The road north from San Salvador de Jujuy, Argentina (capital of the province of Jujuy) to Bolivia is called RN 9. It takes you up through the center of what guidebooks call ‘Northwest Argentina’ and also along the most beautiful mountain range I have ever seen: La Quebrada de Humahuaca. Lonely Planet calls the range “a painter’s palette of color on barren hillscapes, dwarfing hamlets where Quechua peasants scratch a living from growing maize and raising scrawny livestock.” I would describe it more emphatically: these mountains literally have every color of the rainbow stained along their rocky sides and the small towns and houses that dot their flanks stir intrigue and sympathy.

Tilcara is only a three-hour bus ride north of Jujuy’s capital, but it creates for itself an entirely different world. An artists’ haven situated right in the beautiful hills, Tilcara is home to many Argentines from all over the country who wanted to make a home in the gorgeous northern mountains of the Quebrada de Humuhuaca. The town is small and laid out in an easy to navigate grid pattern, and is an interesting mixture of peasant life combined with upscale hotels and unique eateries. There are many shops that resemble those found in Salta, plus a daytime market of goods that you would ordinarily find in Bolivian cities.

Here's a website into more investigation on a visit to TIlcara: www.tilcara.com.ar

Tilcara is also a great place to make a home for a few days while you take day trips to the smaller towns nearby. Examples include a reconstructed fort: El Pucará, a hillside cemetery: Maimará, and the towns of Purmamarca and Humahuaca.

As for making a home...I highly recommend staying at Malka Hostel. This hostel is beautiful! 25 pesos a night and set atop the town of Tilcara, the facilities are clean and lovely. You feel more like you're staying in a guest room of a new friend than in a hostel. There are private suites available for 150 pesos a night. The owners are interesting, engaging people who built most of the facilities themselves. A great breakfast is available for 8 pesos a day. When I was there the owners invited the guests to partake in a Metamorphical Massage workshop. Everyone was very welcoming and encouraging even with my sparse Spanish skills. I would definitely return to Malka if I get back to TIlcara.

If I haven't convinced you on this little town, there is a great folk dancing and folk art community which calls Tilcara home. Plus, a lot of travelling dance groups stop in Tilcara on tour. And, when there's dance in the air, there are lots of impromptu performances in the square...check out this YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJkxG_uqqUk