Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
264
Choose your own pace when touring the
bodegas (wineries); two or thr ee visits ar e
possible in half a day . Five would be the
absolute most doable in a full day. Make a
reservation for lunch either at one of the
many ex cellent r estaurants in the wine
country—or, better y et, a bodega itself .
Some hav e tr uly outstanding r estaurants
(see later in this chapter). M ore and more
wineries ar e no w charging for tours,
Mendoza also offers a wealth of outdoor
activities, ranging fr om Class III, IV , and
V white-water rafting in the M endoza
River to horseback riding, mountain bik-
ing, and tr ekking in the Andes. Tour
operators in Mendoza will arrange an itin-
erary according to y our preferences, from
part-day outings to multiday excursions.
Two-and-a-half hours south of M en-
doza is the pr ovince's second-largest city ,
San Rafael. More the size of a large to wn,
it's a laid-back, r ural place that has some
great outdoor activities nearb y, as w ell as
its o wn shar e of impor tant bodegas,
although it has little of par ticular interest
to foreigners.
Even far ther south, Las Leñas is a
although if y ou purchase wine at the end
of a tour , the entr y fee is usually waiv ed.
Some are closed on Sundays. Reservations
are generally r equired—don't count on
being able to just sho w up at a vineyar d.
Another important factor is that the roads
in Mendoza can be v ery hard to navigate,
and driv ers ar e par ticularly aggr essive.
Only the most confident should r
world-class ski resort that is a winter play-
ground of P orteños escaping the capital
for a sno wy r etreat. Los P enitentes offers
decent r uns closer to M endoza. F or the
bold and the brav e, M ount A concagua
provides an irr esistible challenge, and at
6,960m (22,829 ft.) it to wers abo ve all
other peaks in the Western H emisphere.
With a good bit of endurance, money, and
time on your hands, the mountain can be
conquered.
ent a
car.
A journey into the magnificent moun-
tains, ho wever, is possible anytime, and
can be easily done on y our own. The best
circuit is Alta M ontaña, which follo ws
parts of the old I nca trail and Andes rail-
road through the tall Andes to the bor der
with Chile.
10
1 MENDOZA
710km (440 miles) NW of Buenos Aires; 721km (447 miles) SW of Córdoba
This picturesque city lies at the heart of the Cuyo, the name of the region that comprises
the provinces of Mendoza, San Juan, and San Luis. It was founded in 1561 b y Spanish
colonialists, and retains an idyllic serenity that has carried over from centuries past.
Mendoza locals may be complaining these days about too much traffic, too much
development, and too much change, as their little country pueblo starts looking more and
more like a big city, but there is still much tranquilidad here. It's still Argentina's loveliest,
most livable, city, with a unique vibe blending cosmopolitan shopping and dining with
rural country life. An ar tificial oasis, Mendoza receives no more than 5 days of rain per
year. A scarce commodity, water is celebrated in the trickling fountains of the city's many
lovely plazas, and in the shade of the dike-suppor ted trees that line the boulevards. Give
yourself time to linger in M endoza's cafes, plazas, and many fantastic r estaurants, which
bustle from noon to night.
 
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