Things to do in Central Argentina
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Av Las Heras
Av Las Heras is lined with souvenir shops, leather shops, chocolate stores and all sorts of places to pick up cheap Argentine trinkets. Items made of carpincho (spotted tanned hide of the capybara, a large rodent) are uniquely Argentine and sold in many of the stores.
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Av Arístides Villanueva
For a great night on the town, walk down Av Arístides Villanueva, where it's bar after bar; in summer, entire blocks fill with tables and people enjoying the night.
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Parque General San Martín
Walking along the lakeshore and snoozing in the shade of the rose garden in this beautiful 420-hectare park is a great way to enjoy one of the city's highlights. Walk along Mitre/Civit out to the park and admire some of Mendoza's finest houses on the way. Pick up a park map at the Centro de Información, just inside the impressive entry gates, shipped over from England and originally forged for the Turkish Sultan Hamid II.
The park was designed by Charles Thays, who designed Parque Sarmiento in Córdoba, in 1897. Its famous Cerro de la Gloria has a monument to San Martín's Ejército de los Andes for their liberation of Argentina, Chile and Perú from the Spaniards. On clear …
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Cerro Aconcagua
Mendoza is famous for Cerro Aconcagua, the highest mountain in the Americas, but the majestic peak is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to climbing and mountaineering here. The nearby Cordón del Plata boasts several peaks topping out between 5000m and 6000m, and there are three important rock-climbing areas in the province: Los Arenales (near Tunuyán), El Salto (near Mendoza) and Chigüido (near Malargüe).
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Kato
Tired of the Arístides squeeze? This mellow neighborhood café/bar/restaurant is way hipper than all those places, and there's no fighting for a table. Empanadas, pizzas and sandwiches in a super-chic environment. Those in the know head straight for the lounging action on the sofas out the back.
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Vines of Mendoza
This friendly, central wine bar (where everybody, down to the security guards, seems to speak English) offers flights (tastings of five selected wines) and top-shelf private tastings. It also offers wine-appreciation classes which give you an idea of how to taste wine – a great idea before hitting the bodegas.
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Ampora Wine Tours
Ampora Wine Tours is a well-established operation that concentrates on midrange and top-end wines. It has tours leaving every day (sometimes two) to Luján de Cuyo and Maipú (AR$540) and the Uco valley (AR$600). Tours focus more on tasting than winemaking techniques.
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La Chacra
La Chacra offers horseback excursions lasting from a few hours to multiple days. Prices run about AR$90 for a half-day excursion and AR$450 for two days, including a full asado (barbeque) in the mountains.
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La Marchigiana
Mendoza’s most frequently recommended Italian restaurant. The decor may seem stark, but the service is warm and a few Argentine twists to the classic Italian menu keep things interesting.
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Sr Café
The most stylin’ little cafe in the center, this is a good place for coffee and a sandwich anytime. Weekend nights, pull up an outside table and enjoy the live music.
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La Tasca de Plaza España
With excellent Mediterranean and Spanish tapas (mostly seafood), great wines, intimate atmosphere, good art and friendly service, La Tasca is one of Mendoza’s best.
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Vines Park Hyatt
In the superformal surrounds of Mendoza’s best-looking hotel, this is a relaxed and intimate wine bar offering wine by the glass, cheese platters and tapas.
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Azafrán
It’s hard to figure what’s the bigger draw here – the rustic-chic decor, the small but creative menu or the extensive wine list. Who cares? Enjoy them all.
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de un Rincón de La Boca
Many argue this is the best pizza in town (it's the crust). The wine list is very average, but there's no corkage charge, so grab a bottle before you come.
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Malbec
San Rafael’s most frequently recommended parrilla holds no surprises, but has a good range of pastas and salads and, yes, some big juicy steaks.
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La Barca
There's nothing fancy going on here - just good honest food at reasonable prices. Excellent homemade pastas and a range of super-tempting daily specials.
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Mercado Central
The Mercado Central is a good hunting ground for cheap pizza, empanadas (small, stuffed pastries) and sandwiches.
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La Gringa
Despite its rather unappealing name, this is the go-to place in town for pastas, pizza and parrilla. Good salads, too.
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Parque Provincial Aconcagua
The region's most famous park is Parque Provincial Aconcagua, home of 6962m (22841ft) Cerro Aconcagua, the highest peak outside the Himalayas and a favorite climbing destination. Reaching the summit requires a commitment of at least 13 to 15 days, including acclimatization time. Potential climbers may like to acquire RJ Secor's climbing guide Aconcagua (Seattle, The Mountaineers, 1999).
Non-climbers can trek to base camps and refugios (rustic shelters) beneath the permanent snow line.
From December to March, permits are obligatory for both trekking and climbing in Parque Provincial Aconcagua; park rangers at Laguna Horcones will not permit visitors to proceed up the Quebr…
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Alquimia
Alquimia was the hot club at the time of research - it may still be there by the time you arrive.
Something to watch for here: at the time of writing, the Mendoza government was trialing a law that prohibited dance clubs from allowing patrons to enter after 02:30, making timing a tricky balancing act - get there after the place starts to fill up (01:00 at the earliest), but before they stop letting people in.
Many visitors to Mendoza (and mendocinos for that matter) find the effort involved getting to these places far outweighs the fun they have while there, often opting for the smaller bars along Av Arístides Villanueva.
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Nono & Museo Rocsen
Operated by Juan Santiago Bouchon, an anthropologist, curator and passionate collector who first came to Argentina in 1950 as cultural attaché to the French embassy, this eclectic museum reveals just how strange the world really is. It contains more than 11,000 pieces, including antique motorcycles, mounted butterflies, Esso gas pumps, human skulls, Buddha statues, film projectors, Catholic altars, 19th-century instruments of torture, a shrunken head and a 1200-year-old Peruvian mummy. It’s truly a one-of-a-kind museum, and requires plenty of time to explore.
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Cerro Aconcagua
Cerro Aconcagua is often called the 'roof of the Americas.' The volcanic summit of Aconcagua covers a base of uplifted marine sediments. Reaching the summit requires a commitment of at least 13 to 15 days, including acclimatization time; some climbers prefer the longer but more scenic, less crowded and more technical Polish Glacier Route. Potential climbers should acquire RJ Secor's climbing guide Aconcagua (Seattle, The Mountaineers, 1999).
The web page www.aconcagua.com.ar is also helpful. Remember you will need to purchase a permit and entrance into the park.
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La Casa de la Piedra Pintada
Coming from Carolina, 3km before the Inti Huasi cave, a dirt track turns off to Paso de los Reyes. From the turnoff, it’s an easy 5km signposted walk to La Casa de la Piedra Pintada, where more than 50 rock carvings are easily visible in the rock face. Follow the signs until you reach an open meadow at the base of Cerro Sololasta and you see the new cable-and-wood walkway up the cliff face that gives you access to the site. Once you’re finished with the rock art, continue up the hill for spectacular views out over the Sierras Puntanas.
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Las Marianas
One of the prettiest wineries in the region, this one was built in 1922, abandoned in 1950 and reinstated in 1999. The main building is gorgeous, with thick adobe walls and a few examples of the original winemaking equipment lying around. The mountain views out over the vineyard are superb. If you’re coming by bus, catch the 16 (AR$1.30, 40 minutes) near the corner of Santa Fe and Mendoza in San Juan. Get off at the corner of Calle Aberastain and Calle Nuevo, where you’ll see a signpost to the winery (an 800m walk).
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