camping

This complex has a hostel to accommodate groups of visitors, barbecue areas with barbecues, space for camping, space available for motorhomes, soccer and basketball fields. In addition, there are three cabins with private bathrooms and a spa with pools for children and adults, open only in summer.

Nearby places

“La Quebrada” is the popular name given to the Entre Ríos area. It is a small place where winegrowers spend summer afternoons with family and friends, surrounded by the Las Pircas and Parrales rivers. It is a fantastic setting in the middle of nature, surrounded by a mountain forest that grows at 1,500 meters above sea level. This place is located approximately 7 km northwest of the town.

“El Carmen” farm and ranch, is a rural area dedicated to agriculture and livestock, where you can see some old adobe tobacco dryers, now in disuse, since they were replaced by modern Bulk Curing Stoves.

In the “San Nicolás” area there are archaeological sites. According to some countrymen, funerary urns were found with human remains, and pink valves (shells), which were destroyed because they were believed to be bad luck. This would indicate an exchange with towns on the Pacific coast
In “El Tunal” there is a mansion that dates back to the 19th century. In 1962 it was the first school of literature (for boys only) with Desiderio Suarez being the authority. Then the school moved in front of the main square of the town in mixed mode.
“Talapampa” is located 94 km from the city of Salta, on National Route No. 68. Etymologically it means “logging field.” It is a small town that lives off agriculture, tobacco, corn, alfalfa and cattle, on farms of 3 or 4 hectares. It had its prosperous years between 1908 and 1915, when this place was the point of rail; Then when construction continued to Germany, it once again declined, suffering notable depopulation. The patron saint is San Roque and his festival is the last Sunday of August. Its chapel dates back to 1956.