Tourism in San Luis
Villa de Merlo - San Luis (photo: Eduardo Epifanio)
A countless number of small settlements and villages have been established all along its northeastern border and chosen this mountain range as their place in the world. At this location, the Comechingones Mountain Range and the area known as Valle de Conlara make up the ideal scene for the City of Merlo to be one of the most popularly visited destinations in Argentina at all seasons.
Various settlements offering cabins for rent and the chance to enjoy the charm of the San Luis mountain range follow one another. Carpintería is one of them. Paragliding and hang-gliding are commonly practiced in this zone. That is why it has come to be known as the Argentinian capital of free flight.
The City of San Luis is located in the center of the province and it is its capital. A mountain range, dams, hot springs and salt deposits co-exist in this area, creating a great diversity of incredible scenes in the outskirts. Sites like El Trapiche, Villa del Dique La Florida, Potrero de los Funes and its singular car racing track, La Carolina and its old gold mine, as well as other sites of historical value, such as Inti Huasi, deserve a stop during any journey.
To the west, the relief goes up again and a mountain range known as Sierra de las Quijadas appears within a National Park bearing the same name. The beauty of the landscape and the quietness provided by the heights cause the condor to feel at ease and fly around freely, without any worries. It may be observed by tourists who come along to this destination.
To the south, the province boasts a series of ponds and plains reminiscent of other areas in the country. This zone is rich in saltpeter but also in wildlife. This is a very humid area where everything can grow. Historical and traditional, the City of Villa Mercedes, and its famous Narrow Street, is the access to another sector in the Province of San Luis that is also worth visiting.
Featured Attractions
Merlo´s Micro Climate
The city of Villa de Merlo has earned the prestige to have the Third Micro Climate in the World. It may sound like a slogan, but it is true and it is good to know why.
"The climate of Merlo is healing", is a phrase we heard repeatedly. The old dwellers of this region used to attribute special features to the climate and they could not understand how the cacti could co-exist with the ferns on the hillsides.
City tour around Villa Mercedes
Seeing its large green spaces and its active cultural life unveils more details about the local denizens and their daily life in the city and its surroundings.
We headed for Calle Angosta, which lies next to the today abandoned railway station. That nook inspired musician José Adimanto Zavala a while ago to write the famous cueca he would later sing in the company of Alfredo Alfonso.
The Moneda Falls
We went on an amusing hiking tour around Potrero de los Funes. Among ravines, creeks and cascades, we did not take long to make contact with the peace of the mountain range. The Moneda Falls captivated us with its freshness and its natural sound.
We had read about this place before reaching Potrero. Therefore, we thought it would be interesting to see it. Leaving from the town center, we crossed the ford along which the Potrero River runs and our adventure began at the trail that led us upstream.