Salta, Argentina

Why go

Salta La Linda, well not so Linda, actually a little dirty, but they’re trying. Few of the old colonial buildings left, but still a pleasant atmosphere with all the comforts of a city. It’s the transportation hub of the area and a much less hectic place than its “ugly sister”, San Salvador de Jujuy. It’s also the mecca for tourist services. The tourist information office is unparalleled and there is a bounty of tourist agencies and car rentals close to the central plaza.

Why not go

It’s still a city and if you’re looking for peace and quiet you’re not going to find it here.

When to go

Even in the summer (Oct. –Mar.) when the rest of the country can be unbearable the temperatures in Salta seldom get higher than the low 80s (F). In the Winter (May – Sept.), however, it can get to be quite cold at night although daytime temperatures tend to stay in the mid to high 60s. Pretty much year round it’s a great option in terms of weather.

Costs

The cheapest rooms in Salta are in the range of 35- 40 pesos per night for a double room. Many include a breakfast of medialunas and café con leche. Most of the cheapest options in town are the hostels. They will most likely include a communal kitchen and some hang out rooms. The best thing to do if you have the time is to go to the tourist information office and tell them the price range and the area of town you’re interested in. They have a full list of all the hotels in the area and their current prices, even the newest hotels, and they are extremely helpful.

Food is somewhat cheaper than what you find in Buenos Aires. If you’re willing to eat tamales, empanadas, humitas and beer or soda for dinner you’ll find plenty of cheap options (dinner for two – 8 pesos).

Description

The town is laid out in a compact grid with streets either in a North-South or East-West orientation. The names of the North-South streets change at Caseros which is the street bordering the south edge of the central plaza. The banks, tourist information office, car rental shops, tour agencies, and many restaurants and hotel/hostels are located around this central plaza area. It is also a relaxing place to spend the day people watching. Banks tend to be open only in the morning. Most of the car rental places are also only open in the morning on the weekend. On the weekdays they open back up again in the evenings. The airport also has car rental but you will pay the airport tax if you rent there. Avis stays at the airport until late even on Saturday.

Time!!! There is a serious siesta culture here. From around 2 – 7pm many stores and restaurants are closed for the siesta. Some cafes on the plaza will remain open and serve food and some internet places will also remain open (this is a good time to send out those emails you’ve been meaning to get to). Some of the local attractions may also remain open but make sure to double check their hours before making plans. Also this means that if you plan to leave by car to explore the rest of the province you should keep in mind that if you don’t get it all done before midday you will probably not be leaving until later in the evening.

Interestingly there seems to be a distinct Asian influence to the cuisine around here. In most of the restaurants you’ll find chow mein being served and soy sauce on the table. The salsa here too is actually spiced, unlike many of the condiments you will find elsewhere in Argentina.