Wine valleys and mountains in Salta

Salta surprised me. I’d been in Buenos Aires, which is very European, and expected more of the same. Instead, I found a city and region with a strong indigenous influence, dramatic desert landscapes, and some of the highest vineyards in the world.

The city of Salta itself is worth a few days. The colonial architecture around Plaza 9 de Julio is beautiful, especially at night when everything’s lit up. I climbed the hill to the Cerro San Bernardo viewpoint, first by cable car up, then walking down through the trails. The views over the city and the valley beyond are spectacular.

The real adventure starts when you leave the city. I did the drive to Cafayate through the Quebrada de las Conchas, a valley filled with incredible rock formations. Wind and water have carved the red sandstone into shapes that look like amphitheaters, toadstools, and castles. I stopped every few kilometers to take photos and just stare.

Cafayate is wine country, specifically Torrontes country. This white grape thrives at high altitude and produces wines that are aromatic and crisp, perfect for the warm days here. I visited several bodegas, small family operations where the owner leads the tour and the tasting. At one, we sat on the patio overlooking the vineyards with the Andes in the distance, drinking wine and eating empanadas, and I thought about moving here permanently.

The next adventure was the drive to Cachi via the Cuesta del Obispo. This mountain pass climbs to over 3,000 meters, passing through cloud forests before opening up to the high plateau. I saw vicunas (wild relatives of llamas) grazing alongside the road. The landscape is stark and beautiful, all mountains and sky.

Cachi itself is a tiny colonial town that feels like it hasn’t changed in centuries. Whitewashed buildings, cobblestone streets, and a church made partly from cactus wood. I spent two nights at a family-run inn, and the owner’s wife cooked traditional northwestern food: locro, a hearty stew, and tamales wrapped in corn husks.

The highlight might have been Salinas Grandes, massive salt flats at 3,450 meters. They stretch to the horizon, bright white under the intense sun. The scale is disorienting. I could see how this landscape inspired myths and legends.

What I loved about Salta was how different it felt from what I expected Argentina to be. The indigenous influence, the desert landscapes, the altitude that makes you breathless. It’s a side of the country that doesn’t get as much attention as Patagonia or Buenos Aires, but it absolutely should.