The train station turned school, the origin of black cake, and relaxing in the hot springs on a weekend getaway.

The striking austerity of the road signs indicating the proximity to Tapalqué when traveling along Route 51 seems like a deliberate attempt to preserve from outside hands each of the attractions of this town halfway between Saladillo and Azul.

Little by little, driven by the caresses dispensed by the mineral-medicinal waters of the hot spring complex , the Tapalquenses' vocation to remain invisible to outsiders seems to be giving way. The traditional waterfront promenade has been joined by a major competitor to attract locals and tourists.

The four indoor pools offer baths at temperatures ranging from 31 to 40 degrees, a balm equally distributed for the body and mind, complemented by the rural surroundings from every corner of the park, a food court, children's games, and the irresistible temptation generated by local flavors, with the torta negra (black cake) —a genuine local pride, prepared in the form of a pizza—at the forefront.

Under the reflections of the sun or covered by a blanket of threatening clouds, the walk along the paths that cut through the 17 forested hectares is as pleasant as the routes - punctuated by some timely mateada - that the Municipal Spa offers, with its volatile carpet of dry leaves at the feet, on the edge of the Tapalqué stream.

The best way to end the day is without fail from the Sunset viewpoint , at the entrance to the Municipal Campground.

These modest interactions with nature are good reasons to burn off or replenish energy—depending on the case—a ritual to which the varied local cuisine adds its dose of flavor and calories.

The recently opened Don Chito café on 9 de Julio Avenue more than fulfills its role, thanks to its unparalleled croissants, pastries and cakes of all colors and flavors, croissants, sparklers and the inevitable triangular cuts of black cake.

On the waterfront, the virtuoso hand of Poli Andenoche, chef of the La Terraza del Balneario restaurant , is evident in the exquisite flavor of the agnolottis, the eight varieties of Milanese and the nine types of pizza and hamburger suggested on the menu.

On the opposite shore, on the other side of the bridge frequented at all hours at a relaxed pace by motorists, cyclists and rich people, the barbecue and potato pie at the all-you-can-eat La Clandestina are nothing more than the prelude that the host - the Physical Education teacher turned gastronomic entrepreneur Marcelo Barra - offers to the clients to take part in a simple and familiar folkloric peña , in which the singer Humberto Payero and his group Los 4 de Copas often sign up.

“Here we all know each other, and the family atmosphere is maintained even during the soccer rivalry between Atlético Tapalqué and Sarmiento ,” explains guide Mariángeles Gosparini, while effortlessly driving the commune’s electric vehicle that links Tapalqué’s points of interest at no more than 20 kilometers per hour.

The circuit extends to the outskirts of the city, where the train station—which was heard passing through here between 1912 and 1964— has been converted into the Art Education School No. 1.

The solid facilities of the railway stop seem to be replicated in the imposing silhouette of the San Gabriel Arcángel church , standing face to face with the central Donato Álvarez square.

On the opposite side of the largest green space in the town center —the town's most popular meeting place—the architecture of the Ricardo Romera Cultural Center has provided a modern—even slightly futuristic—touch since 2003, in stark contrast to the classic façade of the headquarters of the Italian Mutual Aid Association.

“Tapalqué’s entire past is told in the Museum and Conservatory ,” promises Gosparini, just minutes before it becomes clear that the guide would fall short in her assertion.

Under the roof of a 1942 chorizo-style mansion, visitors can follow a timeline that showcases pieces that sustain local identity, customs and traditions from the era, reflected in five themed rooms, and even the origin of the black cake in the Bruno brothers' bakery at the dawn of the 1920s.

Among the notable names in Tapalqué's history - reflected in the exhibition at this museum, which dazzles historians, museologists, and sensitive tourists alike - are Charles Darwin - who passed through the fledgling rural area in 1831, more than thirty years before its official founding - Juan Manuel de Rosas, the Mapuche-Tehuelche chief Vicente Pincén, and the luthier and musician Juan Pablo Fredes, who is in charge of the only bandoneon-making workshop for children in the world.

A visit to Tapalqué can end in this complete haven of cherished artifacts, although it's not a good idea to rule out returning again and again to the lush greenery that runs through the stream, the unwavering calm of the thermal complex, or the unique flavors of Tapalqué, a destination that looms without even a hint of distress.