Belén arrives by early afternoon — the largest town in this stretch of Ruta 40 and the undisputed capital of the Catamarca textile tradition. Known as the Cuna del Poncho (the cradle of the poncho), Belén has maintained an unbroken lineage of handloom weaving in llama and sheep wool since colonial times, and the artisan market on Calle Lavalle is the place to find genuine pieces rather than imports. The main plaza is shaded and unhurried, with a handful of restaurants serving regional menú del día — locro, humita, empanadas baked in clay ovens, and the slow-braised meats of the northwest. Lunch here before continuing north.
The Museo Arqueológico Cóndor Huasi, two blocks from the plaza, holds one of the most significant pre-Columbian collections in Argentina — over 1,000 pieces spanning 10,000 years from the preceramic period through to Inca contact, including ceramics of the Condorhuasi and Aguada cultures whose abstract zoomorphic forms are unlike anything produced elsewhere in the region. It is worth a look if time allows, though the road north still has its best surprises ahead.
Deleting this waypoint is permanent and cannot be undone.