Colalao Del Valle: Vineyards, Festivals and Culture
Accommodation in Colalao Del Valle
Colalao Del Valle is located in the CalchaquĂ Valley at kilometer 4,308 of Ruta Nacional 40. Vineyards, wineries and festivals give the town several distinct focal points. When planning your stay, you can choose between wine culture, a seasonal harvest and the cultural calendar. This lets you tailor your trip to the topics that interest you most.
Vineyards and Wineries
The vineyards of Colalao del Valle are part of the Ruta del Vino de Altura de Tucumán. Bodega Chico Zossi produces high-altitude wines. Luna de Cuarzo is a family winery; during the season, you can pick fruit yourself there. This offers you different ways to experience wine: a named wine route, high-altitude wine production and a seasonal experience at a family winery. If you would like to experience the harvest, check in advance whether it falls during your travel dates.
The daily time slots listed for guided tours and tastings at Luna de Cuarzo are 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. At Bodega Chico Zossi, they are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and at Finca Viñas del Chañar, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Check these times directly with each winery before visiting.
Festivals and Culinary Tradition
The Fiesta del Antigal is an old celebration associated with the Indigenous peoples of the region. The Fiesta del Ponchi has a different focus: it is celebrated in Colalao del Valle every July and honors a drink popular in the valley. It is made with aguardiente, sugar, cinnamon and beaten egg. The two festivals thus differ both in their themes and in their timing: the Fiesta del Ponchi takes place in July, while the Fiesta del Antigal is defined by its connection with the Indigenous peoples of the region.
If you would like to include the Fiesta del Ponchi in your travel plans, check the specific festival dates in advance. Its recurring month provides a general timeframe; if you are planning around a particular festival date, it is worth making an additional inquiry.
Culture in the Wider Destination
In the wider destination of Departamento TafĂ Del Valle, the Ciudad Sagrada de Quilmes offers an archaeological point of interest. It was restored in the 1970s. Visitors can see reconstructed residential areas, agricultural terraces, a hilltop fortress and defensive structures along the sides. The site thus showcases various elements of the former settlement and defensive layout.
The Centro de InterpretaciĂłn de Quilmes is located right next to the archaeological site. Four educational rooms use visual, auditory and tactile methods to present the origins, everyday life, customs and expulsion of the Quilmes. While the site includes reconstructed areas and defensive structures, the center complements this perspective with the topics and different forms of interpretation described above.
Also in Departamento TafĂ Del Valle, in El Mollar, the Museo ArqueolĂłgico a Cielo Abierto Los Menhires displays around 124 worked, elongated stones. They are up to three meters tall and more than 2,000 years old. Their number, height and age offer a different archaeological scale from the reconstructed residential areas and defensive structures at Quilmes.
Protected areas and the history of the old Inca road are also part of the regional context. Parque Provincial Los Ñuñorcos and Reserva Natural Quebrada del Portugués are located in Departamento Tafà Del Valle. Ñuñorco Grande and Ñuñorco Chico were part of the old Inca road; archaeological sites can be found on the hills. Reserva Quebrada del Portugués was established in 1996 to preserve the area's natural and cultural heritage.
Discover more destinations: Tafà Del Valle, San Miguel De Tucumán, San Pedro De Colalao
Back to the wider travel overview: Tucumán.
