Chilecito

Chilecito lies at the foot of the Sierra de Famatina, whose snow-streaked wall rises above 6,000 metres directly behind the town, and it grew on gold and silver from those mountains. Its extraordinary monument is the Cablecarril, a cable car built by a German company in the early twentieth century to carry ore down from the La Mejicana mine: it climbed some 3,500 metres of altitude over 35 kilometres in nine stations, and much of the structure, towers, cables and machinery, still stands on the mountainside, with the lower stations open as a museum. The town itself is green and unhurried, with vineyards and olive groves in the valley, wineries open for tasting, and a small museum of colonial art. Walks and 4x4 trips climb toward the Famatina peaks.

What you actually see

• The Cablecarril stations - the historic ore cable car and its machinery on the mountainside.
• The Famatina wall - the snow-streaked range rising behind the town.
• The wineries - valley vineyards producing high-altitude wine.
• The town museums - colonial art and mining history collections.

When to go

April to November for clear mountain views and comfortable walking; summers are hot in the valley. The upper cable-car stations are only reachable with a guide and a capable vehicle. Snow on Famatina is heaviest in winter.

Honest expectations

Only the lower cable-car stations are readily accessible; reaching the higher ones is a serious mountain trip. Much of the structure is rusting and fenced for safety. The town is pleasant but modest, and the main draws are outside it.

Nearby

The Cuesta de Miranda climbs west; La Rioja city lies east across the valley.