Purmamarca's sights are few in number but concentrated and specific: a single hill that changes color with the light, a plaza ringed by three genuine colonial-era landmarks, and a market built on a weaving tradition that's still alive rather than performed for tourists. This list runs from the essential - the walk to the Cerro de los Siete Colores' best viewpoint - through the plaza's historic cluster to the craft workshops and guided excursions that reward a second day. Nearly everything here is free or low-cost, and almost all of it sits within a 20-minute walk of the plaza; the two exceptions, a rock-art excursion and a llama trek, need a guide and half a day but are worth building a second day around. Work down the list in order if you only have a few hours, or spread it across two unhurried days and add the Salinas Grandes day trip on top. Save whatever appeals and drop it into your own Purmamarca itinerary.
The Best Things to Do in Purmamarca
Mirador Cerro El Porito
The payoff view: a built staircase viewpoint at the end of the Paseo de los Colorados walk, facing the Cerro de los Siete Colores head-on. Rebuilt with new stairs and railings in 2025, three blocks from the plaza.
Cerro Morado (Mirador Natural del Cerro El Morado)
A free, unstaffed ridge across the dry riverbed opposite the town entrance - steeper and less crowded than Porito, but locals say it's the widest view of the village and the hill together.
Iglesia de Santa Rosa de Lima
A 1648 adobe chapel roofed in cardón-cactus wood, facing the plaza and holding 18th-century Cusco School paintings - one of the Quebrada's oldest standing churches.
Cabildo de Purmamarca
A tiny 19th-century town hall behind a four-arch adobe gallery, often called the smallest cabildo in Argentina - now a cultural hall a few steps from the church.
Algarrobo Histórico de Purmamarca
A centuries-old carob tree beside the church, tied by local legend to the 1594 capture of cacique Viltipoco and, later, General Belgrano's independence-war troops.
La Pushka (taller de tejido)
A working weaving workshop where Marta Valdiviezo spins llama and sheep wool on the pushka spindle her great-grandmother used, on antique looms with naturally dyed thread.
Hilandería Warmi – Tienda Purmamarca
A certified B-Corp textile shop selling ponchos and blankets spun by nearly 3,000 Puna families organized around a century-old mill - one of only two Warmi stores in the country.
Senderismo con Llamas por Purmamarca
A guided 3-hour walk with traditional pack llamas along the old salt-trade caravan routes, with a local guide pointing out native plants like molle and airampo along the way.
Huachichocana
A half-day guided excursion through a forest of centuries-old cardón cacti to a rock shelter with cave paintings estimated at 9,000-10,000 years old - the valley's deepest human history.
Mirador El Paso
An unmarked, moderately demanding trek behind the cemetery along a dry riverbed to a remote viewpoint over an untouched, multicolored valley - occasional condor sightings, real solitude.
Cementerio de Purmamarca
A small hillside cemetery at the start of the Paseo de los Colorados, its wooden crosses and offerings set directly against the Cerro - especially striking around Día de los Muertos.
FAQ
- What's the single must-see in Purmamarca?
- The Paseo de los Colorados walk to Mirador Cerro El Porito - the classic head-on view of the Cerro de los Siete Colores, and the reason most people come. Pair it with the free Cerro Morado viewpoint for a wider panorama if you have time.
- Are the things to do in Purmamarca mostly free?
- Yes. The plaza landmarks, the market, the cemetery and both hillside viewpoints cost little or nothing. The paid extras are the guided excursions - llama trekking and the Huachichocana rock-art hike - and the separate Salinas Grandes day trip.
- How much time do you need to cover this list?
- A focused half-day covers the plaza cluster, the market and one viewpoint. A full day adds the second viewpoint and a workshop visit. Add a second day for the llama trek or Huachichocana.
- Is Purmamarca worth visiting with kids?
- Yes - the walk is short and flat, the llama trek is gentle and hands-on, and the market is easy browsing. The rock-art excursion and the high-altitude Salinas Grandes trip are better suited to older kids.
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