The Capilla de Loro Huasi is dedicated to Saint Isidore the Farmer. Its patron saint’s feast is held every year on May 15. If you would like to plan your stay around the celebration, you can schedule your travel dates to coincide with it and check the availability of a vacation rental for your chosen dates. The chapel’s architecture is also part of its character: it has an extended atrium.
Religious Sites and Feast Traditions
Another chapel in Loro Huasi is the Capilla Virgen del Valle–El Recreo. For the people who live there, it is a spiritual and community focal point. Together with the dedication of the Capilla de Loro Huasi to Saint Isidore the Farmer, it offers a second glimpse into the town’s religious connections. A historical account also describes worshippers gathering in a grotto at Zaida Mamani’s house to honor Saint Expedito. A pilgrimage from Palo Seco was part of another historically described celebration in Loro Huasi in honor of the saint.
More to Discover in the Department of Santa MarĂa
As a distinct regional theme, the Department of Santa MarĂa offers archaeological and scenic points of interest. The high-altitude village of Cerro Pintado de Las Mojarras sits on a 100-meter-high hill beside National Route 40. The Inca Road is thought to have once passed through the area. RincĂłn Chico contains at least 365 structures across an area of about 39.6 hectares and is located on a spur of the Sierra del CajĂłn. White quartz veins, pegmatite outcrops in a drainage channel, and dark formations of phyllite and schist shape the landscape. At RincĂłn Chico, archaeological structures and the geological setting can thus be explored as two interconnected aspects.
Recurring markets also give the regional calendar structure: various entrepreneurs’ markets are held on Plaza Gral. Manuel Belgrano on Fridays. On Saturdays, local artisans and producers sell their products at Feria Arcoiris. If these markets are important to your plans, check the weekly schedule locally again before you travel.
Other festival dates vary by occasion and season. The Fiesta Nacional Santa MarĂa la Reina del Yokavil was conceived in 1967 and began in the summer of 1968. The Festival del Cabrito is held every year during Holy Week in El Cerrito. Every year on February 2, Santa MarĂa celebrates Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria as the city’s patron saint; the city’s founding is also celebrated on that day. These dates provide a historical and recurring framework, though they do not all refer to the same type of festival or season.
Food, Crafts and Culture
The Ruta de la Capia showcases regional cuisine through an alfajor from Santa MarĂa made with capia corn and homemade dulce de leche. Santa MarĂa also hosts the Fiesta de la Capia in winter. Dulces y Licores offers visits and tastings of sweets and liqueurs made in Santa MarĂa from fruit grown in the valley. Nuestras Especias focuses on where spices from the CalchaquĂ Valley are ground, including cumin, oregano, rosemary, and sweet paprika. Vinos de Altura offers visits to wineries that produce high-quality wines at high altitudes. For specific visits and tastings, it is advisable to confirm the schedule, as individual providers’ arrangements may change.
Crafts and museum culture are also part of the region’s offerings. The Museo Arte Sacro Ntra Sra Candelaria displays Christian religious art and tangible and intangible cultural heritage alongside the heritage of pre-Columbian cultures. CesterĂa en Simbol focuses on the process of making unique Simbol baskets. Textiles del Valle shows how fibers are spun into yarn and garments are woven from different types of wool. Those interested in how things are made can explore different approaches: Simbol basketry on the one hand, and yarn and textile production on the other.
Another option is trekking in Santa MarĂa, a way to reach some of the area’s most interesting places. The activities mentioned focus on different themes, from archaeology and religious culture to crafts, regional products, and outdoor recreation. Choose the topics that suit your stay when planning your trip, and check any time-sensitive activities in advance.
Discover more destinations: El Volcán, Santa MarĂa.
Back to the main travel overview: Department of Santa MarĂa.
