May 16th, 2006 | The lowdown by Mark Burgess

Salta - An Introduction

Lost hundreds of kilometers north of any of Argentina’s traditional tourist hubs, Salta has long been forgotten, passed over, and neglected for the glaciers of the south, the buzz of Buenos Aires, the wines of Mendoza, the gargantuan awe of Iguazu.

Patagonia had Darwin, St. Exupery, Chatwin and Theroux; Buenos Aires had Gardel and Evita; Mendoza has Malbec; Iguazu has gravity in all its thundering might. But Argentina’s north has emerged from its humble obscurity in the last half-decade with a mix of charming villages, stunning scenery, local cuisine and Andean life not found elsewhere in this vast country of contrasts. And Salta has taken its rightful place as the region’s glowing, indisputable hub.

The first impression of this lively city is dictated by the direction of one’s approach. Because of its proximity to the popular border crossing to Bolivia of La Quiaca, for many it is a first or last stop in Argentina. For those to whom it is an introduction, brace yourselves for the culture shock: from the arrival in the pristine, modern bus terminal, to the first stroll through the radiant plaza 9 de Julio, one feels as though brought in from the wild, to have resurfaced in a lovely town with all the amenities of western Europe at a quarter of the price.

For the northbound traveler, Salta presents itself as a final indulgence in Argentine luxury, while hinting ever so faintly at the different world further north: like a trip through Andalusia en route to Morocco, or a stop in Sicily before being ferried to Tunisia, Argentina’s north represents one of those areas where the drawing of modern borders never quite takes, reminding the traveler of a time when these lines were less distinct, hinting at the exoticism beyond and whetting the palate for what lies further north.

Travelers on their way out of Argentina may also be surprised to find that Salta, with its low, perfectly restored buildings (few stand more than four stories high), its 19th century churches of sky-matching pastels and vibrant red and gold, its leafy plazas and sprawling parks, its encapsulation in a valley of lush green hills, is probably the prettiest city in the country. No wonder it has earned the nickname, immortalized in a poem by Emilio Viñas: Salta la Linda.

Although not the most exciting of Argentine cities, Salta is more than just a pretty face. With a population of nearly 600,000, it offers the big city bonuses while still maintaining, and partly priding itself on, its provincial integrity. With a slower, warmer, more candid lifestyle, Salteños, defining themselves by the virtue of tranquilidad, will be the first to tell you that they are different.

The city’s nightlife, centered on one lively strip of La Balcarce, offers a range of cafes, restaurants, pubs and clubs, calling out to the hoards of pedestrians in the mixed tongues of live Andean bands, local rock and reggae, saucy salsa or bleating electronic. And its restaurants, in addition to the parillas and pizzerias found all across the country, add the flavor of Andean cuisine, with local specialties like locro, humitas, and tamales, as well as the best empanadas in the country.

While these attractions well warrant a stopover on the way north or south, Salta’s surrounding areas should convince one to extend his stay. A walk up Avenida Buenos Aires brings one past dozens of tour agencies offering excursions to the nearby towns of Cafayate, Cachi and Iruya, to the Quebrada towns in Jujuy, as well as the opportunity for adventure sports like rafting and bungee jumping at the stunning Dique Cabra Corral.

So while Salta may offer very different impressions depending on the dial of one’s compass, it should never be simply passed over for the attractions further south. But be warned: those who come often end up staying a lot longer than originally planned.