Salta
It is located to the east of the Andes mountain range, in the Lerma Valley, at 1,187 meters above sea level. It was founded in 1582 and is famous for its Spanish colonial architecture and Andean heritage. It constitutes an important cultural and tourist hub and is a member of the Mercociudades network, along with 180 other cities in the Mercosur member countries. The geographical diversity, the variations in altitude and the different microclimates and ecoregions, make Salta a paradise for birds, having registered about 654 species, 65% of the entire country. It is one of the most chosen destinations in the country for its culture, gastronomy, hospitality and landscape. Everything that exists between the dense and tropical jungle and the rugged high altitude landscape, which exceeds 5,000 meters above sea level, is a vivid picture to be admired in the Baritú, El Rey and Los Cardones Parks. In these vast protected areas you can see: the great Andean condor that soars over the high mountains of the Andes, toucans, yungeros and even the tiny dwarf hummingbird of only 7 centimeters. The suris or ñandúes enjoy this habitat shared with vicuñas, guanacos and some cats. In the lagoons you can see: flamingos, ducks and plovers among other species. Waterfalls, rivers and lakes give each landscape its own humidity. Gigantic ferns, trees with trunks of astonishing diameter and upright cardones, support and sustain the incomparable panorama offered by the parks of Salta.
Indispensable on a visit to Salta are:
- Salta Cathedral and Sanctuary of the Lord and the Virgin of the Miracle: Both the cathedral, in neoclassical style, and the sanctuary, date from the second part of the 19th century and were built by the destruction by an earthquake of the previous building. It is a magnificent, richly decorated religious building that was declared a National Historic Monument on June 14, 1941.
- Museum of High Mountain Archeology (MAAM): It was born from the will of the Government of the province of Salta to protect, study and disseminate the finding of the children of Llullaillaco, one of the most important archaeological discoveries of the last times. They are the bodies (currently on display) of three children sacrificed by the Incas, exceptionally preserved for around five hundred years. They were found at a height of 6,739 meters near the top of the Llullaillaco volcano, in the west of the province.
- Cerro San Bernardo: Located to the east of the city, next to the 20 de febrero hill that is located towards its north side, they were declared a Municipal Natural Reserve on June 4, 1991. Its top rises to an altitude of 1471.92 meters. From the city, it can be accessed to its top by three routes: a paved route, a stone stairway with 1,021 steps and a cable car, which covers an oblique distance of 1,046 meters, the ascent or descent lasting about 8 minutes.
- Minor Basilica and Convent of San Francisco: It is a Catholic temple and convent of the Franciscan order that, due to its architectural beauty and historical importance, constitutes one of the main tourist attractions of the city, recognized for being one of the cities that best preserved the Spanish colonial center in Argentina. It was declared a National Historic Monument on July 14, 1941 and a Minor Basilica on August 4, 1992.