Salta

Information

It is the capital and most populated city of the province of Salta, in the northwest of Argentina. It is located in the Lerma Valley and at the foot of the Cerro San Bernardo (a hill).

It has services for tourists such as accommodation in a variety of prices, restaurants, supermarkets, petro stations, ATMs and a tourist information office.

My recommendation to visit the urban area and its surroundings is to have at least 3 or 4 days. However, if you also want to visit more distant places in the province, then you should go for a week or more (depending on how much you want to see).

Within the city limits there is a lot to see and do:
- Cerro San Bernardo (a hill): it is a classic, as you can go to the top by means of its cable car. It can also be climbed by car or by walking along a path with a Way of the Cross. From the summit there is a panoramic view of the urban area and the Lerma Valley.
- Museums: There are many museums located in the city centre and its surroundings. Some of them are very popular, such as the Güemes Museum, the Museo de Antropología (Museum of Anthropology) and without a doubt the Arqueológico de Alta Montaña (High Mountain Archaeological Museum), where the famous Niños del Llullaillaco (Llullaillaco Children, Inca children who died on top of the volcano and whose bodies were preserved due to the high altitude climate) are kept and exhibited.
- Take a walk around the San Martín Park with its lake and handicraft fair, the monument to General Martín Miguel de Güemes and the sanctuary of the Virgen del Cerro.

The trip on the Tren a las Nubes (Train to the Clouds), a railway that ranks fourth in the world due to the maximum altitude it reaches on its route, is a must. Although the train departs from the station in the locality of San Antonio de los Cobres, there is an excursion that includes a bus transfer from Salta capital city that makes stops at the main attractions along the route.

On the other hand, in the surroundings there are other attractions such as the Las Yungas de San Lorenzo Municipal Reserve, which has several trails for trekking and getting to know the environment of this ecoregion of high biodiversity.

The best time of the year to go is in winter (June to September) since it is the driest season. On the other hand, summer (December to March) is the wet season.