Salta is the Pretty, "La Linda"

By: Liliana Posted: 13/10/2017

Which of our riding tours is the most beautiful one?

We know that this questions arises from the curiosity to explore the vast and unique landscapes in Argentina on horseback.

The answer: All of them!

But if you decide for a visit to northern Argentina, you will not be disappointed when you discover the beauty of the city of Salta, known as the Pretty, “La Linda”.

Why is Salta called the Pretty, “La Linda”?

Salta has almost everything: the cold of the Andean mountains, the everlasting spring in the Calchaqui Valleys and the heat of the north. Furthermore, Salta is known for the excellent Torrontes wine, the cultivation of tobacco and the agri-culture that employs the typical Argentine gauchos and many more workers in the province. Salta also offers first class food: asado (grilled meat), humitas (corn wrapped in corn leaves), tamales (meat wrapped in leaves) or locro (hearty stew). Salta has it all, but the sea.

The city of Salta is the seventh biggest city in Argentina with a population of about 535.000 inhabitants and it is the diamond of the north. The Spanish Her-nando de Lerma founded the city in 1582. Salta was the place where general Martin Miguel de Güemes was born; he played an important role during the fights for independence against the Spanish at the beginning of the 19th century.

Hernando de Lerma, the unpopular founder

Hernando de Lerma did not name the city Salta, he preferred – as most founders of those days – to give the city his name and called it San Felipe de Lerma in the Salta Valley.

Searching etymological traces

Still today it is not clear where the name Salta roots back to. One theory is that it was the name of the native tribe “the Saltas”, another origin might be the word “salla ta” which means rocky place or the Quechua word “sagtay”, trans-lated as “the union of the extraordinary”.

Many believe in the theory that the name comes from the word „sagta“, that means „very beautiful“ and this describes the city perfectly! It is not only the economic centre of the north, but also culturally important, what is reflected in the numerous museums in the city and the entire province.

A dictionary and a football club

Another theory says that the name is the outcome of a survey done by a local newspaper. The Colegio Nacional and one of the teachers, Dr. José Vicente Sola, had the idea to add „La Linda“, the Pretty, to the city’s name. We do not know if this addition has etymological roots as well.

Salta is part of our riding tours

Not only the beauty of the city with its colonial heritage is fascinating, the entire province of Salta with the Lerma Valley and the Calchaqui Valleys is attractive for the visitors.

The team at Ampascachi does various trail rides on our Peruvian Paso horses through Salta every year and the different landscapes and natural beauties still fascinate us as much as our guests. Salta’s magic embraces and surprises us like the first time and makes every visit unique.

Along with the beauty, Salta also offers a rich history that we discover when we pass through places where e. g. kings, vice kings and native tribes like the Incas fought for the land. We often hear from our guests that “a trip to Salta is like a trip back in time and history”.

The people in Salta welcome every visitor with their warm hospitality and this is another reason why Salta deserves to be called „La Linda“.

Do you like Argentina as your next horse riding holiday destination?

We encourage you to download the catalog of our horseback riding tours in Northern, Central and Western Argentina. Discover Argentina on the back of a Peruvian horse and with our team of equestrian tourism experts.

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