SALTA

Location

The province of Salta is situated in the north-west of the Argentine Republic. It has borders with three countries: Chile, Bolivia and Paraguay and with six Argentine provinces: Jujuy, Tucumán, Catamarca, Santiago del Estero, Chaco and Formosa.

Known as "the Pretty one" by the impressive beauty of its landscapes, this province is as varied as it is colourful, since its geography extends from the dryness of the Puna to the west, to the subtropical forest to the northeast, across mountains, valleys and gorges. Exactly in one of those valleys, the valley of Lerma, is where where Salta City is located, enjoying mild temperatures throughout the year, due to its location at 1,200 meters above sea level.

The city and its outskirts

The City of Salta is characterized by its architecture with a strong Hispanic influence. Its urban profile is outlined by single-storey houses, with streets and narrow sidewalks framed by the greenish-brown in the surrounding hills.

A walk about the city allows you to discover museums, churches and large houses that were built in colonial times. The kindness of its temperate climate, the safety of its calm and pleasant life, the mix between fun and relax, and the cordiality of its people make Salta unique, unforgettable, and Pretty by Nature.

As you walk about the city, it is must to visit the 9 of Julio Square, the site chosen by Hernando de Lerma for the foundation of the city in 1582. The arcades characterize the surrounding streets.

At one of its sides, you will find the Cathedral Basilica, whose construction began in 1858 and has a gold-laminated Altar. There you can see the images of the Lord and the Virgin of the Miracle, the city’s Patron Saints, and the Pantheon of the Northern Glories, the place where the remains of our hero of the Independence War, General Martín Miguel de Güemes, lie at rest,

Opposite the Cathedral and also facing the 9 of Julio Square, is the Historical Town Hall, dating from the times of the foundation. That is where the Northern Historical Museum operates.

Towards the east, along Caseros Street, you will find San Francisco’s Church, characterized by its walls in terra-cotta color and its high tower, and a few blocks ahead is San Bernardo’s Convent, with its magnificent carob tree portal, handcrafted by the natives in 1762.

The historical city tour is not complete without visiting the Uriburu, Arias Rengel, Leguizamón and Hernández colonial mansions, many of which have currently been turned into museums.

Another architectonic jewel is the Craft Market, where crafts of different regions from the province are sold. The Monument to Güemes, at the foot of San Bernardo’s Hill and the 20 de Febrero Monument, in the north of the city, are other sites worth a visit.   Finally, the city’ s view from the top of San Bernardo’s hill, a show in itself.

Balcarce Street

The Railway Station quarter saw the most important and prominent figures as well as the lesser known pass by through its platforms. Those streets were populated by nostalgic “milongas” (sad songs) and hard workdays, which marked an era in the development process of the country, but after the dictatorship years, and along with it the privatization of the railroad, they became an uninhabited, empty and marginal area of the city.

Shortly afterwards, a small light began to flicker in one and another streetlamp which began to light the future of an area missed by many.  It was then that the poets, the guitar-players, the bohemians returned, and life itself began to weave what we call as a whole "La Balcarce”, with more than thirty bars, peñas, restaurants, and pubs, which invite to enjoy nighttime in Salta. In the evening, the locals from Salta join together with tourists to share chats, to enjoy listening to the music of a local group or to dance and during the weekend a Crafts fair is organized, with stands offering woven fabrics, pottery, basket-making and regional sweets.