Salta is the capital of Salta Province and is located in the northwest of Argentina. While it can feel isolated from so many other places in Argentina (you’re looking at a 20 hour bus to get here from many major Argentinian destinations), it’s still worth a visit. From the beautiful churches found throughout the city to the history that can be learned at the archaeology museum to the amazing day trips from the city, there’s something for everyone in Salta.
So, if you’re planning your trip to Argentina, here’s my picks for the best things to do in Salta, Argentina.
Things to Do in Salta, Argentina
Like with all of my lists, this is not an exhaustive list of things to do in Salta. For me, the best part of my visit was the fact that Salta made a great base for exploring the rest of the region. However, so many travelers I spoke to really enjoyed the city of Salta. I liked the city, but didn’t love it. Despite that, I still think there are a few things that you should do when you’re in Salta.
Visit the Archeology Museum
If you take a guided day trip in Salta, as you reach the city at the end of the day, your guide will likely give you advice of what else to do in the city. The Museum of High Altitude Archeology, or MAAM, is almost certainly going to make that list. It’s a point of pride for the people of this region.
So what is the MAAM? Like the name suggests, it’s an archeology museum with the main draw being the children of Llullaillco. These three Inca children were sacrificed around the year 1500 and the museum tells their story. The museum tries to give context for the human sacrifice that was done as well as tell what we know about the children based on how they were found and the items they were found with.
Ride the Cable Car
This is one activity that I didn’t do in Salta, but I spoke with a few travelers who did and they said it was great. Not too far from the center of town, in a large park, you’ll find the entrance to the cable car. Here, you can ride to the top of the mountain for a bird’s eye view of the city.
From what I could see on GoogleMaps and AllTrails, there may also be a walking route to the top of the mountain if you don’t want to ride the cable car.
Visit Basilica Cathedral of Salta
Salta has no shortage of beautiful churches, but the one you’ll almost certainly visit is the Basilica Cathedral of Salta. This pink church sits right off the main square (Plaza 9 de Julio), so it’s easy to see from the outside. It’s a gorgeous exterior, but the interior is one of my favorites in South America. That said, the Cathedral has some weird hours and of all of the times I was down near the main square, the cathedral was only open once.
Beyond the Basilica, Iglesia La Viña and the Convent of San Francisco are also gorgeous churches, though I’ve only seen these from the outside.
Relax on the Main Square
Every city in South America has a main square where people gather throughout the day. In Salta, that’s the Plaza 9 de Julio. Surrounding the square you’ll find restaurants, the Basilica Cathedral of Salta, and the Museum of High Altitude Archeology. Inside the square, there’s loads of benches and it makes a great place to relax and people watch.
Wander the City
As I mentioned, many travelers loved the city of Salta. I liked it, but didn’t love it, so I highly recommend that you form your own opinion. Give yourself some time to walk the streets of Salta. Find a good restaurant, stop in a cafe for a coffee, do some shopping, admire the architecture of the many churches and convents, and just enjoy the city as a whole.
To learn even more about Salta, consider taking a walking tour. There is an English speaking tour that departs the main square at 6:00 pm and while I didn’t do it, I spoke to another traveler who really enjoyed it.
Beyond Salta
While I spoke to several travelers who loved the city of Salta, I thought it was just ok. The more I’ve explored South America, the more I realize that I’m not in love with the cities of South America. So, if you’re like me, know that Salta is still worth visiting because there is so much incredible scenery outside of the city. Tour agencies in Salta will help you arrange tours to any of these spots (though you can also use GetYourGuide or Viator).
Salinas Grandes
Salinas Grandes is the largest salt flat in Argentina and the fourth largest salt flat in the world (the largest is the Uyuni Salt Flat in Bolivia). After many hours in the car and winding roads over the Andes Mountains, you’ll reach the salt flats. Take some time to photograph the unique area.
A day trip to Salinas Grandes is typically combined with a stop in Purmamacra (covered later) and the Hill of Seven Colors. All in all, it’s a day trip with a ton of variety. There’s salt flats, mountain roads, the cute town of Purmamacra, and a walk featuring colorful mountains.
Cafayate
Cafayate is probably the most popular day trip from Salta and that’s likely because it typically includes a visit to a winery. The town of Cafayate itself is pretty small and there’s not a lot to do, but it’s surrounded by vineyards and wineries.
But there’s more to visiting Cafayate than just drinking wine. You’ll take Route 68 to reach Cafayate and it’s a gorgeous highway lined with mountains, red rocks, and unique rock formations. See the Devil’s Throat, Amphitheater, and the Tres Cruces viewpoint.
Cachi
Out of all of the day trips I did in Salta, Cachi was my least favorite. That’s not to say that it was bad, but the town of Cachi was small and didn’t have a lot going on. However, there are some incredible views along the highway to Cachi and that helps to redeem the day trip significantly in my book.
On the way to Cachi, you’ll be driving through mountains, but rather than the red rocks along the highway to Cafayate or the colorful mountains near Salinas Grandes, you’ll see green. Beyond those mountains, you’ll also stop at a national park where you’ll have the chance to get up close with the cacti.
Purmamarca
Many travelers just pass through Purmamacra on their way to other day trips (namely Salinas Grandes or Humachaca), but you could spend the night in the town. In fact, if I were to visit any of the town that I visited on my Salta day trips again (Purmamacra, Cafayate, and Cachi), Purmamacra wins by a long shot.
Don’t get me wrong, Purmamacra is still a small town, but there’s loads of artisans and there is some absolutely gorgeous scenery. From the town of Purmamacra, you can walk the Hill of 7 Colors trail which takes you to some gorgeous colorful mountains.
Humachuaca
This is the one place that I didn’t visit when I was in Salta. North of Purmamacra, you’ll find Humahuaca which is a Hill of 14 colors. The photos look incredible and if I ever find myself in Salta (or Jujuy) Province again, it’s at the top of my list for the next visit.
How to Get to Salta
Most international travelers will visit Salta as part of a larger trip through Argentina or South America. Depending on your route, Salta can feel out of the way. You’ll find long distance buses from the main station, but there is also an airport in the city (airport code SLA). For those traveling within Argentina, I’d recommend looking into flights to Salta. Buenos Aires is the most common destination (this is how I arrived), but you’ll find some flights to Mendoza, Cordoba, and Iguazu Falls.
There’s also a bus station in town. Note that most of the destinations are quite far from Salta. Mendoza and Iguazu Falls are both 20 hours away. For those heading to Bolivia, look for buses to Tarija. It’s ten hours and then from Tarija, you can connect to other destinations in Bolivia.
You can also reach Chile from Salta. I took a bus to San Pedro de Atacama, Chile and it was nearly 11 hours.
How to Get Around Salta
The city of Salta is very walkable, though you will find taxis, Ubers, and buses. I used Uber to get from the airport and again to get to the bus station (since it was early in the morning and my hostel was a decent walk from the station). But otherwise, I walked everywhere I needed to in Salta and had no issues.
How Long Do You Need in Salta
It really depends how many day trips you want to do. I think you only need one full day in the city of Salta itself, but you’ll want to budget extra time for the unique day trips of the area.
So at a minimum, you’ll want two days. This gives you time to see Salta and to do one day trip. I feel like this is pretty rushed and would recommend having at least three full days in Salta.
If you have five days, you could realistically do everything on this list, though it will be a very busy five days.
I spent one week in Salta and that gave me six full days in the city. I took three day trips and spent the other three days running errands, exploring the city, and relaxing.
Final Thoughts
Salta itself as a city can be fun to visit, but in my opinion, the best things about Salta lay outside the city. I’m not sure if every traveler will agree with that statement, but I think every traveler can agree that Salta is worth a visit. Explore the city, but don’t miss the great scenery elsewhere in the province.
Continue Your Adventure
Salta: In the north of Argentina, you can spend five days in Salta. Visit the nearby Salinas Grandes, taste wine in Cafayate, or head to the town of Cachi.
Buenos Aires: On a first trip to Buenos Aires, you have to include a stop at Recoleta Cemetery.
