Just north of the Calamuchita Valley some 40 km south of Cordoba is the small town of Alta Gracia, once a popular retreat for wealthy Bonarenses (those from Buenos Aires), who patronised the recently restored Hotel Sierras. One of the town’s most popular attractions today however is Estancia Jesuitica Alta Gracia which dates back to the 17th century. Its excellent Museo Casa del Virrey Liniers, once the old estancia house, recounts the life of the Jesuits here. Other buildings of interest include the Rancheria, once home to over 300 workers, a set of workshops known as the Obraje as well as a baroque-style church and water mill.

But also, Alta Gracia is where the revolutionary Ernesto Che Guevara spent most of his early life in what is now the Museo Casa de Ernesto Che Guevara, while the Spanish-style Museo Manuel de Falla is the former home of Spanish composer. Some 20 km from town is the Observatorio Bosque Alegre where astronomers offer guided tours and from where there are some stunning views over Alta Gracia and the surrounding Sierras.