Belén

Belén sits on the Ruta 40 at the foot of a hill crowned by a statue of the Virgin, in a valley of vineyards and walnut trees. It is known as the capital of the poncho: its weavers still work llama and vicuña wool on wooden looms, and the town's shops and workshops are the place to see it. A few kilometres away, beyond the old town of Londres, El Shincal was an Inca administrative centre, with a ceremonial platform, a great square and stairways restored on the hillsides.

It is a one-night stop on the long road between La Rioja and Salta: El Shincal on the way in, a morning with the weavers, and the next day north through the Valle de Hualfín, with its old adobe chapels, to Santa María and Cafayate. Belén is also the start of the road up to Antofagasta de la Sierra and the Catamarca Puna.

Spring and autumn are the most comfortable. Summer is hot, with afternoon storms; winter days are mild and dry.