50 Best Sights in The Northwest, Argentina

An ornate 18th-century wooden pulpit with dozens of figures of monks is the centerpiece of the Church of St. Francis, two blocks west of Plaza General Belgrano. There's some debate about who carved the pulpit: it may have been local artisans, or the pulpit may have been transported from Bolivia. Although the church and bell tower look colonial, they date from 1930. Also stop by the bijou Museo de Arte Sacro (entrance on Belgrano) to see religious art dating back to the 17th century.

The most notable landmark downtown on the central plaza is Iglesia de Santa Rosa de Lima. Dating from 1778, it was constructed from adobe and thistle wood. On Calle Belgrano, to the left of the church, is a 622-year-old carob tree. Try and visit on August 30, when the saint's day is celebrated. 

If you can endure a harrowing five-hour, 73-km (45-mile) ride east from Humahuaca on an unpaved cliffside road, you'll be rewarded with one of Argentina's most stunning settings. (Take the bus from Humahuaca rather than driving yourself. You really have to know the road, as the bus drivers do, to negotiate it safely.) This cobblestoned town, which clings to sheer rock, has become an increasingly popular stop despite its small size. It has just a few accommodations including Hotel Iruya ( 3887/442–3536) and Hostal Milmahuasi ( 3887/619–1591), but many villagers offer rooms for rent. The busiest times to visit are at Easter and during the first and second weekends in October, when the village celebrates its festival; it also comes to life for patron saint San Isidro Labrador on May 15. There are some good hikes from Iruya to even more remote villages such as San Isidro, an 8-km (five-mile) three-hour trek through the mountains. Avian fans should undertake a condor-spotting expedition with a local guide such as Iruya Excursiones on Plaza de la Iglesia ( 3885/155–475–076). For more information and guide recommendations, visit the Tourist Office on Güemes ( 3887/155–094–799) or visit  www.iruyaonline.com.

Seven km (4 miles) east of town is La Garganta del Diablo (The Devil's Throat), a red-rock gorge with waterfalls (the number depends on the season). The tourist office in Tilcara can point you in the right direction; ask about the path that knocks about half the distance off the journey. Ask, too, for directions to the wind-eroded caves that are a similar distance east of town.

The former home of its founder, divided into two parts, visitors to this small museum can first enjoy a musical instrument collection that belonged to Justiniano Torres Aparicio, before stepping into the second room for a more archeological and paleontological experience. Exhibits include a pre-Hispanic mummy, everyday implements such as axes, pipes, and ceramics from the San Francisco culture, as well as pieces from Bolivia’s Tiawanaco culture and hunter-gatherers who inhabited the Quebrada de Humahuaca. 

Exhibits at the Museo Arqueológico, run by the University of Buenos Aires, can be a little confusing due to a lack of explanatory labels. The two mummies here are considerably less well cared for than those in Salta's MAAM (Museum of High Altitude Archaeology), but no less fascinating. The clothes, hair, and skin of the first, which was found in San Pedro de Atacama in Chile, are well preserved. Other rooms display Nazca, Inca, Moche, and other remains from the past 2,000 years.

The small, private Museum of Ethnic American Art Pajcha contains interesting artifacts and illustrations from the pre-Columbian world and later. Enthusiastic tour guides explain exhibits, using religious objects, furniture, jewelry, and the like to illuminate indigenous culture; there's also a well-curated textile collection. There's enough reason to linger here for hours; when you're done, relax with a coffee on the back terrace.

The Fine Arts Museum's collection of colonial-era religious works includes figures from Argentina's Jesuit missions as well as Cuzco-style paintings from Peru and Bolivia. Another part of the museum highlights 20th-century pieces by Salta artists.

The City Museum is in Casa de Hernández, an 1879-constructed neocolonial house. The ground floor displays an exceptional collection of musical instruments. Rooms upstairs document the history of Salta through paintings and photographs.

This museum, located in a warehouse dating from 1881, has undergone an extensive refurbishment to include more flash and 3D exhibitions. You can learn about winemaking in the Calchaquíes Valley. Machinery, agricultural implements, and old photographs also tell the history of winemaking in this area.

At first glance the Museo Folklórico Regional appears to be a dusty collection of stones and strange objects, but allow a guide to show you around (arrange in advance for an English-speaking one), and you'll learn a lot about the indigenous population. The museum was founded by Sixto Vázquez Zuleta, who invested a huge amount of passion and imagination, and each exhibit—from dolls made of dried apricots to musical instruments made from armadillos—provides a new insight into the carnival spirit of the area. Note that it is only open to groups of three or more.

Arms, trophies, and military memorabilia collected from the 25 years of fighting for independence are on display at the Juan Lavalle Provincial History Museum. In this adobe building, General Juan Lavalle, a hero of the War of Independence and an enemy of the dictator Juan Manuel de Rosas, was assassinated. A replica of the door through which Lavalle was shot in 1746 is part of the exhibit.

Fine examples of late-colonial architecture—an interior courtyard, thick adobe walls, a reed-and-tile roof—abound in this simple building, the 19th- and 20th-century home of the Uriburu family, which gave Argentina two presidents. Furniture, costumes, paintings, and family documents are on display across six rooms.

For 66 years, Rodolfo Bravo collected and cataloged funerary and religious objects from local excavations. These objects, made of clay, ceramic, metal, and textiles, are on display at the private Museo Regional y Arqueológico Rodolfo Bravo (Rudolfo Bravo Regional and Archaeological Museum). Artifacts from the Incas and Diaguitas of the Calchaquies Valley also form part of the collection.

The first winery in Cafayate to be constructed with tourism in mind, Piattelli caused a flurry with locals when it opened in 2013 thanks to the modern aesthetic conceived by its American owners. The state-of-the-art bodega, halfway up the foothills towards Yacochuya, offers tastings, tours, and fabulous valley views. Kick back on one of the two terraces with a refreshing Torrontés before tucking into slow-roasted lamb for lunch at the winery's restaurant. In 2022, the winery opened the eponymous Wine Resort (suites from $350 a night). 

The heart of Salta is quintessential Latin America: a leafy central plaza named after Argentina's date of independence. Arcaded buildings line the streets surrounding it, and some have been converted into cafés, providing perfect spots to while away a warm afternoon. Popular with families who take shade under the palm and jacaranda trees, the square is dotted with craftsmen selling their wares and teens canoodling by the bandstand.

The first 50 km (30 miles) of the direct road to Salta (or the last stretch if you don't come via Cachi and Molinos) is known as the Gorge of the Shells, and breathtaking scenery makes it an attraction in its own right. Various rock formations have been eroded into wildly different shapes that have been nicknamed the Windows, the Castles, the Frog, the Friar—each name seems fanciful, that is until the road winds around the corner and you're actually confronted by the formation itself. The climax is the Amphitheater, sometimes used as a venue for proper orchestras, thanks to its outstanding natural acoustics; wandering minstrels offer impromptu performances.  If you've rented a car, keep valuables out of view, as thieves have become more prevalent at the Amphitheater.

The Cerro San Bernardo rises east of downtown Salta, a cool 268 meters (880 feet) higher than the city center. This cable car takes you up the hill from a station across from Parque San Martín in 10 minutes. Views of the entire Lerma Valley await at the top; you can also wander the breezy garden and browse around a small crafts market.

If you're in the mood for a little light exercise, take the winding road back down.

Powered by solar energy, the 2024-inaugurated Solar Train runs alongside the Río Grande up to Tilcara (and eventually Humahuaca), offering an eco-friendly alternative to soaking up the Quebrada without having to drive the winding roads. Alight at Volcán, Tumbaya, Purmamarca, Maimará and Tilcara four times a day. 

Occupying a grand 1850s building on the northern edge of town, Vasija Secreta's museum displays imported oak barrels and machinery for pumping and bottling wine. Short tours give a historical overview and show how production methods have changed. Tasty local dishes are served at the rustic on-site restaurant.