Near the plaza on La Florida 20 is the Museo Provincial de Bellas Artes Arias Rengel, the 18th-century home of Sergeant Major Felix Arias Rengel who was largely responsible for conquering the northern Chaco. It now hosts art exhibitions and has a permanent and impressive collection of paintings and sculptures. Look for Giorgio Penutti’s 1854 painting of The City of Salta. Open Mon-Sat 8.30am-1pm and 4pm-8pm. Tel: +54 (0) 387 421 4714.

The dark pink Casa Leguizamon is next door on Caseros with La Florida while opposite on La Florida 97 is the Casa de Hernandez, which surrounds a lovely patio like so many of the city’s fine houses. It is now home to the Museo de la Ciudad which has displays of furniture, musical instruments and other artefacts. Open Mon-Fri 9am-1pm and 4pm-8.30pm, Sat 9am-1pm. Tel: +54 (0) 387 437 3352.

Many neoclassical buildings can be found on Calle Caseros just off the plaza. Here, too, on Caseros 417, is the Museo Casa de Jose Evaristo Uriburu, an 18th-century house, thought to be one of the oldest in Salta and home to one of the city’s most illustrious families. It’s full of memorabilia, period furniture, clothes and paintings and has a fabulous kitchen full of shiny copper pans and clay pots. Open Tues-Fri 8.30am-1.30pm and 3.30pm-8.30pm, Sat-Sun 9.30am-1pm and 4.30pm-8pm. Tel: +54 (0) 387 421 5340.

Just across the road on Caseros 460 is the Casa de la Cultura. It stages local art exhibitions and other special events. It is also where the Orquestra Sinfonica performs throughout the year. Tel: +54 (0) 387 421 5763. On Calle Caseros with Avenida Cordoba is the distinctively lavish neocolonial Iglesia y Convento San Francisco. The church, designed by Luigi Giorgi, is a dark plum red with many ivory painted columns and Latin inscriptions. The church and convent, which occupy a whole block, date back to the 18th century although the façade is a more recent addition. The inside of the church is very simple in comparison. It has a small Museo De Arte Sacro with an intriguing display of archeological finds. Open Mon-Sat 9.30am-1pm and 3pm-7pm. Further east on Caseros with Santa Fe is another convent, the Convento de San Bernardo. The original building dates back to 1582 and is one of the oldest in Salta although it has since been restored several times. The convent still operates as a Carmelite nunnery and only opens for mass daily at 6.30pm or Sun 8am and 10.30am.

A few blocks further on Caseros is Parque San Martin. Close by on Ejercito del Norte and Ricardo Sola is the modern Museo Antropologico Juan Martin Leguizamon. It contains displays of archaeological finds from a variety of pre-Hispanic cultural groups. One of the highlights is an exhibition on the high-altitude burial grounds complete with a collection of artefacts uncovered from the pre-Inca site of Tastil in the Andes which includes the petroglyph, the Bailarina de Tastil, a figure painted on rock. Also on display is a mummy discovered on Volcan Llullaillaco. Open Mon-Fri 8am-7pm, Sat-Sun 9am-1pm and 3pm-6pm. Tel: +54 (0) 387 422 2960.

Behind the museum is Cerro San Bernardo. From the top there are great views of Salta. The teleferico (small gondolas) runs regularly and gets you to the top in 10 minutes. It leaves from the station on Avenida Hipolito Yrigoyen. Alternatively, you can hike to the top or take a taxi on Avenida Ciudad de Asuncion to Via Crucis. The Museo El Tribuno Pajarito Velarde on Pueyrredon 106 was once the home of the wealthy and eccentric Bohemian Guillermo Velarde Mors. He was nicknamed pajarito (little bird) because he reputedly picked at his food and whistled. He retired age 37 so that he could start a club where artists, musicians and writer could meet and perform. The house is choc-a-bloc full of his eclectic possessions. Open Mon-Sat 9am-6pm. Tel: +54 (0) 387 421 2921. The Museo de Arte Etnico Americano Pajcha, on 20 de Febrero 838, has the most extensive collection of ethnic art in all in Argentina. The collection belongs to one lady ethnologist, Liliana Madrid de Zito Fontan, and contains all sorts of objects ranging from jewellery and textiles to paintings and photographs. Open Mon-Sat 9am-7pm. Tel: +54 (0) 387 422 9417.