Villa Nougués

Villa Nougués was created at the start of the twentieth century by Luis Nougués, a sugar industrialist who wanted a cool retreat above the sweltering Tucumán plain, and the village that grew around his estate kept that character: steep lanes, stone walls, gardens of hydrangea and pine, and a scattering of grand summer houses in Alpine and Norman styles that look transplanted from Europe. The centrepiece is the Nougués residence itself, a turreted mansion on the ridge, with a small chapel nearby. At around 1,300 metres the air is fresh and often misty, and the village looks out over the valley toward the city. It is a place for a slow walk and a long lunch rather than sights, and it is at its most atmospheric when cloud drifts through the pines.

What you actually see

• The Nougués mansion - the turreted stone house that gave the village its name.
• The summer villas - early twentieth-century houses in European styles.
• The chapel - the small hillside church among the pines.
• The valley outlook - views east over the plain toward Tucumán.

When to go

April to November for clearer air, though mist is part of the charm at any season. Weekends bring visitors from the city and the restaurants fill; weekdays are quiet, with some places closed. Nights are cool year-round.

Honest expectations

Most of the houses are private, so this is looking from the road rather than visiting. The village is small and can be walked in an hour. The access road is narrow, winding and slow, and fog can make it unpleasant to drive.

Nearby

San Javier and the Cristo statue are along the same range; Tucumán city lies below.