San Miguel de Tucuman is capital of the small province of Tucuman,
which is often called the garden of the republic for its lush
greenness. The city of San Miguel de Tucuman itself is the largest and most commercial city in northern Argentina. Sugar and tobacco
plantations and, more latterly, lemon groves thrive in the province's
subtropical climate.

Tucuman was one of Argentina's first cities, founded back in the
mid-16th century, although not many colonial buildings remain. It is
where the Congress of Unitarists met on 9 July 1816 to declare
independence from Spain and it's possible to visit the Casa Historica
de la Independencia, once home to Francisca Bazan de Laguna, where the Declaration of Independence was signed.

Before independence Tucuman was one of Argentina's most important cities and served as a stopover for those transporting merchandise from Bolivia to Buenos Aires. Since then, however, it has been overshadowed by both Cordoba and Salta which boast more congenial climates.

The city's narrow streets are trafficky and the shopping areas a
little tired, but Plaza Independencia makes for a pleasant stroll
through the orange trees to the domed cathedral and the Casa de
Gobierno. East of the city centre is the vast Parque 9 de Julio,
designed by French landscape architect Charles Thays, where you'll
find the Museo de la Industria Azucarera in a splendid period house,
once the residence of Bishop Colombres