Salta
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The beautiful city of Salta, capital of the Salta province, is one of the most exciting and thriving cities in the north, nestled in the Lerma Valley, and in one of the most fertile and most beautiful areas. Saltenos, the people of Salta, are just as enchanting as their home city, welcoming visitors to enjoy everything Salta has to offer and more, and are definitely worth getting to know. The spectacular land around Salta differs significantly with parts being of desert terrain, colourful mountain ranges, cactus inhibited hills, vast salt flats, ancient rock formations, and low winding rivers, offering incredible travel opportunities for every travelling taste.
Salta has an incredible history and yet modern influence, both very apparent in the look and feel of the city, giving Salta a unique flavour. The city boasts some beautifully old Hispanic architecture, characterized by tall entry ways, open rooms, detailed constructions, and courtyards, as well as some more modern apartment and office buildings in the centre of the city. The roads in the city are very narrow, as are the sidewalks, and flow about in a sort of grid like pattern, make any city sights easy to find. One of the most impressive sights of the city are the plazas and their churches, a very typical construction of the Spaniards, and they can be found though out the area with the most spectacular, Plaza 9 de Julio, being in the city centre. This beautiful plaza is surrounded by restaurants, shopping, government buildings, and a gorgeous church, with a lovely park in the center of it all. Truly a wonderful sight to see and a great place to dine, relax, or just people watch in the sun.
The climate in Salta is very friendly for most of the year, spring, fall, and winter being warm and mild and very comfortable, and offering short but sufficient rain falls. The summer can be a different story with temperatures sometimes rising up into the plus 40degreeC range, only for a short period, and sometimes is best enjoyed indoors, or at night when temperatures are slightly milder.
When you are ready to leave the beautiful city of Salta, there are more than a handful of fantastic activities to enjoy in the nearby regions, most being offered as day trips.
Tren a Las Numbes (Train in the Clouds)
This fantastic adventure can be enjoyed either by taking the train or, today a bus is also offered depending on the season, for example, during the rainy season the train shuts down. Both take you on the same path, through the gorgeous and often colourful mountain ranges of the area, past low rivers, into unique towns, into the enormous salt flats, past Purmamara, and display’s some of the most gorgeous plant and wildlife, including the famous llama. The whole journey takes anywhere from 12-15 hours but the time goes unnoticed as the entire trip is fully of sights and exciting excursions. This trip can be booked in the city of Salta.
Parque Nacional el Rey
This extensive park located in the Yunga or sub-tropical jungle region, only 80km from Salta, is a must see for outdoor lovers. This jungle is extremely dense, humid, and plant and wildlife inhibited, and visitors can walk through its gorgeous area, fish in the lagoons, or relax in the tranquility of it all. Tours can range from one day to a few days, depending on the traveler. There is accommodation for those who want to stay overnight in the area, and transportation must be arranged before hand, into the jungle and out.
Other day trips that can be made from Salta
Purmamaraca
Valle Calchaquies
Iruya
Salinas Grandes
Cachi
Cayafate
Be sure to ask at one or more of the many tourism offices located in Salta, directly off the main plaza’s square. Here you will find plenty of well-priced excursions in the area.
Another place to check in the Argentina Travel guide, also located in the province of Salta is Cafayate and Cachi.