Argentina - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 102

EATING AND DRINKING
San Rafael springs to life post-siesta, when locals pack
the restaurants, bars, nightclubs and ice-cream parlours
along Hipólito Yrigoyen.
La Fusta Hipólito Yrigoyen 538. The best parrilla in the
city, where you can tuck into a juicy steak (AR$50) and
quaff local wine without breaking the bank. Daily noon-
3.30pm & 8.30pm-midnight.
Jockey Club Belgrano 330 T 0260 448 7007. Upscale and
with an Old-World feel, this much-loved restaurant serves
well-prepared, filling mains including good pasta, fish
and chicken dishes. Set lunch AR$75. Daily noon-3pm &
7-11pm.
Lorenzo Hipólito Yrigoyen 1850. The dancefloor at this
popular bar is often shaking, thanks to a mixed sound-
track of rock, retro and electronica. On steamy nights,
the drinking spills into the garden. Occasional live music.
Thurs-Sat until late.
Tienda del Sol Hipólito Yrigoyen 1663. A hip, modern
restaurant with outdoor tables, serving imaginative beef,
chicken and fish mains (around AR$45), along with a wide
range of regional wines. Daily 8pm-midnight.

1

There are, however, worthwhile sights
just beyond the city itself in the San Rafael
department, including six hundred square
kilometres of vineyards and around eighty
bodegas . Most of the wineries are small,
family-run affairs; the tourist office has
a list of those open to the public. For
white-water rafting enthusiasts, the
Cañon del Atuel , a short journey to the
southwest, is one of the top destinations in
the country for riding the rapids.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By plane San Rafael Airport is 5km west of downtown,
with daily flights to and from Buenos Aires. There are
buses to the centre (AR$4); a taxi costs around AR$25.
By bus The centrally located bus terminal is at Coronel
Suárez, between calles Almafuerte and Avellaneda.
Destinations Buenos Aires (4 daily; 13hr); Las Leñas
(June-Sept 1 daily, Dec-Feb 3 weekly on Tues, Thurs &
Sat; 2hr 40min); Malargüe (3 daily; 2hr 30min); Mendoza
(hourly; 3hr 15min).

INFORMAT ION AND TOURS
Tourist information The friendly tourist o ce is on the
corner of avenidas Hipólito Yrigoyen and Balloffet (daily
8am-9pm; T 0260 442 4217, W sanrafaelturismo.gov.ar).
Tour operator Risco Viajes (Av Hipólito Yrigoyen 284;
T 0260 443 6439, W riscoviajes.com) is a San Rafael-based
tour operator for adventurous types. Offers everything
from one-day wine-tasting trips (AR$550) and three-day
excursions to hot spas (AR$1200 including accommoda-
tion), to mountain-biking and climbing adventures in the
surrounding peaks.

LAS LEÑAS
Some 180km southwest of San Rafael
and 445km south of Mendoza, the
exclusive ski resort of LAS LEÑAS is to
winter what Uruguay's Punta del Este
is to summer - a chic party playground
for porteño socialites. Between June and
September (snow permitting), they flock
here on week-long packages. Beyond
après-ski glamour, the setting of Las
Leñas is exquisite. The resort, which
sits at 2240m, has the dramatic Cerro
Las Leñas (4351m) towering over its
29 runs and 13 lifts. Pistes range in
difficulty from nursery slopes to
hair-raising black runs, with night-time
and cross-country skiing also possible.
In summer, Las Leñas transforms
into an outdoor action hub, offering
horseriding, white-water rafting,
trekking, climbing, abseiling, 4WD
tours, mountain biking, summer
skiing and even scuba diving in high-
altitude lakes.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMAT ION
By bus During the ski season there are daily buses from
Mendoza (7hr), Malargüe (1hr 30min) and San Rafael (2hr
40min). Regular direct buses also run from Buenos Aires
(14hr; book through the central tourist o ce).

ACCOMMODAT ION
San Rafael's accommodation options lack the range and
quality found in Mendoza. If you're camping, make for
the shady Camping El Parador on Isla Río Diamante, 6km
south of downtown (AR$12/tent).
Rex Hipólito Yrigoyen 56 T 0260 442 2177. This bright,
modern hotel on the main drag has spotless rooms
arranged around a q uiet cou rtyard. Cable TV, breakfast
and parking included. AR$310
Tierrasoles Hostel Alsina 245 T 0260 443 3449,
W tierrasoles.com.ar. A family-run HI hostel offering
modest dorms, a simple breakfast and cheap internet.
You ha ve to be a contort ionist to use the toilets, though.
Dorms AR$88 , doubles AR$235
Trotamundos Hostel Barcala 300 T 0260 443 2795,
W trotamundoshostel.com.ar. A relatively new, funky hostel
in a converted historical building with a large, open-plan
kitchen and plenty of activities l laid on for guest s. Includ es
breakfast and wi-fi access. Dorms AR$60 , doubles AR$180