Founded in 1582, Salta City was once just a convenient stopover for those en route to Bolivia’s silver mines. Today and over four hundred years later, the city is a hubbub of tourism, offering visitors an eclectic mix of landscapes, cultures and aesthetics. Based in north-west Argentina and grazing the borders of both Chile and Bolivia, Salta is a city of complete diversity; from tropical forests to snow-capped mountain ranges, European style cafes, Spanish churches and Incan ancestry. The city is set in the lovely Lerma Valley and is completely surrounded by mountains while a tour of the city will take you to the main square, the cathedral, city hall, San Francisco church and a market where you can buy handmade crafts. Salto also boasts the most amount of colonial architecture in Argentina, so you’re never too far from a brightly coloured church or leafy plaza. In fact Plaza 9 de Julio is the central hub of the city with plenty of street-side cafes, a striking floodlit cathedral and shady terraces. Venture to Cerro San Bernardo for stunning panoramic views and while those inclined to climb the 1070 steps to the summit can do so, everyone else can take the more leisurely cable car. Alternatively, embark on the Tren A Las Nubes and enjoy an engaging fifteen-hour train journey into the clouds. Ascend to a height of 4200 metres while travelling through unsurpassable scenery before reaching La Polvorilla viaduct and the small Indian village of San Antonio Los Cobres. If such daunting heights don’t appeal, stay in the city centre and take a tour of the MAAM Archaeological Museum where the famous mummies of Inca child sacrifices found frozen in the Andes, are on display.