Photo: Galio, CC BY-SA 3.0 on Wikimedia Commons
The 7-day plan, rearranged for 5 days: the best-ranked places stay, and each day keeps to one part of town.
From average weather, 2021 to 2025: days that are warm but not hot, with few rainy days, score highest. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
The shaded main square of Salta, surrounded by arcades, cafes and colonial buildings. A good place to sit and watch the city start its day.
Go when Morning, or at dusk (about 7:06 PM) when the arcades fill.
Local tip Sit under the trees with a coffee and watch the square. The city shows itself here better than at any single sight.
A pink and cream cathedral on the square, built in the colonial style and richly decorated inside. Step in and look up at the painted ceiling.
Go when Morning, once the first quiet has passed.
Local tip Look up at the painted ceiling, then step back out to see the pink front in the daylight.
Small baked pastries filled with beef, cut by hand and spiced with cumin. Salta is proud of them, and each family has its own version.
Local tip Order them by the half dozen and eat them hot, with a squeeze of lemon.
A museum about the Inca ritual offerings found on the high peaks of the Andes. It shows human remains, so go with respect. Check ahead on what is on view.
Go when Morning, when it is quiet.
Local tip The museum shows remains of children found in the high Andes. Go slowly, and know before you go that it is a serious, moving place.
Locro is the thick stew of corn, beans and meat that northern Argentines eat on cold evenings. Hearty and warm.
Local tip Order a small bowl as a starter and share the rest of the table.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
The old colonial town hall on the square, with a long arcaded gallery and a quiet courtyard. Check ahead on what the museum inside has on view.
Go when Midday, when the square is hot.
Local tip Walk the arcaded gallery and the courtyard even if you do not go through the rooms.
The hill above the city, reached by a cable car or a long stairway. The view runs over the roofs and the green valley around Salta. Check ahead on the cable car.
Go when Late afternoon, about an hour before sunset (about 7:06 PM).
Local tip If the cable car is not running, the stairway is steep and the air is thin for a new arrival. Go slowly and take water.
Humitas are sweet corn parcels steamed in the husk, and tamales are filled corn dough wrapped in leaves. Both are traditional in the north.
Local tip Eat them at the market counters, where they come hot from the pot.
Quinoa is a grain from the high Andes that people here have grown for centuries. It comes in salads and stews, often with vegetables.
Local tip Ask what is grown nearby, as the menus often follow what is in season.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
The hill behind the village, banded in pink, red, ochre, green and gray. It looks its best in the soft morning light. A short path runs around its base.
Go when Morning, in the low sun.
Local tip The hill looks very different at midday and in the morning. Look for the layers of pink, red and green in the rock.
A restored fortress of the people who lived here before the Incas, on a hill with a long view of the valley. Walk the terraces and the cactus paths. Take water and a hat.
Go when Morning, before the sun gets strong.
Local tip Walk up the cactus path to the top for the long view of the valley. There is little shade, so take water.
A warm lunch in the quebrada: a corn humita and a soup of quinoa and vegetables, honest food for a cold day at altitude.
Local tip Look for a small place near the square, where the daily dish is written on a board.
A vast white salt flat high on the plateau, reached by a mountain road. It is bright and open and the air is thin, so wear sunglasses, a hat and sunscreen, and drink water.
Go when Late morning, when the white is bright.
Local tip Wear sunglasses, a hat and sunscreen, as the glare is strong. The air is thin at this height, so walk slowly and drink water.
A market town at the top of the quebrada, with narrow cobbled streets, a colonial church and craft stalls. Climb the steps of the monument above the town for the view.
Go when Afternoon, when the market fills.
Local tip Walk the cobbled streets and the crafts stalls at your own pace. At this height, rest on the steps before you climb.
Llama is a lean meat that people in the high Andes have eaten for a long time, served as a stew, a steak or in empanadas. Try it if you are curious.
Local tip Ask for it to be cooked through, and pair it with a local red.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
A small adobe village at the foot of a striped hill, with a craft market on the square and a small church. Walk the lanes before the day gets busy.
Go when Early morning, before the tour groups arrive.
Local tip Walk the lanes of the village first, then go up to the viewpoint behind it for the hill in the light.
A high plain full of tall cardon cacti, with a long straight road, the Recta del Tin Tin, running through it. Pull over, walk among the cacti and take in the quiet.
Go when Midday, in the clear light.
Local tip The air is thin here, so walk slowly among the cacti and drink water. Treat the cacti with care, as they grow very slowly.
Tamales, humitas and a plate of cheese and olives are easy to find in the villages of the valley.
Local tip Carry water and a snack, as places to eat are few on the road.
A quiet white village under snowy peaks, with a small church and a main square. A good place to rest after the road.
Go when Late afternoon, when the village is quiet.
Local tip Walk the lanes around the square, then sit and look up at the snowy peaks above the village.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
A canyon along the road to Cafayate where the rock turns red, orange and ochre, shaped into towers, arches and walls. Stop at the viewpoints and walk a little.
Go when Morning, when the light is low and the colors are strong.
Local tip Stop at the viewpoints where you can park safely off the road. Take your time, as the best views are not far apart.
A narrow red cleft in the canyon wall, one of the best known stops on the road. Walk in a short way and look up.
Go when Late morning, once the sun reaches the walls.
Local tip Walk in a short way and look up. Take a hat and water, as there is no shade.
A simple lunch in Cafayate: baked empanadas and fresh goat cheese, with a salad and bread.
Local tip Order light, as you will be driving, and keep the wine for the tasting.
A small wine town at the end of the canyon, under dry mountains. Walk around the main square, then settle in for a long, slow afternoon.
Go when Afternoon, then stay for the evening.
Local tip The vineyards here are among the highest in the world. Arrange a driver or a designated driver before any tasting.
By average weather from 2021 to 2025, April to October are the most comfortable months for walking around Salta. This plan is built for late April, which is one of the best months. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
It covers 5 days in Salta, planned for late April. Each day is built around a small number of stops, with room to rest.
It was planned for most travelers. The pace and the places reflect that, so check it fits how you travel.
No. Places marked "book ahead" need a reservation. Hours, prices and availability change, so confirm before you go.
Yes. Archie drafts a day by day plan for your dates and takes your pace, the weather and who is travelling into account. You can start one from the Archie app.
Yes. It is a starting point you can change to fit your own trip: swap a place, add a day or move the pace.
Each day has about 0.2 to 168.2 kilometers between its stops, and 344.1 kilometers in all across 5 days. A short hop is a walk and a longer one a ride. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
Another guide with a page about Salta. It opens in a new tab.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons on Wikimedia Commons
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A trip idea · Updated October 2026
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