Olive oil, a revered rock and activities in the dunes or the Barreal give Arauco Department a distinctive travel profile. When choosing accommodation for your stay, it can help to first decide what matters most to you: Would you like to learn about olive processing and regional products, focus on the religious tradition of Señor de la Peña, or are you interested in outdoor activities? The offerings differ in their themes and ways of visiting.
Olive Culture and Regional Products
Arauco Department is known as the “Cuna de la Olivicultura,” or cradle of olive growing. Several olive-processing businesses offer sightseeing tours. Products made there include olives, olive oil, stuffed olives, olive paste and raisins preserved in brine. This means that you encounter olive culture not only as a history of cultivation, but also through processing and regional products.
At Don Salim in Villa Mazán, you can learn about the production of extra virgin olive oil and Arauco table olives, and sample a wide selection of regional products. They also offer pickled chilies, jojoba oil, regional sweets, wines from La Rioja and leather goods. Hilal also gives visitors the opportunity to learn about the olive oil production process and sample regional products. Both offerings focus on olive oil and local products; Don Salim also lists a broad range of other products.
A single tree also brings the history of olive growing to life: the Olivo Cuatricentenario in Aimogasta survived the large-scale felling of olive trees toward the end of the 18th century. Alongside today’s production and tasting experiences, it provides a tangible historical connection to the olive culture of the department.
Señor de la Peña: Pilgrimage Tradition During Semana Santa
Señor de la Peña is a massive boulder bearing the profile of Christ, and it holds particular spiritual significance during Semana Santa. Each year, between 50,000 and 80,000 pilgrims visit during this period. They travel there out of faith and devotion, on foot, on horseback or in vehicles. The pilgrimage tradition thus connects a striking natural landmark with a recurring religious occasion. If you include Arauco in your travel plans during Semana Santa, this period is the main point of reference for the pilgrimage activity.
Dunes, Wind and Water
The Arauco dunes are located near Bañado de los Pantanos in Aimogasta. They can be explored in 4x4 vehicles, motorcycles or quads as part of a visit with authorized travel agencies. At the Barreal de Arauco, clayey soil and steady wind create ideal conditions for land sailing. These are two distinct outdoor pursuits: vehicle tours in the dunes, and an activity in the Barreal shaped by its soil and wind.
At Parque de Los Nacimientos, water emerges from the ground and flows through a river; large trees provide shade for a family day outdoors. If the park’s condition is important for your visit, it is best to check in advance. Alongside the dunes and the Barreal, the park offers a different focus: water and shady places rather than vehicle activities or land sailing.
More Landscapes and Culture in the Wider Destination of La Rioja
The wider destination of La Rioja features other distinctive natural and cultural attractions. Talampaya National Park is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site; its red sandstone cliffs reach heights of up to 200 meters. The Laguna Brava Provincial Reserve is a Ramsar wetland in the Andes of La Rioja Province, near the Chilean border.
Cuesta de Miranda also offers a distinct perspective on the region: it runs along a 114-kilometer stretch of Ruta 40, which connects Chilecito with General Felipe Varela. Viewpoints along the Cuesta offer opportunities to observe geological features, as well as flora and fauna. These landscapes are part of the wider destination of La Rioja; by contrast, olive culture and Señor de la Peña define the themes presented here in Arauco.
Discover more destinations: Aimogasta, General Lamadrid Department, Chilecito Department, Capital Department, Coronel Felipe Varela, Famatina Department, Coronel Felipe Varela, Rosario Vera Peñaloza Department.
Go to the main travel overview: La Rioja.
