Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
209
Laundry
Sol de Mayo,
25 de Mayo 755 (
&
387/431-9718
), provides a same-day
service with fr ee delivery, as does
Florencia,
Ibazeta 640 (
&
387/432-2048
).
Spanish Classes
Bien A rgentina
(
&
387/15-475-0679
[c ell]; w ww.bien-
argentino.com.ar) will hook y ou up with some local t eachers.
Tour Operators
Explore the r egion with
Saltur Turismo,
C aseros 485 (
&
387/
421-2012
), or
Incauca Turismo,
Mitre 274 L ocal 33 (
&
387/422-7568;
www.
incaucaturismo.com).
La Vinia,
Alberdi 453 (
&
387/421-9099
), is a c onventional
agency that will help out with flights and pack ages all o ver Argentina. The tour-
ist office also recommends English-speaking guides.
Ferro Turismo,
Buenos Aires
191 (
&
387/431-5314;
www.ferroturismo.todowebsalta.com.ar), or ganizes bus
excursions along the Tren a las Nubes railwa y as far as the famous La P olvorilla
viaduct.
GETTING AROUND
Salta is small and easy to explore on foot, but be careful; drivers here are pedestrian-blind,
and the summer sun in the afternoon can be stifling. The
Peatonal Florida
is S alta's
pedestrian walking str eet—a smaller v ersion of Calle F lorida in B uenos Air es—where
most of the city 's shops ar e. The main sites ar e centered on
Plaza 9 de J ulio,
with a
monument to G eneral Arenales in the center and a beautiful bar oque cathedral at its
edge. B uilt in 1858, the
Catedral
is consider ed Argentina 's best-pr eserved colonial
church. All the other attractions her e, except the
Salta Tram
and the
Tren a las Nubes,
are within easy walking distance.
BY BUS
A gr eat ne w inno vation is
Bus Turistico Salta,
20 de F ebrero 796
(
&
387/422-7798;
www.busturisticosalta.com), a shuttle ser vice that takes visitors
around the city in high-tech open-top buses. You can get on and off fr om any of the 14
stops and get the next bus that comes along, on av erage, every 25 minutes. The service
starts at 9:30am and carries on until 8pm (with a pause fr om 1-4pm for siesta). Tickets
cost $10 (£6.80) and can be bought on the bus when y ou board at any of the brightly
painted stop signs. The route is as follows: Balcarce Street, Batalla de Salta, Palacio Leg-
islativo, the Cathedral, Conv ento, Monumento a Q uemes, Virrey, Portezuelo, Parque
San Martín, La Viña, Paseo de los Poetas, the Mercado Artesanal, and Cabildo.
RENTING A C AR
Noa R ent a C ar,
B uenos Air es 1 Local 6 (
&
387/431-0740
),
has subcompacts and four-wheel-drives.
Rentacar Noroeste,
Buenos Aires 88, Local 10
(
&
387/421-8999;
www.rentacarnoroeste.com.ar), is located close by and offers reason-
able rates. There are several car-rental offices on Caser os street and at the airpor t, most
notably:
Hertz,
Caseros 374 (
&
387/421-6785
), and the airpor t (
&
387/24-0113
);
Avis,
Caseros 420 (
&
387/421-2181
), and at the airpor t (
&
387/424-2289
); and
Budget,
Caseros 421 (
&
387/421-1953;
www.budget.com.ar). Rates range from $45 to
$90 (£31-£61) per day.
RENTING A BICYCLE/MOTORBIKE
Pura Vida,
Mendoza 443 (no phone), r ents
bicycles for $12 (£8.20) for 24 hours.The store is open Monday to Saturday 9am to 1pm
and 4 to 9pm. A passpor t is required as guarantee.
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