Although it falls within the Andean Plateau region (see below) Salta deserves a mention in itself. One of the best-preserved colonial towns in the whole of Argentina , it is of great historical interest. The Spanish-inspired architecture is shown off to best effect in the central square, which contains the cathedral and town hall.
The latter building contains several museums of interest to anyone keen to learn more about the history of this isolated but beautiful city. The Museum of Northern History and the Colonial Museum are pretty self-explanatory, telling the tale of both the people that used to live here and those that usurped them.
Salta is most famous for the train that leaves the town and climbs up to the high puna above. Not for nothing is the train called "El Tren a las Nubes" (literally "The Train to the Clouds"). One of the world's most spectacular train journeys the route crosses the La Polvorilla viaduct, over 4,000m above sea-level and itself over 60m in height. The town of San Antonio de los Cobres is the last stop before the viaduct and offers a real taste of life on the plateau.
