In Valle Viejo Department, religious tradition, a historic hiking trail and cultural events come together. For trip planning, it helps to treat these experiences separately: Cuesta Vieja calls for its own block of time, while the shrines and sites in the historic center are most interesting for their specific stories. Check event dates in advance.
Shrines and Local History
The Ermita in Valle Viejo is the shrine where devotion to the Virgen Morena began. The Santuario del Señor de los Milagros is associated with a baptismal font. These represent two distinct religious connections: the beginning of a devotion and a specific element of sacred practice.
The Convento Franciscano includes a museum. If you plan to visit, check the current opening hours in advance. The Paseo de Villa Dolores is in the historic center of Villa Dolores and is directly connected to the Iglesia de la Virgen de las Mercedes.
Hiking Cuesta Vieja
Cuesta Vieja is a historic trail established in 1880. A hike along Cuesta Vieja leads to a clear mountain spring. The round trip is 10 km long and goes there and back; the hike takes approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes. The meeting point is on National Route No. 38. This makes it easy to plan the excursion as a specific block of time. Check route details and the meeting point before making your day’s plans.
Another point of reference is Avenida Costanera, completed in 2026, which connects Río del Valle Capital, Valle Viejo and Fray Mamerto Esquiú.
Encounters and Events
The twelfth edition of the XII Encuentro de los Pueblos Hermanos took place in 2025 at Casa Cultural Niña Imelda in Huaycama, in Valle Viejo Department. The gathering is an intercultural, plural and international space for encounters; its origins date back to 2012.
The Festival del Cosechero is a traditional event in Las Tejas. Its twelfth edition was organized in 2025 by School No. 312 “Elías Urbano Seleme” on the school grounds. The Festival de Doma y Folklore and the Festival de la Pasa de Higo are also associated with Valle Viejo. Check current event dates before including them in your trip plans.
Catamarca as a Wider Travel Destination
Across the wider destination of Catamarca, the landscape ranges from deserts and volcanoes to Yungas, forests and lagoons. El Shincal de Quimivil in Catamarca was built by the Incas between 1471 and 1536 at the foot of the Quimivil mountain range. The site includes an interpretation center, marked trails and a guided tour service; confirm current operating conditions before visiting. Another perspective on Catamarca’s cultural heritage is offered by the 50-kilometer Ruta del Adobe, which passes through towns with preserved original adobe architecture.
The scale of trip planning varies: Cuesta Vieja takes approximately three and a half hours, while the cultural sites are shaped by their different historical connections. Event dates are another planning factor. Choose a vacation rental to suit your main focus—hiking, cultural heritage or an event on a suitable date.
Explore more destinations: Departamento Santa María, Belén Department, Departamento Ancasti, Departamento Antofagasta De La Sierra, Paclín Department, Departamento Capayán, Departamento Tinogasta, El Alto Department
For the broader travel overview: Catamarca.
