Things to Do in Salta, Argentina: Walking Guide
Things to Do in Salta: Culture, Colonial Heritage, and Andean Landscapes
Nestled in northwestern Argentina, Salta combines rich colonial architecture with the deep cultural influences of the Andes, Bolivia, and Indigenous communities. Known historically as Salta la Linda, the city offers a relaxed atmosphere, vibrant regional cuisine, and a strategic setting surrounded by dramatic mountain valleys and high-altitude deserts. To explore the city at your own pace, Neywo offers a free audio guide for Salta featuring 32 narrated places.
What to See in Salta
Salta Cathedral
Standing proudly in the heart of the city, the Salta Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral that serves as the metropolitan seat of the Archbishop of Salta. Dedicated to Jesus Christ as the Lord of Miracles and the Blessed Virgin Mary as Our Lady of the Miraculous Rosary, the current building dates from the second half of the nineteenth century after an earthquake destroyed its predecessor. It was inaugurated on 20 October 1918 and declared a National Historic Monument of Argentina on 14 June 1941.
Provincial Museum of Fine Arts (Salta)
The Provincial Museum of Fine Arts is a lively venue created by the provincial government to disseminate, educate, and exhibit local, national, and international artistic production. Its collection continues to grow through contributions from local and foreign artists, offering visitors a look into the vibrant artistic life of Salta and beyond.
Museo Casa Arias Rengel and Museo de Güemes
Museo Casa Arias Rengel provides an engaging stop in the city’s museum circuit. Nearby, the city also features the Museo de Güemes, dedicated to the history and legacy of General Martín Miguel de Güemes in the capital of Salta Province.
Güemes Monument
Rising 25 metres above the base of Cerro San Bernardo at the end of Paseo Güemes, the Güemes monument is a striking historical landmark built between 1920 and 1931 from large stone blocks. It stands at the exact spot where General Güemes first fell from his horse while wounded by a bullet before passing away in the nearby Horqueta ravine.
Regional Archaeological and Natural Landmarks
Beyond the city center, Salta Province is home to remarkable archaeological and natural sites. Along Route 51, the ruins of Tastil represent the largest pre-Columbian city in what is now Argentina, featuring stone-slab houses and winding streets. Other notable archaeological locations across the province include Abra de la Cruz, Abra de Chaupiyaco, Abra de Ingañan, and Los Graneros de la Poma. High-mountain routes also showcase the Abra del Acay along Route 40, a lofty mountain pass protected as a provincial natural monument, and the towering dormant stratovolcano of Llullaillaco on the border with Chile.
Explore Salta with Neywo
To make the most of your visit, download Neywo and discover the city with a free Salta audio guide. The app includes 1 walking tour covering 3.32 km across 105 minutes with 11 stops, and 1 bus route spanning 7.7 km over 33 minutes with 5 stops. Each story plays automatically as you reach the place, allowing you to explore completely at your own pace with no group and no schedule.
Plan your broader journey through Argentina, or discover other destinations such as Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Mendoza, Bariloche, and Mar del Plata.
Places with an audio guide in Salta
8 places in Salta with a Neywo audio guide. Each one starts telling its story as you reach it.
Self-guided tours in Salta
2 tours in Salta, free in the Neywo app. Each stop tells its story as you reach it.
- Bus ride
SAETA Line 3C: Through the Colonial Centre
A regular SAETA city bus, not a tourist service. It runs past the Provincial Museum of Fine Arts, the cathedral and the Franciscan basilica in the old centre, then out to the tall-towered Candelaria de la Viña church and on to La Merced.
Provincial Museum of Fine Arts (Salta) · Salta Cathedral · Basílica y Convento de San Francisco (Salta) · Iglesia Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria de la Viña · Iglesia de La Merced
Open this tour: SAETA Line 3C: Through the Colonial Centre - Walk
Colonial Salta: Around the Plaza 9 de Julio
Salta la Linda keeps its Spanish colonial heart intact. Start at the Casa de los Leones, home of the provincial legislature, pass the fine-arts museum and La Merced, then step into the colonel's house and the arcaded Cabildo. Visit the pink-toned cathedral that shelters the Lord of Miracles, cross the plaza where the city was founded, pass the theatre and the contemporary art museum, and finish at the Franciscan basilica and the old convent of San Bernardo.
Palacio de la Legislatura de Salta · Provincial Museum of Fine Arts (Salta) · Iglesia de La Merced · Museo Casa Arias Rengel · History Museum of the North · Salta Cathedral …
Open this tour: Colonial Salta: Around the Plaza 9 de Julio
Walk Salta with Neywo
Neywo turns Salta into a self-guided audio tour. Stories arrive as you reach the place they belong to, and the route reshapes when you wander off it.
