La Rioja · Cuyo · 29°25′ S
La Rioja
Siestas, hills and tradition
A slow-paced capital at the foot of the Velasco range, founded in 1591. Every December 31 it celebrates the Tinkunaco, a meeting of Saint Nicholas and the Child Mayor that blends Spanish and Diaguita traditions.
What not to miss
- The Santo Domingo convent, one of the country's oldest
- The Tinkunaco every December 31
- Los Sauces reservoir, a few kilometers away
Getting there
Capitán Vicente Almandos Almonacid Airport, a few kilometers from downtown. Bus terminal with routes across the country.
La Rioja, month by month
Tap a month to see what’s on, the weather and how busy it is.
January
Hot
- Hot days (35°), mild nights (22°); frequent rain.
- Normal.
- Pack: light clothes, an umbrella or rain jacket, sunscreen.
February
Hot
- Hot days (33°), mild nights (20°); frequent rain.
- Normal.
- Pack: light clothes, an umbrella or rain jacket, sunscreen.
March
Hot
- Hot days (31°), mild nights (19°); frequent rain.
- Normal.
- Pack: light clothes, an umbrella or rain jacket, sunscreen.
April
Autumn
- Mild days (27°), mild nights (15°); little rain.
- Normal.
- Pack: sunscreen.
May
Autumn
- Mild days (23°), cool nights (10°); almost no rain.
- Normal.
- Pack: a jacket for the evening, sunscreen.
June
Winter
- Mild days (20°), cold nights (6°); almost no rain.
- Normal.
- Pack: a jacket for the evening, sunscreen.
July
Winter holidays
- Mild days (20°), cold nights (4°); almost no rain.
- Busy. Book ahead.
- Pack: a jacket for the evening, sunscreen.
August
High season
- Mild days (23°), cold nights (7°); almost no rain.
- Busy. Book ahead.
- Pack: a jacket for the evening, sunscreen.
September
High season
- Mild days (27°), cool nights (11°); almost no rain.
- Busy. Book ahead.
- Pack: a jacket for the evening, sunscreen.
October
Hot
- Hot days (31°), mild nights (16°); little rain.
- Normal.
- Pack: light clothes, sunscreen.
November
Hot
- Hot days (34°), mild nights (19°); little rain.
- Normal.
- Pack: light clothes, sunscreen.
December
Tinkunaco
Every December 31, the meeting of Saint Nicholas and the Child Mayor reenacts a peace pact between the Spanish and the Diaguita.
- Hot days (35°), mild nights (21°); frequent rain.
- Pack: light clothes, an umbrella or rain jacket, sunscreen.
See the full data (travelers and weather)
Month by month
How many travelers stay in La Rioja each month. Teal months are the quietest; earth-colored ones, the busiest.
Weather, month by month
Average temperatures and rainfall in La Rioja. A guide for packing, not a forecast.
The warmest month is December, with highs of 35.4 °C. The coldest is July, with lows of 4.2 °C. The wettest month is January (90 mm). The driest is August.
See the numbers
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 35.2 °C | 21.5 °C | 90 mm |
| February | 33.2 °C | 20.1 °C | 79 mm |
| March | 30.8 °C | 18.6 °C | 63 mm |
| April | 26.8 °C | 14.6 °C | 31 mm |
| May | 22.6 °C | 9.9 °C | 8 mm |
| June | 19.7 °C | 5.6 °C | 4 mm |
| July | 19.5 °C | 4.2 °C | 4 mm |
| August | 23.3 °C | 6.9 °C | 3 mm |
| September | 26.9 °C | 11.3 °C | 9 mm |
| October | 30.8 °C | 15.9 °C | 20 mm |
| November | 33.6 °C | 18.9 °C | 32 mm |
| December | 35.4 °C | 20.8 °C | 67 mm |
Source: Argentina's National Weather Service (SMN), La Rioja Aero station, 1991-2020 averages. smn.gob.ar