\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t The Argentine villages of Maimar\u00e1 and Carlos Pellegrini have been added to the United Nations\u2019 2025 Best Tourism Villages ranking.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The list of new villages recognized by UN Tourism was announced during a ceremony in Huzhou City, China. Fifty-two villages from 29 countries made the cut, selected from over 270 applications from 65 UN Tourism Member States.<\/p>\n
This year, Argentina proposed eight destinations. The others were Famatina (La Rioja), Saldungaray (Buenos Aires), Uspallata (Mendoza), Villa Elisa (Entre R\u00edos), Seclant\u00e1s (Salta), and the twin villages of San Javier and Yacanto (C\u00f3rdoba).<\/p>\n
Capybara sleeping in the sun in Argentina\u2019s Ibera wetlands. Photo Judith Morales del Barco Carlos Pellegrini is the main landing spot for visitors to the Iber\u00e1 Wetlands, one of the most important such environments in South America and a hotspot for bird and wildlife watching. Maimar\u00e1, in the Quebrada (Gorge) de Humahuaca, Jujuy, features majestic landscapes and is known for its phantasmagoric traditional Carnaval celebrations.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis means the recognition of more than 20 years of work caring for this village,\u201d said Estrella de Losada, who runs Ecoposada del Estero in Carlos Pellegrini. \u201cGetting recognition at global level means that more people will come to visit, and that this town, where 90% of people earn a living from tourism, will have more work.\u201d <\/p>\n
You may also be interested in: A stork standing on a capybara watching a deer: wildlife-watching in Argentina\u2019s wetlands<\/p>\n
San Javier and Yacanto (C\u00f3rdoba) didn\u2019t make the cut this year \u2014 but they were included in a special initiative for villages that show great potential to join the main list in future. That means they will receive help to strengthen their tourism offering.<\/p>\n
The Best Tourism Villages program seeks to develop rural tourism by recognizing places with outstanding natural beauty, biological diversity, and cultural heritage. Candidates are assessed by an independent board that examines criteria including cultural and natural resources, economic sustainability, and infrastructure and connectivity.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThese villages show that by embracing tourism, they can promote social inclusion and build a future where no one is left behind,\u201d said UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Maimara Cemetery in Jujuy Argentina. Photo: Amy Booth Here\u2019s what you can do in Maimar\u00e1 and Carlos Pellegrini.<\/p>\n
Maimar\u00e1\u00a0 How to get there<\/p>\n
It is located 77 km from San Salvador de Jujuy.<\/p>\n
Where to stay<\/p>\n
There are inns, hostels, and cabins, all run by their owners.<\/p>\n
What to do<\/p>\n
Bike rides, tours of otherworldly geological formations led by local guides, and craft and cooking workshops. Local farmers open their farms to visitors.<\/p>\n
But the real star of the show is carnival season, when Maimar\u00e1 transforms into a parade of dancing devils \u2014 most of whom want to party.<\/p>\n
What to visit<\/p>\n
The Hornillos Post Museum, a historic site that served as the Camino Real Post Office, offers a journey into the colonial past and the wars of independence. Additionally, you can visit local wineries and vineyards with tastings.<\/p>\n
What to eat<\/p>\n
Tamales, empanadas, and humitas are some of the typical dishes, whose ingredients, such as corn, are celebrated at various festivals.<\/p>\n
Sunset Kayaking in Argentina\u2019s Iber\u00e1 Wetlands. Photo: Amy Booth Carlos Pellegrini How to get there<\/p>\n
Located 360 kilometers from the capital city of Corrientes province and 120 kilometers from the city of Mercedes, Corrientes. Get a bus to Mercedes, then book transport through your accommodation.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Where to stay<\/p>\n
Accommodation options include inns, rural hotels and hostels.<\/p>\n
What to do<\/p>\n
Boat trips, kayaking, night safaris, horseback riding, and bird watching. You\u2019ll see caymans, capybaras, deer, water birds, and with a little luck you might also spot armadillos, howler monkeys, and even jaguars and maned wolves.<\/p>\n
What to visit<\/p>\n
The restaurants offer nightly musical performances where you can enjoy chamam\u00e9, declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, along with traditional dances and music from the region.<\/p>\n
What to eat<\/p>\n
Its Guaran\u00ed cuisine stands out, with dishes like mbaipy, chipa so\u2019o chipa mboka, and mbej\u00fa.<\/p>\n
You may also be interested in: Birding in Argentina: Iber\u00e1, one of the world\u2019s most intact wetland systems<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Argentine villages of Maimar\u00e1 and Carlos Pellegrini have been added to the United Nations\u2019 2025 Best Tourism Villages ranking.\u00a0 The list of new villages recognized by UN Tourism was announced during a ceremony in Huzhou City, China. Fifty-two villages from 29 countries made the cut, selected from over 270 applications from 65 UN Tourism […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":698,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[111,112,113,114,115,110],"tags":[105,106,107,108,109,104],"class_list":["post-697","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-best-tourism-villages","category-carlos-pellegrini","category-carnival-in-argentina","category-how-to-visit-the-ibera-wetlands","category-maimara","category-what-to-do-in-argentina","tag-best-tourism-villages","tag-carlos-pellegrini","tag-carnival-in-argentina","tag-how-to-visit-the-ibera-wetlands","tag-maimara","tag-what-to-do-in-argentina"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/service.codeus.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/697","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/service.codeus.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/service.codeus.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/service.codeus.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/service.codeus.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=697"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/service.codeus.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/697\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/service.codeus.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/698"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/service.codeus.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=697"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/service.codeus.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=697"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/service.codeus.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=697"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}