San Juan and La Rioja
San Juan province, on Argentina's western border with Chile, is a mountainous and arid region. Fertile valleys, watered by rivers from the Andes, produce grapes and olives, and mining is another important industry. To the west the towns of Barreal and Calingasta make a good base for visits to national parks such as El Leoncito. The capital, San Juan, was founded in 1562. La Rioja province, to the north, is also in the foothills of the Andes and shares a climate of short winters and very hot summers.
La Rioja province, to the north, is also in the foothills of the Andes and shares a climate of short winters and very hot summers. Two national parks, Talampaya and Ischigualasco, attract visitors with their lunar landscapes and as the sites of the oldest dinosaur fossils yet discovered, from the late Triassic period.
Our preferred accommodation
Posada Paso de los Patos
Country hotel - BarrealA charming country inn just to the south of Barreal with 10 rooms, a relaxed atmosphere, wonderful views to the Andes, a comfortable sitting room and an excellent restaurant. There is a pool.
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