San Miguel de Tucumán

The city of packed bars

The city that witnessed the foundation of Argentina, cradle of intellectuals, artists and presidents of historical relevance, is today the paradigm of decline.

Poorly cared for, shabby and noisy, the great city of northwestern Argentina forces to walk with caution, both when walking along its ragged sidewalks and by the insistent warnings that the visitor receives attentive to the risk of a robbery.

Striking are the mansions of the late nineteenth century, at the top of the hill in the picturesque Villa Nougués. Some of them, tarnished and almost abandoned, are a testimony of the grandeur of another era.

And it's all made worse by the vague information provided by the state tourist office. Most museums, churches and cultural centers are closed "under the pretext" of the pandemic, and the few places open to the public are closed at different times than those announced by the staff of Ente Tucumán Turismo, which does not even provide accurate information about the state of the roads.

Likewise, @tripticity_'s eagerness to discover and make memorable experiences urges it to scrutinize interesting findings.

So, when it comes to booking accommodation, a boutique hotel in Yerba Buena is the one of choice. It is Casa Lola, a residence with more than a hundred years of history, refurbished in the present by Lum estudio with an attractive decoration. Its seven themed rooms stand out for their ambiance and comfort. The superb breakfast is served in the living room, surrounded by metal insects that ornament the room.

The gastronomy offered by its restaurant La Caballeriza is also remarkable. In charge of Caro Romero, the menu invites you to try his signature cuisine, whether it is the tasting of bruschettas, a classic sirloin steak with mushrooms or a saffron risotto with braised ribs. And when it comes to sweets, the delicious suspiro limeño is a surprise.

On the suburbs of the city, the Cristo Rey monastery is worth a visit. The work of the Benedictine monks is unique, as well as its store of home-made goods, such as "dulmel" (milk jam with honey), fruit sweets, apiculture, homemade bread and even cosmetics and phytotherapeutic products. @tripticity_ was fortunate to be received by Father Javier, who narrated what a day at the monastery is like and gave details of its history.

Again in the capital, the Museum of the Sugar Industry in the 9 de Julio Park tells the story of the beginning of this activity in the 19th century country house of the then Bishop Colombres.

After an anodyne tour of the Historical House Museum, known by all as the "Casita de Tucumán", where the independence of the Argentine Nation was declared on July 9, 1816, stands out the sculpture of freedom by the immortal Lola Mora, feminist of the authentic ones, made by reason of a commission of President Julio Argentino Roca. It is located in the center of the main square, which also stands the Government House, a historical monument built in the early twentieth century, in the golden age. Its French baroque style, in contrast to the other buildings of the block and added to that of the cathedral church, with its domes of its towers that resemble those of the Russian Orthodox, together offer an idea of those avant-garde years. The whole scene can be appreciated while having a drink from the unmissable terrace of Los Naranjos. 

In Tucumán, the real protagonists are its cafés and restaurants, always full of social life.