Cafayate

Thanks to a microclimate and fertile soil, the area around Cafayate is one of Argentina's wine-growing regions. Cafayate itself is very civilized and orderly, with free tours of boutique bodegas, lots of good restaurants, and some exquisite hotels. But wander a couple of blocks from the central plaza, and you're back on unpaved roads. Take a bit of a hike, and you're in the mountains—probably enjoying a wine-tasting session at a tiny finca and trying hard to get your camera to do justice to the view. There's also some authentic handicrafts to buy, a five-naved cathedral, and a world-famous ice-cream man.