36 Hours in Salta, Argentina Victor Ruiz Caballero for The New York Times The Catedral Basílica de Salta on the Plaza 9 de Julio in Salta. Argentina's northwestern Salta Province has long been famous for its spectacular scenery of Andean peaks, red-rock valleys and vineyards, but its central metropolis, the city of Salta, has emerged only in the last few years as a bright spot on the tourist map. Founded in 1582 by the Spanish commander Hernando de Lerma, the city has traditionally served primarily as a supply center for the Spanish mining sites located in present-day Bolivia. A concerted effort to encourage new hotels, restaurants and shops is now paying off in a stream of visitors attracted to Salta's updated colonial charm. Today, the old city center is recognized as a jewel-box-size getaway, perfect for exploring on foot and finally appreciated for its rich cultural offerings, grand neo-Classical buildings and thriving night life. 4:30 p.m. 1,000 Steps Get a view of the city and nearby valleys from San Bernardo Hill (Avenida Uruguay and Paseo Güemes), east of the town center. If you're feeling energetic, climb the more than 1,000 steps to the top from the path behind the equestrian statue of Martín Miguel de Güemes, who led Salta's rebels in the Argentine War of Independence. Along the way, admire the low scrub, more than a dozen shrines and the hardy locals sprinting up for exercise. If the climb sounds daunting, there's an easier way. A leisurely cable car ride from San Martín Park leads to the same panorama. Local Vibe Back on flat ground, walk over to the tree-lined Plaza 9 de Julio, the main square and Salta's heartbeat. Come evening, the plaza and the streets around it are alive with Salteños congregating at cafes and bars to unwind. One popular spot is the Argentine-Italian deli Casa Moderna (España 674; 54-387-422-0066), which despite its name first opened in the early 1900s. To indulge your oenophile side, order by the glass from the selection of wines produced in the high-altitude vineyards nearby. A glass of wine is 12 to 22 pesos, or $2.40 to $4.45, at 5 pesos to the dollar. Llama Stroganoff Get a taste of the Salta region's cuisine at the perpetually packed El Charrua Restaurante Parrilla, a casual place with brick and stone walls and a lively ambience. While the menu has the usual array of beef cuts standard at any Argentine parrilla, the real stars here are the dishes made with tender llama meat. While most menus around town offer it in a carpaccio style, here you will find iterations like llama stroganoff. Dinner for two costs about 300 pesos with wine. 9 a.m. Suburban Cloud Forest Just outside San Lorenzo, an affluent suburban village about six miles from the city, the Quebrada de San Lorenzo (San Lorenzo Gorge) nature reserve is tucked at the foot of the sub-Andean mountains. It preserves a section of the fragile environment called Yungas forest, which is found on the eastern side of the Andes. Take an uphill hike and immerse yourself in green ferns, creeks, moss and colorful fauna of a tropical cloud forest. Along the way, you may bump into farmers, descendants of the ancient Incas, riding down on horseback from their homes in the hills. You'll also see plenty of wildlife, including foxes, small deer called corzuelas, and birds including hawks and toucans. Noon 5. Jasmine Lunch The actor Robert Duvall made the 250-acre estancia called House of Jasmines famous when he bought it to use as a vacation home. New owners have since turned it into a small luxury hotel with a restaurant, La Table de House of Jasmines (Ruta Nacional N 51, Km. 6, La Merced Chica), a good place to refuel after your morning of activity. The large, airy space overlooks sprawling grounds that are fragrant with eucalyptus trees, jasmines and roses; there is also a glass window through which diners can get a glimpse of the action in the kitchen. The midday menu lists selections like gnocchi arrabiata and salad with tomatoes, avocado, and grilled llama or chicken. Lunch for two costs about 230 pesos. 3:30 p.m. Ice Children The hours when much of the city is shut down for siesta are the ideal time to view artifacts of the region, and the Museum of High Altitude Archaeology, or MAAM, on the Plaza 9 de Julio remains open all afternoon. The archaeology of the Andes is largely the story of the Inca, and the museum's artifacts trace their culture, and those of the tribes that preceded them, over thousands of years. The best-known items in the three-level space are the 500-year-old frozen bodies of three Incan children killed in a ritual sacrifice. They were discovered in 1999, amid a treasury of objects made of gold, textiles and other materials, atop 22,000-foot Mount Llullaillaco at the border of Salta Province and Chile. In the cold and dry air at the top of the mountain, the bodies were naturally mummified, and the children look eerily lifelike, as if they had just gone to sleep. Entrance to the museum is 40 pesos. 5:30 p.m. Crafts to Take Home