I visited this site in January 2003. The weather was warm and sunny for the 3 days I was in the area.

I went first to Alta Gracia, tumbling off the overnight bus from Buenos Aires which, confusingly, goes first to Cordoba before heading back south to Alta Gracia. It is a charming small town,home of Che Guevara for several years, with the estancia at its heart next to the Tajamar, the artificial lake built to provide water to the surrounding lands.

The estancias have a similar layout, built round a large yard with one side dominated by a church. They lie at the centre of the large estates, the income from which, and from the associated trades and crafts, was used to finance the building and development of the Jesuit block in Cordoba

It was only when I got to Cordoba that I realised that the "block"(or Manzana-"apple"?) in this case is the large city block allocated to the Jesuits when the city was laid out.

Cordoba, like so many Spanish colonial cities is built on a gridiron pattern. Aside from the, to be expected, religious buildings the principal use of the Block is for the University, the oldest in Argentina. Some handsome buildings here.

I reckoned Candelaria, 220kms from Cordoba, and with no public transport links, was beyond my reach, but next day I took a guided tour by minibus to the 3 other estancias. All had their own attractions. Santa Catalina is said to be the largest and the only one now in private ownership. Access is allowed only to its white painted, lofty church. Jesus Maria dates from 1618, is famed for its wine and has an excellent Jesuit Museum. Lastly Caroya has a picturesque rural setting its beauty enhanced, when I was there, by the late afternoon sunlight slanting across its buildings.

In my view this is a site well worthy of its status and, for those of us who like to get a bit off the beaten track, one that amply rewards the visitor.