Introduction:

The province of San Juan is located in the northwest of Argentina, 1.110 kilometres away from Buenos Aires.

The city of San Juan was founded by Juan Jufré in June 1562, in the “Huarpe de Tucuma” Valley, using a simple layout: 35 blocks with a main square located in the center of the town.

San Juan, because of its full of transformations history, has an unique style and character.

¿What to visit?

The province of San Juan has attractives for all tastes and ages.

Ischigualasto National Park: One of the main touristic points. This park is located in the northeast of the province, 330 kilometres away from the capital city and 75 kilometres away from San Agustín del Valle Fértil, a small town where the tours to the park begin. The Ischigualasto National Park is also known as “The Valley of the Moon” – It covers an area of 62 thousand hectares and it was recognized as World Heritage by UNESCO along with the neighbouring park – Talampaya National Park, in the province of La Rioja. Their importance lies on the scientific value of paleontological discoveries that took place in the area.

The tour has many stops to take photos of the rock formations: The Worm, The Painted Valley, The Pétanque Court, The Submarine and The Mushroom. You can also take this tour during full moon nights.

Sports: Those who love water sports can practice kayak, rafting, fishing, diving and snorkeling. You can also practice air activities like windsurf, parachuting and paragliding.

Religious Tourism – “Difunta Correa”: Deolida Correa was a woman who started a long walk from San Juan to La Rioja, where her husband was imprisoned, carrying her little son. However, she never achieved her destination: Deolida died of thirst because of the burning sun and the lack of water, but her son survived, and something miraculous happened – She continued to nurse him in spite of being dead. Deolida is now an important religious character in San Juan.

Another religious activity tooks place during Holy Week: The Horse Ride of Faith, that attracts a lot of visitors.

The weather and when to travel:

The province of San Juan can be visited at any time of the year since most of the days are sunny. However, it’s important to know that summer is very hot. During autumn, on the other side, the days offer pleasant temperatures but nights are cold. In my personal opinion, the best months to visit San Juan are March, April, September, October and November: autumn and spring.

¿How to get There?

By plane: Aerolíneas Argentinas flights from Buenos Aires to San Juan every day.

By car: Along the National Routes 7, 147 and 20.

By bus: Taking a bus from Buenos Aires to San Juan, with a travel time of 15 hours approximately.

¿Where to sleep?

You should look for an accommodation in the city of San Juan to visit the center of the city and enjoy its nightlife.

When you visit the Ischigualasto National Park it’s advisable to stay in a hotel located in Valle Fértil, because it’s the nearest option.

Gastronomy and nightlife:

The typical gastronomy of San Juan is a mix of traditions with a predominance of fresh beverages and cold dishes: cheese skewers with basil and peppers, black beans stew, “tomaticán” (a kind of stew with meat and vegetables) and veggie wraps.

At night you can visit the city center and choose among a lot of bars and other gastronomical proposals.

¿How to move?

Using the public transport or taking a taxi.

Personal review:

San Juan City is known as “The city of the sun” since most of the days are sunny.

The inhabitants, the characteristic accent, the gastronomy and the endless touristic activities make the province of San Juan a place you always want to come back to. It offers options for all tastes: religious tourism, adventure sports, paleontology and history. It’s an incredible place – I truly recommend it!

Consultor Paola Mier