Villa Carlos Paz

Villa Carlos Paz sits on the San Roque reservoir at the entrance to the Punilla valley, and it is the busiest holiday town in the Córdoba sierras, a place of hotels, arcades, waterfront restaurants and a nightlife that runs on Argentine summer time. Its landmark is the Reloj Cucú, an oversized cuckoo clock built in the 1950s that has become the town's emblem and meeting point. The lake carries pleasure boats, catamarans and jet skis, a chairlift climbs to a viewpoint on Cerro de la Cruz, and in January and February the town becomes a second home for Buenos Aires theatre, with big-name comedies and revues running nightly. Out of season it is far quieter, and the surrounding hills offer walking and river pools.

What you actually see

• The Reloj Cucú - the giant cuckoo clock that serves as the town's emblem.
• San Roque reservoir - boat trips, catamarans and watersports on the lake.
• The chairlift - the ride up to viewpoints over lake and valley.
• The summer theatre - January and February shows drawing national performers.

When to go

December to March for the full resort season, with January the peak in crowds, prices and entertainment. Spring and autumn are calm and pleasant. Winter is quiet, with the lake cold and many attractions on reduced hours.

Honest expectations

This is a mass-tourism town, crowded and commercial in season, and travellers looking for quiet sierra scenery should stay elsewhere. The reservoir has suffered algal blooms in hot summers, which affects swimming. Traffic and noise in January are considerable.

Nearby

Cosquín and La Falda lie north up the Punilla valley; the Altas Cumbres road climbs west.