Salta the Beautiful 

The northern Argentinian city of Salta is one of the most beautiful places in the country. Daniel Neilson picks his highlights for a couple of days in the city.

Salta La Linda, ‘the beautiful’, is the charming and entirely accurate sobriquet given to this charismatic city in north-western Argentina. The colonial buildings around its sizable central plaza set the scene for one of the most interesting and, yes, the most beautiful cities in Argentina. 

Salta, despite its Andalusian appearance, is the beating heart of Andean Argentina. It’s a place where you can immerse yourself in a mountain culture that resonates more with Bolivia and Peru than cosmopolitan Buenos Aires. The food, like the deliciously hearty stew made with meat, corn, and Andean potatoes called locro, is a taste of the Andes. 

But it’s the music that truly defines Salta, echoing through its streets and venues. A visit to a peña, an evening of music, food, and wine, is an essential part of any visit. Yet around Salta are breathtaking landscapes, including the 50 shades of red that paint the Andean foothills surrounding the city. Beyond, you’ll be able to view the 6000-metre snow-capped peaks of the Andes proper. 

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A day in Salta

Start your day early to avoid the heat and climb up to Cerro San Bernardo for views over the city and beyond to the mountains. 

Walk back towards the central 9 de Julio Plaza in Salta, making sure you pass the Iglesia San Francisco on the corner of Córdoba and Caseros. Its red, gold and white façade, finished in 1872, makes it one of the city’s most photogenic buildings. 

From here, head to leafy Plaza 9 de Julio, where you can grab a couple of empanadas and watch the city do business. The neoclassical Cathedral of Salta, completed in 1882, is the city’s grandest building, while the opposite is the Cabildo, or town hall, started in 1780. It is now the Museo Histórico Del Norte, which is worthwhile for an overview of the Argentinian history of the north. Don’t miss the Museum of High Mountain Archeology. Inside is one of the most remarkable archaeological finds of all time, the preserved bodies of three children sacrificed high on a nearby mountain during the Incan age. 

For some authentic Andean food, head to Doña Salta (Códoba 46) for the classic locro. Finish the night listening to folklore at La Casona del Molino (Luis Burela 1). 

Around Salta

A couple of days in Salta is enough, but you don’t want to miss the otherworldly landscapes around the province. Cafayate is a three-hour drive from Salta and one of northern Argentina’s highlights. The drive down to Cafayate passes through the Quebrada de Cafayate, home to some unbelievable natural wonders among the kaleidoscopic landscape. Another reason to go to the quaint Andean town of Cafayate is the wineries. Some of the best Argentinian wine, including the white Torrontés, is made from the high-altitude grapes of the Valles Calchaquíes.