Ruins of Quilmes
Ciudad Sagrada de Quilmes
Argentina’s largest pre-Hispanic settlement ruins. Stone-walled dwellings stack up the mountainside, and the Quilmes people resisted the Spanish here for more than a century.
The Quilmes ruins lie in Tucumán Province, about 55 km from Cafayate. They are the fortified settlement of the Quilmes, one of the Calchaquí peoples, and at their peak perhaps 5,000 people lived here. They resisted Spanish colonizers until 1667, when they were eventually relocated to an area near Buenos Aires. Stone-walled houses and terraces built into the hillside stretch up the slope, and the lookout paths on either side offer a panoramic view of the whole site. The site is managed by an Indigenous community, admission is inexpensive, and there is a small museum. Visitors need to drive themselves or join a tour departing from Cafayate.
Opening hours
About 08:00–18:00
Nearby sights
- Pachamama Museum
- Río Colorado Seven Waterfalls
- Museum of Vine and Wine
- Cafayate
- Plaza 20 de Febrero & Cafayate Cathedral
- Bodega Vasija Secreta
- Bodega El Esteco
- Los Médanos