Avellaneda Department brings together places with diverse cultural and scenic themes: fossils and Rodolfo Walsh’s birthplace in Lamarque, railway history in Darwin, Ceferino tradition in Chimpay, and wine and river landscapes. To plan your trip, you can first choose the places that match your interests and then take into account the dates of relevant events.

Culture and history in Lamarque, Darwin and Chimpay

In Lamarque, the focus is on the history of the Earth. The “Héctor Cabaza” Paleontological Museum displays a replica of Tuarangesaurus Cabazai, a unique fossil found in fields near Lamarque. The municipal Paleontological Museum also houses unique fossil species, many of which were found in the Bajo de Santa Rosa area. The exhibits thus highlight both a specifically named fossil and other fossil finds from the region.

Another facet of Lamarque is the Casa Natal de Rodolfo Walsh, the house where the writer was born. It is located on an estancia and is surrounded by orchards, woodlands and extensive, scenic fields. Getting your bearings is straightforward: Lamarque lies on Provincial Route No. 250 and has a comprehensive network of services.

The Railway Museum in Darwin preserves the history of trains in the Middle Valley of the Río Negro. The objects on display include vehicles used to transport railway workers between stations, English lanterns and tools belonging to the Material Remolcado Department’s maintenance brigade. There are also train conductors’ uniforms and objects from the railway’s medical room. The collection thus spans a range of subjects, from day-to-day railway work to items carried on board.

In Chimpay, the Santuario y Parque Ceferiniano commemorates Blessed Ceferino. The site was established in 1967 by a resolution of the Chimpay Municipal Council, Act No. 433, and covers around four hectares. Another recurring event is Semana Ceferiniana: held every year in August, it begins with a Mass that is repeated for seven days.

Wine, festivals and water

Luis Beltrán is part of the Caminos del Vino, which connect wineries open to tourists with visitor experiences. Bodega Videla Dorna offers a guided tour of the winery grounds, ending with an asado in the countryside. In the same town, Bodega de los Salesianos was unanimously declared a provincial historic monument on September 3, 2026.

Event dates also vary. Lamarque’s Fiesta Nacional del Tomate y la Producción takes place every year in March. It includes music festivals and a so-called “Tomatina”; fruit-packing competitions are also held. The 14th Fiesta de los Canales de Riego in Luis Beltrán is described as taking place in February 2026. This edition included rafting races, kayaking and the “Camino del Agua” tourist and educational tour. If a festival is the reason for your trip, check the dates for the specific edition.

The Río Negro is used for tourism and recreation along its entire course, including at bathing areas and for activities and water sports. The Regata del Río Negro is a separate sporting event: the canoe marathon is 300 kilometers long, lasts seven days and takes place every year in the first days of January. Its route also passes through Choele Choel and Luis Beltrán. In the area around Choele Choel, local rural businesses offer agritourism, where visitors can spend the day or stay overnight to learn more about rural life.

Landscapes and travel orientation

Lamarque is an agricultural oasis irrigated with water from the Río Negro. In this area, the river forms a group of islands. Pomona’s natural attractions include the river, parks and gardens. The two descriptions offer different perspectives on the landscape: cultivated land and river islands in Lamarque, alongside the river, parks and gardens of Pomona.

Make your choices based on which places and experiences matter to you on your trip. If you are planning around a festival or the Regata, it is also worth taking the date of the relevant edition into account.

Discover more destinations: Choele Choel, Bariloche Department, Pilcaniyeu Department, General Roca Department, San Antonio Department, Adolfo Alsina Department, Pichi Mahuida Department

For the broader travel overview: Río Negro.