Salta, Argentina: A History-Lover’s Paradise
While there aren’t tons of things to do in Salta, it is a great place to base yourself and explore the amazing surroundings. That being said, Salta does have a collection of some of the most beautiful churches we’ve ever seen and this region has the best food in Argentina!
We recommend spending a full day exploring everything Salta city has to offer. Then, spend a few days and nights in the surrounding towns, or simply take day trips from Salta. There are worthwhile day trips in every direction, so Salta really is the best home base if you’re low on time!
We’ll go over the best things to do in Salta, as well some of the best day trips in Northwestern Argentina!
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The Best Things to do in Salta City
1. Experience San Francisco Church and Convent
The San Francisco Church and Convent is one of the most beautiful buildings in Northern Argentina. Aside from being beautiful inside and out, you can do a guided tour (in Spanish) that takes you around the courtyard and up to the top of the tower for a 360-degree view of Salta. There’s also a patio here with small shops and a brunch restaurant!
Tours of the San Francisco Church and Convent run from 9 am to 1 pm, last 1 hour, and cost about 4 USD.
2. See Mummies at the Alta Montana Archeological Museum
This is definitely the creepiest museum we’ve ever been to. It also is a contender for the most interesting. The Alta Montaña Archaeological Museum gives insights into pre-Incan and Incan cultures, and houses two real mummies!
That’s not even the craziest part. One of the mummies is over 500 years old, was sacrificed when she was 6 years old, and was struck by lightning after the Incas placed her on top of a mountain. The Incas would pick children from royal families, drug them with coca and a corn liquor called chicha and bury them alive once they’d pass out in attempts to satisfy their gods.
The Alta Montaña Archaelogical museum is open from 11 am to 6:30 pm Monday-Saturday. It costs 8 USD and the exhibits are in English!
3. Cable Car to Cerro San Bernardo
The views atop Cerro San Bernardo show you how big Salta truly is! This is probably the most popular thing to do in Salta and is a great family activity. There are some multi-level waterfalls, a restaurant, an outdoor gym, souvenir shops, a playground, and another for activities on Cerro San Bernardo. We recommend taking the cable car up and walking down, but you can also hike up in 45 minutes to an hour or drive up if you have a car. You can find the cable car access by searching for “Teleférico San Bernardo.” If you’re hiking up, this is the entrance to the stairs.
The cable car is open from 9 am to 7 pm and costs $5 for one-way or $10 for a round trip ticket.
4. Go to a Peña Foklorico
Buenos Aires has Tango shows, and Salta has Peña Fokloricos. These are traditional shows in Salta with food, lots of wine, live bands, and dancing, depending on which show you go to. They sing songs attributed to gauchos (which are cowboys in Argentina). It’s basically country music except they sing about things other than trucks, beer, and guns. Oh, and the music is actually good!
Some of the best places for Peña Fokloricos in Salta are La Vieja Estacion, Peña Boliche Balderrama, Pena la Cautiva, La Balcarce, Los Cardones, La Casona del Molina, and Nora Julia.
5. Admire the Cathedral of Salta
The massive Salta Cathedral towers over the popular Plaza 9 de Julio and is a must-see when in Salta. Entrance to the inside closes from 12-5 pm every day, so we recommend going once during the morning and once at night to admire it in two different lights. This is in the center of Salta so you’ll likely pass by it a few times!
6. Sample the Regional Cuisine
Salta easily has the best empanadas in Argentina. Empanadas Salteñas can have slight variation by what city/town you’re in or even what restaurants you go to, and that’s the beauty of it. We’ve had empanadas stuffed with diced beef and goat cheese, potatoes, and even quinoa! Humitas and tamales are also popular things to try in this region of Argentina: they’re very similar, both being corn-based dough, except tamales are stuffed with a combination of meat, cheese, sauce and vegetables. Locro is a thick stew with meat and vegetables that, like the other typical Salteña cuisine, is absolutely delicious. Head over to Adobe Cocina Regional, Doña Salta, or any of the Peñas to sample these delicacies!
7. Tour the city
If you’re in a time crunch, or just prefer guided tours, this is for you! As with any city, we recommend doing a walking tour as soon as you arrive so you can further explore the things you found interesting later on. There is a free walking tour every weekday at 6 pm, but for a longer tour, we recommend checking out this paid tour!
8. Hike or Horseback Ride Through a Cloud Forest
Quebrada de San Lorenzo is a beautiful cloud forest with lush green trees covered in moss, decorated with streams, waterfalls, and barely anyone else. This is the perfect nature escape from downtown Salta. You can explore these trails by horseback by just showing up and asking for a guided tour at the stables, or if you want a guaranteed spot horseback riding in the same nature reserve, book this tour!
If you want to hike, it’s a bit trickier. The trails are technically on private property, so the municipality can’t encourage “trespassing,” though all of the guides and locals do this. We talked to a police officer and a local guide who said this “trespassing” was perfectly fine. There are a few trails and no markings, so we played it safe and just followed the stream until we got tired.
To get to the trails, there is a path along the fence line that you can get to by entering directly before or directly after the last artisan vendor (look for a building marked Puerto 4). The entrances will be on your right. Head up this small trail and hug the fence until you see a barbed wire gate on your left. There’s an opening to the right of the gate where you can enter. This is a bit of a hassle but it’s 100% worth it in our opinion.
To get to Quebrada de San Lorenzo, take bus #7 for 50 cents. Read the “How to Get Around Salta” section for how to ride buses in Salta.
9. Learn About Salta’s History in the Cabildo Historico
The Cabildo Historico is a former government building-turned museum. It’s free and details the history of Salta, from the Incan times to the Spanish Conquest. There are a few artifacts and other displays kept in tact from these periods, with some explanations in English, although the museum is mostly in Spanish.
10. Hang Out in Plaza de Julio the Surrounding Area
Passing through Plaza de Julio was one of our favorite things to do in Salta. There are small markets, street performers, tons of museums, old colonial buildings, and outdoor seating at restaurants and cafes surrounding the plaza. You can exchange money here if need be (but make sure to read our post on how to exchange money in Argentina first)!
11. Check Out Iglesia de la Viña
The Iglesia de la Viña is another spectacular church. It may be overshadowed but the Salta Cathedral and San Francisco Church and Convent, but it is absolutely worth checking out. The vibrant color scheme makes you think this belongs in the Caribbean and is a huge contrast from the rest of Salta city!
Amazing Day Trips from Salta
If we had unlimited time, we’d rent a car and go to all of the amazing towns in the Salta and Jujuy province. However, when you’re pressed for time, tours from Salta are a great option. Check out our favorite multi-day tours below!
- Cafayate and Mountain of 14 Colors in 2 days
- Cafayate and Salinas Grandes in 2 days
- Cafayate and Cachi in 2 days
- Cafayate, Mountain of 14 Colors, and Salinas Grandes in 3 days
- Cafayate, Cachi and Salinas Grandes in 3 days
These include the the main highlights of the Salta and Jujuy provinces, so they’re all good options! If you don’t want to do a multi-day trip, check out the tours below!
Mountain of 14 Colors / Serranias del Hornacal
Argentina’s nature is simply underrated. The Mountain of 14 Colors near the town of Humahuaca is the best evidence for this claim. Some even make the argument that there are more than 14 colors zig-zagged across this massive mountain range. Either way, this is a spectacular site you won’t want to miss! Check out this tour!
Read about visiting the Mountain of 14 Colors here!
Cafayate Day Trip
Cafayate is Salta’s famous wine region that not only boasts delicious wines, but amazing nature. The red rock formations make you think you’re in Sedona, Arizona—but without the crazy prices! We recommend staying a few days in Cafayate, but if you can’t, a day trip from Salta will do!
Book your day trip (with a wine tasting) to Cafayate here!
How to Get to Cafayate from Salta
You can take a 3.5 hour bus for $14 from Salta, booked online at flecha bus or in person at Salta’s Omnibus Station. The drive to Cafayate was probably the most beautiful drive I’ve ever been on!
If you can, we recommend renting a car for your trip to Cafayate so you can stop for pictures and visit the out-of-town wineries easily.
Read all about visiting Cafayate here!
Cachi Day Trip
Cachi is a small colonial town west of Salta, famous for its wine, goat farming, and beautiful nature that surrounds it. If you just want to explore the town and taste some of the delicious wines, you can absolutely do this as a day trip from Salta. If you’re more interested in exploring the surrounding nature, we recommend staying a few nights. Once again, it’s definitely easiest to explore this area with a rental car, but you can check out bus schedules to Cachi here!
We recommend this tour for a day trip to Cachi!
Salinas Grandes
While the Uyuni Salt Flats in Bolivia may steal the spotlight, Argentina’s salt flats are a sight to see. There are rectangular-cut turquoise pools which are really unique, and the backdrop of the charcoal-red Andes makes this a worthy day trip from Salta. Even better, most tours combine this with a trip to Purmamarca, a nearby town that has a mountain of 7 colors.
Read all about visiting Salinas Grandes!
Tren a las Nubes (Train to the Clouds)
The Tren a las Nubes, or Train to the Clouds in English, is one of the highest passenger trains in the world. At 13,850 feet – or 4,220 meters – above sea level, the risk of altitude sickness is rewarded with amazing views of the landscapes.
The journey starts with a ~3 hour bus ride to San Antonio de los Cubres from Salta, but the stops along the way make this a longer journey. The train ride takes 2 hours, but the total voyage from Salta takes around 11 hours!
You’ll see gorgeous mountains, wildlife, hot springs, an abandoned silver mine, pass over the photo-worthy Viaducto la Polvorilla, and optionally indulge in a (pricey!) food and drink service.
Book your tour with this provider, they cover transportation to and from the train station!
Best Time to Visit Salta
The best time to visit Salta is between March and May or September and November, when you’ll have the best weather for exploring the outdoors and enjoying the nearby attractions! Though it can be visited any time with generally pleasant weather year round, we recommend avoiding December and January, as those are the hottest and wettest months.
If you’re into fun cultural events, consider visiting on June 17th to witness the “Gauchos of Güemes Parade.” This event honors the memory of Güemes, a national hero, and his gauchos. Read more about the festival here!
Where to Stay in Salta
The best place to stay in Salta is as close to the city’s main plaza (Plaza de Julio) as possible. This is the area that has the most going on in terms of things to do and great restaurants!
Salta Accommodations
How to Get to Salta
How to Get to Salta by Plane
Salta has a decent sized airport (SLA) that services cheap flights from all over Argentina.
From the airport, you can take a taxi (called “Remis” in Salta) or take the public bus to get downtown. Bus 6 or 8A go downtown for around 50 cents. You can use Salta’s public transportation card or you can board the bus and ask to pay another passenger to use their card.
Book your flights with Skyscanner!
How to Get to Salta by Bus
Buses come from all over Argentina to Salta, and are the best option if you’re traveling on a budget!
How to Get Around Salta
Unlike most Argentine cities, Salta does not use SUBE. They use their own card, which you can buy and recharge using this map.
Google Maps has the correct routes, but the times are always a little delayed. To get picked up, you need to wave down the bus, board, and scan your card. Make your way to the back of the bus so when it’s your time to stop you can press the orange button on the railing near the back door. If you can’t get a card, you can likely pay someone on the bus to use theirs!
Salta is fairly walkable, but like any Argentine city, the drivers are crazy!
Uber isn’t very common, but there are tons of taxis, called “remis”.
Salta Argentina Restaurants
- Adobe Cocina Regional: For amazing dishes popular in the Salta region!
- Doña Salta: For delicious empanadas, main dishes, and a great Ambiance!
- La Casona del Molino: For the Peña with some of the most delicious food!
- Estación Belgrano: For some delicious beef, fish, and other meat dishes!
- El Charrúa: For Argentina’s famous Parrilla, or barbecue!
Keep Exploring the Salta Province…
Our Favorite Travel Resources
Accommodations: We use Booking.com for hotels and HostelWorld for hostels. We also use VRBO or TrustedHousesitters for longer stays.
Flights: We recommend using Skyscanner to find the cheapest and best flights.
Ground Transport: We use 12Go and Omio for buses and private transfers, and rentalcars.com and Discover Cars for rental cars.
Activities: GetYourGuide and Viator are the best websites for booking organized tours.
International Medical Insurance: We highly recommend SafetyWing for Digital Nomads and HeyMondo for those not traveling full-time, or who frequently engage in higher-risk adventure activities.
eSIM: We recommend Airalo or Holafly for getting data internationally.
Check out our Travel Resources Page for more of our favorite travel-related products and services!
