This little village is known by its Hotel and Golf Club. Its buildings and neat surroundings once belonged to the British companies that were in charge of railway construction and maintenance in the past. Many of its guests, arriving from other provinces of Buenos Aires for work purposes, go to the hotel looking for some peace and quiet. The available activities are many: hiking, tennis, horse-riding, and of course, golf. Although staying there is quite costly, it is worthwhile. If the traveller prefers a more affordable option, the neighbouring village of San Javier offers cheaper rates.

Villa Allende is a vibrant city in the Sierras Chicas which, in spite of being close to Cordoba, has been able to keep its peaceful appeal. The village offers a great variety of recreational activities, as well as an internationally renowned golf course and plenty of services. Famous for its nightlife, Villa Allende also has a beach resort and an amphitheatre belonging to the Town hall, where the Solidarity Festival is carried out every February. This is one of the most important music events in the area. Prominent folk artists take part in this festival and the money raised is destined to schools, hospital, nursery school, etc. The Sierras Chicas are around Villa Allende, giving the city a particular touch. This is why many looking for a better standard of living have chosen the village as a place to live. The visitor must see the San Alfonso Convent (XVII century) and the Nuestra Señora del Carmen church. In July, there is also a Bycicle Motocross competition and in August the “Sanmartiniano gaucho August�. In December, the National Meeting of Wood Sculptors takes place. The village counts with a number of shops where the visitor can buy souvenirs.

In order to go to Río Ceballos it is necessary to take the route from the city of Cordoba towards the Pajas Blancas International Airport (10 km). Río Ceballos stands at the 30 km landmark. Located in the centre of the Sierras Chicas, on the river which bears the same name, 679 m above sea level, Río Ceballos is one of the main tourist centres of Cordoba Province, even if others became more relevant later, such as Villa Carlos Paz or La Cumbrecita. This little town with only 1,802 inhabitants still preserves a very particular character given the Norman style of its houses. It was named after Juan Ceballos, who founded the town on a previous comenchingones settlement. In the Pre Hispanic era, its name was “Ministalo�. Its most interesting attractions are the sports area, with gardens and an open-air amphitheatre, and the church, opposite which stands the Paseo Jorge Newbery, which links the resort with the stream. Only 6 km away we can find the La Quebrada Dam, with its natural hydric reservation and its lake. The reservation shows indigenous samples of flora and fauna, among them, pepper trees and coconuts. The Los Hornillos and de los Condores waterfalls and the de la Estancia Fall are particularly interesting. The La Quebrada Dam was built in 1976 with the purpose of providing drinking water and lessening hydraulic problems. A variety of water sports can be done there, including canoeing and kayak. Although motor sailing is not allowed, it is also possible to go diving and fishing atherine, carp, tararira, dientudo, mojarra and yellow jack. With a surface of 4,200 hectares, the Natural Hydric Reservation presents areas of low hills, small valleys, quebradas and many streams, which end their courses in the La Quebrada embalse. Many activities can be carried out there, among them, guided visits of environmental interpretation, landscape, fauna and flora sightings, as well as water sports. There is the possibility of camping in places with a permanent ranger. The reservation is located 7 km away from Río Ceballos, 36 km north of Cordoba on provincial route 53.

Cordoba is the second most important city in the country after Buenos Aires. It is called “la Docta� (“the learned�), because its university was the first one to be founded in the Rio de la Plata area. It is also called “the city of bells�, because Franciscans and Dominicans filled its churches. Cordoba is, without the shadow of a doubt, a major landmark due to its central location. Although 200,000 people inhabit it, Cordoba has not lost its quiet appeal, if it is compared with the frantic Buenos Aires. Over the last half of a century, an industrial imprint quite infrequent in the provinces was added to its vast cultural tradition. Its mild weather as well as its location in the opening of the Punilla Valley, makes it a prominent tourist destination, only beaten by the Atlantic Coast. Cordoba is a very lively city. Its inhabitants are famous for their great sense of humour and their pride in living in one of the most interesting cities in the country, a city no traveller should miss.

The Sierras Chicas comprise villages such as Villa Allende, Mendiolaza, Unquillo, Río Ceballos, Salsipuedes, El Manzano, Agua de Oro, La Granja, Ascochinga and Candonga, among others. Very few kilometres away from the capital city, these destinations combine their own natural and historic attractions, offering a wide range of recreational and sports activities, golf being an important one. In Villa Allende, important international tournaments take place. The Asconchinga courses, which used to be owned by the military, are now considered to be some of the best in the country. A few kilometres from there we can find three waterfalls (Tres Cascadas), access to which means walking for a few metres in an area of abundant vegetation. The natural reservation in La Quebrada dam offers water sports; Mendiolaza, horse-riding activities as well as gold dove hunting. Agua de Oro displays a charming landscape together with wonderful archaeological exhibitions, historic monuments, caves, handicrafts and even an iguana breeding area. The restaurant at Estancia de Agua de Oro is a wonderful choice for those who enjoy a good hand-made meal (we recommend to try the quince jam made by the restaurant owner). This place is home to a German community, whose traditions can be seen in the teahouses, offering strudel and other typical meals as well as typical beverages. Río Ceballos was a holiday place for many well-off families. It is due to this fact that today it abounds in magnificent mansions, which remain almost intact and are worth admiring. It also has a casino, a bingo and many discos, which make Río Ceballos popular for its nightlife. Candonga is another place worth visiting. Its chapel, built in 1730 with the Jesuitical imprint and the participation of aboriginal artists, used to be part of the old Estancia San Gertrudis. This place bears testimony of colonial and aboriginal history. The old ranch has been renovated and is now used as a teahouse. It offers a very good service, with tables under the shade of pergolas, ideal for having a good rest while breathing fresh air. A few kilometres north of Ascochinga, the Santa Catalina ranch can be found. This ranch has a Jesuitical church, where Mass is held every Sunday. The visitor will feel transported to colonial times and will be able to purchase souvenirs and try the delicious pasta made by the family who inherited the ranch.