Mendoza is a city in western Argentina, in the desert Cuyo region. Mendoza is the center of the Argentinian wine industry, for which it is world renowned. It is also near the Aconcagua, the highest mountain outside of the Himalayas. Mendoza is the capital of the province of Mendoza.
A major road between Argentina and Chile runs through Mendoza and the city is a frequent stopover for climbers on their way to climb Aconcagua (the highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere) or for other mountaineering, hiking, horseback riding, rafting, and other sports. In the winter, skiers come to the city for its easy access to the Andes.
Two of the main industries of the Mendoza area are wine making and olive oil production. In 2008, National Geographic listed Mendoza as one of the top 10 historic destinations of the World
Mendoza has an intense cultural activity. There are several museums, including a natural history museum called Museo Cornelio Moyano in General San Martín Park and a Historical Foundational Area Museum called Museo del Área Fundacional located in the Pedro del Castillo Square. In Maipú, 15 km southeast from Mendoza, there is the Museo Nacional del Vino (National Wine Museum), which focuses on the history of winemaking in the area. In Mayor Drummond, 14 km south from Mendoza, there is the Emiliano Guiñazú - Casa de Fader art museum, hosted in an 1890 mansion where many walls have paintings by the artist Fernando Fader.
PLACE TO VISIT
Parque San Martín. This huge park is nice for walking or biking around. From Cerro de la Gloria there is a nice view over the city. There is also a zoo with animals in small cages.
Many bodegas (wineries) offer tours. Wine-tasting events are common; check the culture section of local newspapers or ask around. A good period to visit is during harvesting in March and April. Visiting wineries often requires reservations booked in advance, (Many are closed during weekends). Some major wineries (Norton, Rutini etc.) have regular "walk in tours".
Festivals occur often and are usually free. Each has a different theme, and they usually have a stage with singing and dancing and booths that sell food around a plaza. The harvest festival at the end of February is a major event.
WHAT TO DO
Termas de Cacheuta (Spas of Cacheuta), . Cacheuta, located about an hour outside of Mendoza, has a very large network of natural hot-tubs . During high season and weekends, you will pay AR$20 for entrance, and during low season the price is closer to AR$15. For easy transportation, inquire regarding Cacheuta at the Bus Terminal; busses depart mendoza in the morning (before noon) and return in the evening (last bus departs Cacheuta at 6:50pm). You will pay AR$4 for each way, and it is recommended that you purchase both directions before departing. If you're in for the full day adventure, consider bringing some food to cook on their plentiful and free grills.
Aconcagua - America's highest peak Aconcagua (highest in the world outside the Himalayas) provides trekking and climbing possibilities.
Wine tour - The nearby vineyards will let you taste wine if you show genuine interest. It's possible to do a tour by bike, but there are also fully organised tours going from Mendoza.
Paragliding can be done in Mendoza every day of the year. Tours include a tandem flight of about 20 minutes with an experienced pilot. Costs are about 35 US$.
Many companies organize trekking expeditions, horseback riding, and whitewater rafting in the desert and mountains.
Mountain cabins in areas with spectacular scenery are easily rentable in the city. Check the classified ads in the newspaper.
Skiing is popular in the winter.
HOW TO REACH
The bus terminal is about two kilometers from the city center. Taxis and remis (private taxis) are readily available (US$ 2-3 to the center).
There are daily bus connections to all major destinations including Bariloche and Santiago de Chile, a beautiful 8-hour bus ride crossing the Andes. Santiago de Chile is not always reachable by bus as the Andes pass closes after the first heavy snowfall in the winter months, normally around late April. (Check the following website for pass conditions [1] (Spanish).
Mendoza has a small airport, El Plumerillo (airport code MDZ), with flights to Buenos Aires and Santiago de Chile, but tickets are very expensive as compared to bus fares.
Mendoza is a travel hub of sorts for Argentina, with connections to nearly every major city in the country.
