Salta - Argentina’s Prettiest City, Salta, Argentina

Mention Salta to any Argentine, and their immediate response is ‘Salta la Linda’, said with a longing sigh. It translates to Salta the Pretty, and once you visit, you will understand why it received this endearing nickname. With its multicoloured churches and elegant heritage buildings, there is much to love about this pretty city.

Located in the Lerma Valley, in the foothills of the Andes, Salta is the perfect introduction to the beauty found in northern Argentina. This region has been inhabited for hundreds of years; in fact, the name may come from one of the original people living here, the Sahta tribe. The Incas arrived in the 12th century, so another explanation is that the name comes from the Quechua word for “a pleasant place to settle down”. The Quechua influence is still apparent in Salta, in the people, customs, and, of course, the tourist knick-knacks sold in stores. At times, these details made us think that we’d left Argentina and entered Peru.

The Spanish arrived in the valley in the 16th century and established a settlement. At the time, the founder of Salta, conquistador Hernando de Lerma, named it San Felipe of Lerma in the Valley of Salta. The Spanish faced significant resistance from the local indigenous population, which continued through the 1800s. In fact, its northern location put Salta in a strategic position during the battles for independence from Spain. In the midst of this animosity, though, the Spanish managed to build an incredibly beautiful city. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).