Nestled at the feet of the Andes, Mendoza is a lively and attractive city with tree-lined boulevards and colonial architecture. The city was founded from Chile in 1561 and named after Garcia Hurtado de Mendoza, the Governor of Chile at the time.
The province of Mendoza is the heartland of Argentine wine cultivation, producing around 80% of the country's wine in over 1200 wineries.
Located in the centre of a 4-corner star shape, the main square of Plaza Independencia is positioned with the four squares of Plaza Chile, Plaza San Martin, Plaza España and Plaza Italia in each of the four corners a few blocks away. Plaza España is attractively tiled with a mural illustrating the epic gaucho poem, Martin Fierro.
Several blocks away is the Parque St Martin, a beautifully designed park with many areas for sports and picnics, a large lake where regattas are sometimes held, and a Zoo.
A little further afield, one popular trip is to the pretty village of Cachueta, 29 kms west of the city, and the thermal springs at Portrerillos a few kilometres further on, also a good location for trekking and rafting, picnics and BBQ's.
A further 21 kms from Portrerillos is the tiny ski resort of Vallecitos, offering a basic ski lodge, ski school and snack bar, open July to September.
- Terraza Mirador ~ From the top of the Municipal Capital, you can get a great panoramic view of the city.
- Enoteca de las Artes ~ The Wine Arts Centre was once the National School of Wine and an experimental winery. There is a photograph gallery showing the early days of wine-making in Argentina, and a permanent exhibition of the premier wineries in the area.
- Museo Area Fundacional ~ A museum recreating Mendoza's history, and guided tours operate round the museum and the underground slaughter chamber of 1877.
- Glory Hill ~ The monument Ejército de Los Andes, later renamed Cerro del Pilar, pays homage to General Saint Martin and the Andean army. The top of the hill has excellent views of the city, especially at night.
- The World Cup Stadium ~ Built for the 1978 World Cup and the location for summer soccer tournaments.
- Wine Tours ~ All three wine-producing regions offer visits to numerous wineries, including tastings and dining facilities within the cellars of the vineyards.
- Shopping ~ Mendoza Plaza Shopping and Palamares Open Mall both offer modern shopping opportunities, restaurants and cinemas.
- Cachueta ~ A town of unrivalled beauty, with water springs close by that were used by the Incas for healing purposes, and the Hanging Bridge.
- Skiing ~ Approx. 50 kms from Mendoza, the tiny resort of Vallecitos offers basic facilities for a spot of skiing.
