Villa Carlos Paz

A resort town on Lake San Roque in the hills of Córdoba. Ride a chairlift for lake views, go boating on the water, then head up the Punilla Valley to Cosquín's folk music and climb Mount Uritorco.

Villa Carlos Paz lies at the southern end of the Punilla Valley in Córdoba Province, Argentina, about 36 km from Córdoba city. It sits on the shore of the artificial Lake San Roque, at the eastern foot of the Sierras de Córdoba, and it is one of Argentina's most popular domestic resort towns. The town centers on the lakefront. The giant cuckoo clock downtown chimes on the hour, and the pedestrian street is lined with theaters, restaurants and shops. In summer, there are over a hundred theater shows. The chairlift, opened in 1955, offers views of the lake. To the north, the San Roque Dam is a late-19th-century hydraulic project, and on the lake you can take boat rides, sail or paddle a kayak. Nearby attractions are varied. To the west, around Tanti, are the Los Chorrillos Waterfalls, the Cavalango river beach, and Los Gigantes, a field of granite boulders. North along the Punilla Valley lie Cosquín, the capital of folk music, and Pan de Azúcar Mountain, as well as the ruins of the Hotel Edén in La Falda. At the far north is Capilla del Monte, home to Mount Uritorco, known for its UFO legends, and the Los Troncones rock formations. Best seasons: December–February is the summer high season, when lake activities and theater are liveliest, but it is crowded, accommodations are expensive, and weekend traffic jams are common. Spring and autumn bring pleasant weather and are ideal for hiking. Winter is dry, cold and clear. Getting there: take a bus for about 1 hour from Córdoba. To tour the towns of the Punilla Valley, drive or hire a car with a driver. Plan 2–3 days: one day in town and by the lake, one day heading north to Cosquín and La Falda, and another day for hiking Mount Uritorco or Los Gigantes.

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