San Marcos Sierras

San Marcos Sierras sits in a warm valley in the northwest of the Córdoba sierras, a village of low houses among carob and molle trees where the Quilpo and San Marcos rivers meet in a series of clear pools. It has two identities. The first is agricultural: this is one of Argentina's notable honey-producing areas, and the village holds a honey festival, with beekeepers selling directly and a small museum on the subject. The second arrived in the 1970s, when artists and people seeking an alternative life settled here, giving the village craft workshops, vegetarian kitchens, drum circles and a countercultural reputation that persists. Pre-Hispanic mortars carved into riverside rocks record much older occupation.

What to look for

• The river pools - clear swimming spots where the two rivers meet.
• The honey producers - beekeepers, shops and the honey festival.
• The craft village - workshops, markets and alternative kitchens.
• The rock mortars - grinding hollows worn into riverside stone by earlier peoples.

When to go

Year-round; summer is hot and best for the river, with crowds in January. Spring and autumn are mild and quiet. The honey festival falls in the warm season and fills the village for a weekend.

What to expect

The bohemian reputation attracts visitors expecting more than a small, sleepy village offers. Services are limited and prices in season are high for what is available. River levels drop sharply in dry years, leaving thin pools.

Nearby

Cruz del Eje lies west; Capilla del Monte and the Punilla valley are east over the hills.

Key facts