Mendoza

Although it is in an extremely dry desert region, Mendoza has an extensive artificial irrigation system, which allows for greenery throughout the city as well as the growth of grapes used to make its wines. Most streets have irrigation channels on either side, with bridges for pedestrian and vehicular traffic. These are periodically flooded with water diverted from the river. The trees and the wide avenues give the city a beautiful ambience, a change from much of the bare feel of many Argentine cities.

To the immediate west is the Pre-Cordillera of the Andes towering over the city, with peeks at some of the snow-covered (throughout the year) Andes peaks beyond.

A siesta, or afternoon nap, is still taken in Mendoza. Most businesses close approximately 13:00-17:00, then re-open until about 20:30-21:30. Banks are only open in the mornings M-F 09:00-13:00.

Central Mendoza is relatively compact and walkable - for example, it's a 20-30 minute walk from Plaza Independencia to Parque San Martin. However to get to the bodegas (vineyards) to the south, walking isn't recommended as it they are at least 10 km away.

In January 2019, there was the radical transformation of the public transport system, introducing Mendotran, a system which is based on the setting up of two different transport "webs": one that takes you into and out of the city proper, and one that connects the different areas of the periphery. Also be aware that bus stop signs may still be missing, and you'll have to rely on Mendotran's website, Google Maps, or the knowledge of people in the area (particularly store-keepers) to find your stop.

Buses are plentiful, but a little confusing at first. A single ticket is AR$70 as of March 2023, though it rises along with inflation every few months. You cannot pay cash for your fare, and it is necessary to purchase a SUBE card (the same as in Buenos Aires and some other cities) that you touch-in when boarding a bus. You can buy this card from some kioskos near a bus stop for AR$490 (March 2023), and charge it up at the same place. An interactive map of the city bus routes can be found on this city website: city bus map. You may also use Google Maps or other map apps to find the best way to get somewhere. The new system relies heavily on the need to change buses to get to your destination, and so it is common for Google Maps to suggest doing just that. Depending on how long your first journey is, you may not have to pay for your second one: after touching in, you have a 90-min period during which it is free to get on another bus.

The Metrotranvía (MTM) is a modern electric tram-train system. The Green Line connects the city center with the south-eastern suburb of Gutiérrez in Maipú district and is being extended to Las Heras in the north of the metro area. It uses the same prepaid-card system than the buses, and combinations with buses can be made at no cost.

Taxis are plentiful, use meters, and fairly cheap, costing about the same as in Buenos Aires. A trip from the bus terminal to Plaza Independencia will cost around AR$50 (May 2018)

Mendoza is one of the few cities in Argentina where Uber has a presence.

You can hire bicycles in town - most hostels can put you in touch with a bicycle hire outfit - prices are negotiable (i.e. they will charge you as much as they think you are willing to pay) but you shouldn't pay more than AR$80-100 per day. You will need some form of ID to leave as deposit. Ask to see the bike before handing over your money - many are old clunkers.

• Parque San Martín. This huge park is nice for walking or biking around. There is also a zoo at the north-west corner of the park with animals in small cages. Behind the zoo begins a path up to Cerro de la Gloria where there is a large statue and nice view over the city and of the mountains - particularly pleasant at sunset. You can rent a bicycle at "Bicis del Parque - Bike the Park!".
• 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 the 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.
• Plaza Independencia. The central main square of the city is the best starting point to explore downtown Mendoza. It boasts some nice buildings around, restaurants and even some street shows. The Mendoza Museum of Modern Art is under the plaza also (AR$6, free on Wednesdays). The Plaza can also be visited at night, where you can see some nicely illuminated buildings and a beautiful big coat of arms of the city that is made of lights. (updated Feb 2019). There is a dancing fountain and light show set to pop music.
• Plaza España. Possibly the most beautiful square in the city, this square is an artistic expression of the special relationship that this city (and all others in Hispanic America) has with Spain. It is decorated in a splendid way with typical Andalusian and Spanish motifs all around the place. The central wall depicts some images and texts of the Spanish colonization and it is crowned by a gorgeous statue. 
• Central Park, El Parral & Vendimiadores (10 blocks north of Plaza Independencia). A modern city park, contrasting with the tradition of the better-known Parque San Martin. Not a Mendoza must see, but the park has some nice water fountains and a grassy hill - often amateur Mendocinans set up their easels here and paint away. 
• Casa de Fader. A historic house museum, is an 1890 mansion once home to artist Fernando Fader in nearby Mayor Drummond, 14 km south of Mendoza. The mansion is home to many of the artist's paintings. free. 

Many companies organize trekking, expeditions, horseback riding, and whitewater rafting in the desert and the mountains. Mountain cabins in areas with spectacular scenery are easily rentable in the city. Check the classified ads in the newspaper.

• Potrerillos Explorer, Potrerillos, ☏ +54 261 653-8204. Trekking, rafting, horseriding, paragliding, mountain bike, aconcaguaes tour, and wine tasting tours.  Another rafting company above Potreillos (same run) is "Rio Mendoza", and for a more leisurely raft, Betancourt Rafting below the reservoir.

• Kaua Spa, Park Hyatt Mendoza Hotel, Chile 1124, ☏ +54 261 441 1234, kaua.phmendoza@hyatt.com. 
• Termas de Cacheuta (Spas of Cacheuta), 2624 490 139. Cacheuta, about an hour outside of Mendoza, has a very large network of "natural" hot-tubs called the "Parque del Agua". During high season and weekends, you will pay AR$70. For easy transportation, inquire regarding Cacheuta at the Bus Terminal, Espreso Uspallata bus counter at the immediate south side of the terminal near platform 50; buses depart Mendoza in the morning (before noon) and return in the evening (last bus departs Cacheuta at 18:50). You will pay AR$14 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.
  If you want the natural hot springs, just go down to the river and find some rocks forming a pool. For free.
  An upscale alternative is to go for the day to the Termas Hotel, about a km before", with swanky pools, masseuses, jacuzzis and an incredible buffet lunch, all for AR$80, but well worth the value - if you go, you had better book at the hotel a few days before for the package (do not bother staying at the hotel, the overpriced rooms are very cramped. 
• Aconcagua - America's highest peak Aconcagua (highest in the world outside the Himalayas) provides trekking and climbing possibilities. All travel agencies and backpacker hostels can organise trips - although a considerably cheaper and more flexible option is to take a Transportes Uspallata bus to the park from Mendoza's bus station. Probably you would be happy just paying the AR$25 at the park entrance to walk the short interpretive trail and lookout, rather than paying the hefty hiking fees past that you need to pay in town at the Provincial Park office in Parque San Martin (depending on how far and how many days you trek). If you want to see the top of Aconcagua, check the weather for the area before going, or you will waste your time and money.
• 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. The most popular destination for biking and wine tasting is Maipu, a short bus (line 10-173) or cab ride out of Mendoza. Many outfits rent bikes and provide a map of the standard route. Do yourself a favor and choose your bike company carefully. For example, Mr. Hugo has well maintained bikes, but Bikes and Wines had terrible old clunkers and there is no better wat to spoil your day than to battle with an awful bike. The most popular high-end wine tours are Malbec Symphony Wine Tours, Ampora Wine Tours and Trout & Wine, which take small groups to better wineries and include a multi-course lunch. There are several excellent wineries on the typical route, including Tempus Alba, Viña El Cérno, Familia Di Tommaso, and Carinae. As an alternative, Bachhus Wines runs bike tours out of Chacras and will rent bikes for about AR$40, provide a map and call ahead to several vineyards. Please be careful with your belongings on the wine tours, as there have been cases of bags being snatched out of the baskets on bikes. Budget from AR$80 to 140 per person for "tastings", based on visiting between 4 and 6 wineries.
• Cooking class - Ampora, who primarily does wine tours, also offers a cooking class for about AR$115 per person (less if paying cash). The four-hour course includes lots of wine, hands-on prep for several dishes and of course dinner. Finca Adalgisa, about 30 minutes from downtown, likewise offers a cooking demonstration several night per week. Unlike Ampora, this class is more of a demonstration than a hands-on class, but it is immensely popular. The teaching chefs for Ampora and Adalgisa both cooked under legendary Argentine chef Frances Mallmann (1884, Patagonia Sur).
• Vines of Mendoza - around the corner from the Hyatt in downtown (Avenida Belgrano 1194), Vines of Mendoza is the premiere wine bar in the city. They choose top wines from the region and offer various flight options, each coming with five glasses. Options include the Iconos (top wines), whites, reserves, Uco Valley reserves, Sensory Tastings and even a Blending Lab where you experiment mixing different varietals and take home a bottle of your own personal blend. The Vines hosts a (meet the) Winemaker Night on Wednesdays (07:00-21:00) during high season. Their website has great local tourist information and the definitive "Insiders' Guide to Mendoza."
• Paragliding (parapentes in Spanish) can be done in Mendoza every day of the year, depending on the winds of course. Tours include a tandem flight of about 15 minutes with an experienced pilot. Costs are about US$100. There are two companies going off Cerro Arco, both easily googleable: "zonadevuelo" (aka Fly Excursion) and "flyadventure"(aka mendoaventuras).
• Skiing is popular in the winter, but the season is short. Closest are Penitientes (bigger) and Los Puquios (beginner) on the highway almost to the Chile border. You could either take the Espreso Uspallata milkruns, or by bus tickets or packages from the many agencies on Las Heras Street, between Mitre and Peru streets, where there are also lots of ski equipment and clothes rental shops.
• Hike up Cerro Arco. A pleasant half-day hike easily done independently from Mendoza, offering great views of both the Andean foothills behind and the vast expanse of Mendoza's plains to the front. Cerro Acro is the looming mountain to Mendoza's north west, topped with various antenna. It is also used as the base for paragliding. Take bus 300/302 in west direction from the road named Montevideo right next to Plaza Independencia (or Parque San Martin on Av Del Libertador) to El Challao Mirador, at the end of the line 8km to the northwest. From here walk across from the white nightclub following the dyke 100 metres, then take an unpaved track further west until you reach a small restaurant, mountaineering museum and clubhouse - then follow the track to the north (going through the gate). This is a popular hike for Mendocinos at the weekend, but during the week it may be deserted. You can treat yourself to a hearty asado as the restaurant - it has two menus, one more expensive than the other! From the Mirador, the hike is about a 3½-hour round trip. Get out of the area well before dark. In the summer, go early to avoid the worst of the heat, and in the winter bring a jacket, as it can be cool and windy at the top. Afterwards you could visit the aircraft hanger sized church in Challao, a local version of Lourdes. (updated May 2017)
• Gaucho Horseback Riding At Kahuak, Rivadavia 234, ☏ +54 261 423-8409. Every hotel, hostel and travel agent can organise horse riding trips close to the city - but these guys have one of the better reputations, with English-speaking guides. 
• Las Lenas ski resort (Mendoza), Valle de Las Leñas (San Martin 811), ☏ +54 261 4297730, info@laslenasholidays.com. Las Leñas is definitely the most important ski resort in Argentina. The Andes Mountains are the highest outside of Asia with reliable skiing every ski season. Dry, plentiful powder, all levels welcome, Nordic skiing, incredible off-piste skiing and a base up at 2,240 metres describes Argentina’s most important ski resort, Las Leñas. 
• Malbec Symphony Wine Tours (Wine Tours, Mendoza), 256 Rivadavia (Mendoza, Argentina), ☏ +54 9-261-543-3292, info@malbecsymphony.com. 09:00-17:00. Wine tours are directed by sommelier, Julian Dlouhy and his knowledgeable staff. Tailor-made, customized tours with chauffeurs and bilingual guides in Mendoza, and other Argentine wine growing regions (Patagonia, Salta, San Juan, Cafayate, Valle de la Luna, Talampaya). Staff speaks French, German, English and Portuguese. Olive oil tours, cooking classes, mate classes, and spirit tours. 
• Mendoza (Mendoza Outdoors), San Martin (811), ☏ +54 261 4297730. 09:00-19:00. Mendoza Holidays is a boutique operation specializing in upscale private tours, gourmet itineraries and specialty programs throughout Mendoza, Chile and other areas in Argentina such as Buenos Aires, Salta, Iguazu Falls, Patagonia and more. Recommended by Frommers and The New York Times Travel & Dining. 

As with many cities in Argentina, there is a variety of Spanish courses and private lessons are available. There are two extablished language schools in Mendoza: Intercultural is the biggest, has a range of afternoon activities, and is slightly more expensive, Greenfields (aka COINED) is smaller and feels even less well organised, but many of the teachers work at both schools.

Another great option for individual or very small tailor-made quality group lessons with a highly trained instructor: Spanish in Mendoza, Argentina (SIMA).

Another interesting way to learn Spanish is by sharing accommodation. For people planning to stay for a couple of months, renting a room in a shared place could be the best option. Prices are reasonable low compared to hostels and hotels ranging from AR$700 in a student apartment to AR$130 for a homestay with no meals.

• The wine is excellent and can be extremely inexpensive, although in terms of quality you most often get what you pay for. There are several wine boutiques which offer wine tasting. In general, you can buy the same bottles of wine at local supermarkets at lower prices.
• Clothing tends to be fashionable and cheap for those paying in US dollars or euros.
• Electronics are imported and thus expensive.
• There are several mountaineering and trekking equipment shops offering a wide variety of outdoor equipment. A couple of shops are on Av Juan B. Justo near Av Belgrano.
• Many unique home decor items are available at good prices.
• Leather goods are also readily available and inexpensive. There are many shops on Las Heras Ave.

Good restaurants abound. For a round-up of Mendoza's more expensive eateries ask for the Guía Mendoza Gourmet from the tourist office. The main restaurant strip is on Aristides Villanueva, which runs east-west from Ave Belgrano (where the defunct railway tracks are) to Parque San Martin. It is difficult to have a bad meal here, although as a general rule be wary of special offers from places near the hostels - they may be cheap, but this shows in the quality. There are also some excellent (and pricey) restaurants on Ave Sarmiento running west from Plaza Independencia. A cluster of cheaper restaurants are on Ave Juan B Justo

Try world-famous Argentinian beef asado (roasted) from a parrilla (grill) restaurant, with a bottle of Mendoza's excellent wine. Mendoza's most famous varieties are the Malbecs from Maipú and Luján de Cuyo. Other good options are Cabernet Sauvignons and Merlots.

Even by Argentinian standards, Mendocinans eat late. On weekdays kitchens open around 21:00, but few diners arrive before 22:00. On Fridays and Saturdays things don't get going until 23:00.

• 1884, Belgrano 1188 in the Godoy Cruz neighborhood. One of Francis Mallman's famous restaurants. The food is expensive but excellent and focuses on local meat and produce.
• Tenedor Libres: (literally, free fork) Mendoza has many good buffets that serve reasonably priced lunches and dinners. Most offer 5-10 meat dishes freshly cooked on a giant grill and a variety of side dishes and desserts. The quality of the food can be quite good and it's an excellent way to try a selection of Argentine food.
• Onda Libre Av. General Las Heras 446
• Sofia resto-bar, Aristides Villanueva 650, ☏ +54 261-4299836. Stylish restaurant and one of the more upmarket on the Aristides strip. Extensive menu of meats, salads, pastas, and a curious 'exotic' range, including Wok Chicken, Wok Beef, and more oddly, Wok Pizza. mains around AR$40. 
• El Patio de Jesus Maria, 788 Boulogne Sur Mer (at the end of Aristides Villanueva), ☏ +54 261 429-6767. 20:00-late. Pleasant & pricey restaurant with, as the name suggests, a patio. Asado, steak, chicken and more steak. For an interesting dining experience have a meal whilst a football game at Club Independiente next door is underway. 
• Club Tapiz Restó, Pedro Molina s/n - Ruta 60 Km 2.5 - Russell – Maipú (Arrange with a driver or call ahead for specific instructions.), ☏ +54 261 496-3433. 15 minutes south of the city center (close to suburban Chacras de Coria) and in the middle of one of the Tapiz winery vineyards, this stylish restaurant offers a series of regional dishes and a superb wine list. Make the best out of the visit by touring the vineyard, visiting "Pour la Galerie" a maginificent art space located beside the museum featuring works of renowned artist Sergio Roggerone, and learning about the Club Tapiz boutique hotel (see below). Reservations required. AR$45. 
• La Barca, Espejo 120 City Center (btw España & 9 de Julio). Open for lunch and dinner, this is a classic, family-owned restaurant that serves authentic, quality Argentine food. Great home made pasta. Daily specials. Friendly to English speakers. If you're in the city center and want a dependable meal, you can't go wrong here. 

Although Mendoza is a very liveable city, and many choose to stay for a few weeks to take language courses and the like, there is not the same short term apartment rental infrastructure as in Buenos Aries. An internet search will bring up a few options but be wary of paying deposits before you arrive as the apartment may not live up to your expectations. Traffic noise can be a particular problem.

The most pleasant part of town is between Plaza Independencia and Park San Martin - with quiet street and well kept neighbourhoods, and the bars and restaurants of Aristes Villanueva within walking distance. East of the centre is the more low rent area, and contains the cheaper hostels.

Be wary of scams, especially around the bus terminal. Occasionally foreigners will pretend to have been robbed and use your sympathy to "borrow" money for a bus ride.

Be careful arriving early morning on overnight buses. If you put your bags down, someone may try to take them.

As everywhere in Argentina, be careful of the vehicles. They do not honour the right of way for pedestrians or stop-sign laws (the police just stand around and are mostly unhelpful). Intersections are death traps, this cannot be emphasized too much, the vehicles are usually driven erratically, fast, without attention, wandering and without signalling. Look everywhere, and make no assumptions. Especially be careful when there is a bus or taxi approaching from any direction. Many pedestrians choose to jaywalk (not a crime here) in the middle of the block to avoid endangering their lives and limbs at intersections!

San Juan, the quieter, greener, "Ciudad Oasis" is 150 km, about 2 hours, to the north. Bus departures every hour or two.

During the December to March high season, July mid-winter break and holidays when bus usage is especially high, buy your bus tickets out at the terminal at least a few days before you leave.