The city of Salta

The city of Salta was founded in 1582 and still bears a distinct Hispanic character for which Salta stands out among other argentinean cities. The skyline is drawned by colonial houses, narrow streets and pavements, and the brownish green of the surrounding hills.
This cordial and hospitable city feels proud of its historic heritage and it offers tourist a wide range of cultural events and entertainment.
When sightseeing around the city, you must visit the main square “Plaza 9 de Julio”, the Cathedral and the old City Hall (the “Cabildo”). Nearby you will find the San Francisco Church and the San Bernardo Convent, with a carved door that dates from the year 1762.
Tourists can walk down the streets around the main square, take a breath of fresh air and have a drink in one of the cafes.
The city has an active cultural life. Its cinemas, theatres and “peñas” offer a wide variety of shows and performances. There are interesting museums to visit: the Contemporary Art Museum, the MAAM (High Mountain Archaelogy Museum) and the Cabildo, among others.
Other places of interest are: the Uriburu Museum, the Hernandez and the Arias Rengel family houses and the Güemes and 20 de Febrero Monuments.
Night life in Salta is lively, varied and safe. “Salteños” and tourist alike meet in “peñas”, pubs, cafés, casinos and discos. Most of this activity is concentrated in the area around the Train Station known as “la Balcarce”.
Salta has a natural vantage or observation point: San Bernardo Hill, 5 kms away from city center. Its summit, 1482 mts above sea level, can be reached by following the stations of a Way of the Cross, by car along the road or by the cable car. Once at the summit tourists may rest and enjoy the panoramic views or have a drink at a colonial bar.
The city is the exhibition centre of the whole handicrafts production of the province. The Artisan’s Market, an old ranch turned into a shopping area, worth a visit for those who wish to buy and see crafts done by local hands

TOURISM AND SIGHTSEEING:

City and surroundings: A walk along its most important streets, squares and parks which shelter buildings of colonial architecture: houses with gardens and tanks, artistic ironwork windows and lattice balconies. It is admiring each one of its majestic temples such as the Cathedral, San Francisco monastery and San Bernardo convent or meet the historic legacy through its monuments.
Tour continues towards San Lorenzo with its exuberant vegetation and finishs in the market and handicrafts Fair.

Cafayate: A trip to know Lerma Valley, surrounded by tobacco plantations and one of the most beautiful landscapes of Argentina, “Las Conchas” Gorge. Visitor will be surprised by colorful mountains and ancient stones with sculptures such as The Monk, the Sunken Ship, The Castles, the Amphitheater or the Devil’s Gorge, among others. Cafayate invites travelers to visit wineries and cellars for tasting the different varieties of local exquisite wines.

Cachi: In the way to this beautiful village visitors will admire the Bishop Slope and the solitary beauty of “Los Cardones” National Park. Cachi offers to travelers the bucolic peace of a town with ancient streets and the contrast of the red pimiento fields with the eternal white snow of “Nevado de Cachi”

Calchaquí Valleys circuit: This circuit combines the beautiful landscapes from Salta to Cachi returning to Cafayate, along National Road N° 40. During this trip visitors will enjoy the unique mixture of the imposing mountains and silent ancient villages.

Humahuaca Gorge: Humahuaca is part of UNESCO’s World Heritage, with imposing coloring mountains and villages such us Purmamarca, Maimará and Tilcara. It is a complete journey with the testimony of music, painting, archaeology, and specially the beauty of an impressive landscape.

“San Antonio de los Cobres” and “Salinas Grandes” with “Purmamarca”: Immensity and silence going through Toro Gorge, where the famous railway line of Train to the Clouds – Huaytiquina, is a huge boa crawling heights. The mountain ranges are awesome.
Travelers seem to touch the deep sky with their hands at the altitude of 4.080 mts over sea level before reaching ‘San Antonio de los Cobres’. Itinerary will continue to ‘Salinas Grandes’, extended as a white sea in the high ‘puna’.

Cabra Corral Dam: Fishermen dream of a huge piece, young adventurers dream of water sports, while others simply pursue time and space to rest, leisure and relax.

Guachipas Rupestrian paintings: It may be joined to the trip to Cabra Corral Dam. In this impressive valley, brave races of warriors and hunters who perpetuate their existence on the stones with rupestrian paintings as a testimony of Pre-Columbian life.

Travel and Adventure: Horseback ridding, visit to “estancias”, trekking, rafting, mountaineering are some of the alternatives that offers Salta.

Iruya: The road shows magnificent views and in the end of the journey, Iruya, such a postcard with its white church surrounded by a huge stone mass, its narrow paved streets seem to be grasped to the mountain side and its inhabitants walking from neighboring places, with their donkeys harness, to trade with leathers and crops for the necessary supply.

Visit to National Parks:“Estancia el Rey” and “Calilegua”, paradisiacal lush forests where vegetation is luxuriant and erases the traces of men. Here you may take a worthy picture which will remind you the exuberant foliage, birds singing, and animals like the tapir, the fox or the wildcats.