Salta

Salta “the beautiful” lives up to its namesake, a charming colonial city at the foot of the Andes and the perfect base for exploring the breathtaking canyons of Argentina’s highlands.

In the north-west corner of the country where the land rises to meet the Andes on the borders with Chile and Bolivia, Argentina’s highlands offer some of the most captivating landscapes in all of South America. Red-rock gorges and multi-coloured canyons lead up to desolate altiplano punctuated by dazzling salt-flats and white-washed colonial towns. Capital of the region, Salta sits at the foot of the mountains at 1100m above sea-level and is an ideal base for exploring the landscapes. Founded in 1582, the city dubbed “Salta la Linda” (“Salta the beautiful”) retains much of its colonial architecture and offers a wealth of historic attractions amidst excellent boutique hotels and restaurants. At its heart, the elegant Ninth of July Square is ringed by a graceful gallery punctuated by the city’s neoclassical Cathedral, the Museum of Contemporary Art and the original Cabildo town hall.

Yet the real beauty of Salta lies outside the city walls, best experienced on the famous “Train to the Clouds”, one of South America’s most spectacular rail journeys. Between April and November, visitors can enjoy a dizzying trip high into the red-rock canyons and gorges of Argentina’s north-west altiplano to reach the giddy height of 4220m above sea-level.

Salta Hotels

Legado Mitico$$$$

Sister hotel to the Legado Mitico in Buenos Aires, the Legado Mitico Salta is a sumptuous boutique hotel and sensitively renovated manor house at the heart of the city. Taking its inspiration from Salta’s rich heritage, the Legado Mitico oozes sophisticated elegance cleverly blending regional textiles and handcrafts with classic period furniture and rich oil paintings. Behind its unassuming grey façade, there are ample communal spacious from the lounge and breakfast room through to the ref...