San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca

Catamarca city lies in a long valley enclosed by dry sierras, a modest capital whose life turns around the Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Valle and the small carved image it houses, one of the most venerated in the country. Twice a year, and above all in December, tens of thousands of pilgrims walk in from across the northwest for the celebrations, filling a city that is otherwise unhurried. The centre has a shaded main square, a nineteenth-century cathedral facade, and a strong craft tradition centred on the poncho: the Fiesta Nacional del Poncho each July fills a large fairground with weavers, musicians and food from every corner of the province. Beyond the city the valley climbs quickly, with the Cuesta del Portezuelo road switchbacking up the eastern wall.

History

Spanish colonists set up a first settlement here, called Londres, in 1558, but the permanent city was founded only in 1683, by Fernando de Mendoza y Mate de Luna; the name Catamarca comes from Quechua, meaning fortress on the slope. It had only 8,000 people in 1882, was reached by the railway in 1888 and grew very slowly, and the region remained poor even in the middle of the 20th century (Wikipedia, San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca).

What's there

• The basilica - the shrine of the Virgin of the Valley and its pilgrimages.
• Plaza 25 de Mayo - the shaded main square at the city's centre.
• The Fiesta del Poncho - the July craft and music fair, the province's biggest event.
• The craft shops - ponchos, weaving and rugs from valleys across Catamarca.

When to go

April to November for comfortable temperatures; the valley is fiercely hot in summer. July brings the poncho festival and December the main pilgrimage, both worth timing for but both crowded. The city is a natural base for the province's long drives.

Things to know

The city is small and low-key with limited sights, and most travellers use it purely as a base or a stopover. Summer heat above forty degrees is common. Outside festival weeks the centre is quiet, with many places closed in the afternoon.

Nearby

The Cuesta del Portezuelo climbs the valley wall east; Belén and the western valleys lie northwest.

Key facts