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This
town lies in the heart of the Calchaquí Valleys, 220km. away
from the city of Salta if one travels down national routes
No. 68 and No. 40, and at a distance of 289km. if one follows
the route that passes first by Cachi, which implies traveling
down Provintial route No. 33 and then switching to route No.
40.
In the first case, most of the road is paved, whilst in the
second case it is mainly a consolidated dirt road. In both
cases, the road winds around the mountain slopes.
The Spaniards founded several cities in this area that were
destroyed by the Indians. One of these was the itinerant Ciudad
del Barco, founded in 1551. When Don Hernando de Lerma was
called on to found the city of Salta in 1582, he assembled
the neighbors of Santiago to submit to their consideration
the site where the new Spanish bastion was to be erected.
San Carlos lost the possibility of becoming the capital of
Salta by three votes. The Indian chief Juan Calchaquí also
settled here until the Jesuits, intent on preaching the gospel,
established the mission known as San Carlos Borromeo giving
rise to the town which remains virtually intact since colonial
times. A distinctive feature are its high sidewalks.
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