Alta Gracia

The gateway to the Calamuchita Valley (and only a slight detour on the way to the Traslasierra), Alta Gracia grew up around a Jesuit estancia whose ruins are, in turn, clustered around Plaza Solares, in what is now the town center. The bracing air that sweeps over the low hills outside town made it a popular destination for rest cures in the early part of the 20th century; one of the town's most famous residents, Ernesto "Che" Guevara, was brought by his parents to live here in the hope that the mountain air would cure his asthma. Today many people come to hike, horseback ride, and fish in nearby rivers, which also make great swimming spots in summer. There are also two great golf courses here.