San Miguel de Tucumán is located at the heart of the sugar-rich Tucumán Province. Officially known as the provincial capital at approximately 437 meters (1,433 ft) above sea level, the town has also been dubbed by locals as “El Jardín de la República” (The Garden of the Republic) because of the vast amount of flowers that spring up throughout the gardens, parks and streets. The landscape here is highly varied, from high mountains to wide plains, forests, fertile valleys and desert terrain, creating 11 different microclimates around the area.

Travelers are attracted to this city for a number of reasons, including the Historical House of the Independence Declaration, Casa Padilla Museum and the great opportunities to explore surrounding areas conducive to climbing and hiking. The well-manicured Plaza Independencia is the center of life in this town, where locals come to grab a piece of shade under its trees or cool off with an ice cream in the evenings. Casa Histórica, two blocks from the plaza, is where Argentina declared its independence from Spain, while Museo Arqueológico displays important documents from that era.

Cheap, well-kept accommodation is not the easiest thing to find in town, but Tucumán Hostel and Oh! Hostel are two good budget options. Carlos V, Catalina Park Hotel and República are pricier options with more amenities. As far as food, you can never go wrong with pizza from Pizzaria Io or some Arabic cuisine at Alvarito. Los Hornos has regional dishes, while the classy atmosphere of Setimio Vinoteca and Wine Bar offers tasty cuisine and wine.