Travel to west Argentina were situated in San Juan province, the oasis town of Barreal has grown in the corridor between the Andes and the precordillera, creating a sheltered microclimate and its own pace of life. Here, dirt roads carry as many bicycles as cars, and “downtown” is a scattering of low-rise detached houses and time-warp grocery stores. Only adventurous outsiders have been charmed so far, but that could change, especially since the town is just a five-hour drive from Mendoza city, centre of the wine region.
Barreal is renowned for having ultra-clear, pollution-free skies for around 300 days of the year. Parque Nacional El Leoncito has two astronomical observatories, with Complejo AstronĂ³mico El Leoncito the largest of the two, offering evening tours where you get to check out their prized 40-ton telescope and stargaze with the experts. You can even stay the night, providing you don’t mind sterile rooms and communal dining that hark back to school field trips.