SAN MIGUEL DEL MONTE , or Monte, as it is affectionately known, might look like a glorified truck stop from the busy RN3 which runs past the town, but away from the bus terminal on the main road, it's a pretty and compact town which sits beside the Laguna de Monte. Originally known as the Guardia del Monte, the town was the point of departure for Rosas' first military expedition into the wilderness in 1833. His Rancho de Rosas , on the corner of calles Soler and Belgrano, is a thatched roof construction built and originally located on his nearby estancia and moved to the town in 1988. On one side of Monte's central Plaza Alsina is the town's distinctive mustard and white church, the Iglesia San Miguel Arcangel , finished in 1867 and still the town's tallest building; its interior contains works by artists such as Raúl Soldi, who also painted the interior dome of Buenos Aires' Teatro Colón. Plaza Alsina itself is heavily frequented in the early evening by local youths who buzz around its perimeter on motorbikes and bicycles.

The Laguna de Monte , Monte's lake, lies six blocks south of Plaza Alsina; follow Calle Bartolomé Mitre or Além. Covering some seven square kilometres, it's home to a variety of aquatic birds, including black-necked swans, as well as fish, including tararira and the highly prized pejerrey. The northern edge of the lake, flanked by the Costanera Juan Manuel de Rosas, is almost urban and dotted with parrillas and a couple of discos. The far side is wilder and you can camp there for free (though with no services). Organized campsites are located at the northern edge of the lake and boats can be rented at the Club de Pesca on the Costanera, a few blocks west of Mitre. You can walk all the way around the lake's 15-kilometre perimeter on a path or a road.