Cafayate is an ideal place to stop and explore Argentina's excellent wine. There are lots of cafes and restaurants that serve wines made in the region, such as the famous Torrontes.
I loved Cafayate - the white houses built around the big central square, the arcades, the little cobbled streets to wander down... It's terraces made us want to slow down our trip a bit. Time seems to stand still there.
Cafayate is also a good starting point for lots of different activities and excursions. You can visit the bodegas and try the wine, explore the ruins at Quilmes, or go walking in the surrounding countryside. Nature has done some wonderful things here. The ochre, red and orange rocks are simply beautiful and completely unforgettable.
Being a fan of wine, I really enjoyed my visit to Cafayate: the region in which the town is located is famous for producing some of the best wines in Argentina. There are many bodegas in the area that tourists can visit, and doing so is an enjoyable way to get to sample and taste the wines, especially the whites, which are made using grapes of the Torrontés variety. We in fact had the pleasurable experience of uncorking a bottle of white wine to drink as an accompaniment for around a dozen empanadas (a kind of filled pasty) we'd purchased from the Casa de Empanadas in the centre of Cafayate. It was delightful!
In my opinion, the opportunity to visit the vineyards is the primary reason for coming to this region. The town of Cafayate itself, though a pleasant enough place, does not have anything else of major interest to offer. It does have some good local restaurants and a decent range of accommodation however.
To give myself the freedom to visit the region at my own leisure, I rented a car in Salta and headed for Cafayete directly from there. I didn't regret choosing this option. In particular, the mountain scenery of the Calchaquí Valleys, which you pass through on the way from Salta to Cafayete, is quite wonderful.
The town of Cafayate is a popular departure point for travellers wishing to tour Argentina's northwest.
It has loads of restaurants that serve delicious grilled dishes! The town's also known for its wine and you can visit some of its wine cellars. I went to the Bodega Domingo Molina, where I sampled a glass or two on a terrace opposite a sublime view. Something I heartily recommend!
Once out of of town, you can go hiking in the Calchaquies Valleys, where you'll get great views of the surrounding mountains.
If, like me, you're a hiking fan, I suggest you head to the the Del Rio Dolorado Falls; a 5 kilometre walk through a beautiful Argentinian countryside. Think about hiring a guide, which makes the trek even more enjoyable.