DISCOVERING MENDOZA

Mendoza is one of Argentina's finest cities, with crowded outdoor cafes, beautiful plazas, a bustling shopping district and an exciting nightlife which takes place as much outside the bars and restaurants as it does inside. What's more, it just happens to be in the heart of wine country. Lively during the day, the city really comes into its own at night, when the bars, restaurants and cafs along Av. Arstides fill up and overflow onto the sidewalks with all the bright young things, out to see and be seen. All over the country (and in much of the world), the name Mendoza is synonymous with wine, and this is the place to base yourself if youre up for touring the vineyards, taking a few dozen bottles home or just looking for a good bottle to accompany the evenings pizza. Irrigation Systems Even when the Spanish first arrived in Mendoza in 1561, they found an extensive irrigation system developed by the local Huarpe people. This large group of Native Americans had realized that, since it rarely rains in Mendoza, they could take advantage of the large snowmelt run-off from the Andes Mountains if they organized an irrigation system (allowing this desert region to sprout with vegetation). The city of Mendoza is characterized by large ditches along both sides of most of its streets to funnel any water to where it is most needed. Be careful not to fall into them! Siesta, afternoon break Mendozinos take a very long break in the afternoon, usually from 1pm to 5pm, during which time the shops close and the best thing to do is to head to the parks and squares to hang out, especially after a nice meal with some Malbec wine.

MUSEUMS AND LANDMARKS

PARQUE SAN MARTIN AND CERRO DE LA GLORIA: Mendoza offers many parks to rest, the biggest one being Parque San Martin. It was designed in 1897 by Carlos Thays and with its 420 hectars is the home of around 50,000 trees, a big lake, a rose garden and several sports centers (tennis, regatta, soccer, etc). There is a zoo, and of course, the famous Cerro de la Gloria - with the monument to the army of San Martin, the South American hero from Argentina. THE ANDES MOUNTAINS: Forming a spectacular backdrop to Mendoza, the Andes are always in view here and sooner or later you're bound to feel them pull you away from the vines and the wine of the Mendoza countryside. Serious hikers and climbers will of course know that Mendoza is the stepping-off point to the Alta Montana, the highest stretch of the Andes in Argentina. The Aconcagua (6952 mts) is the most incredible mountain you will see in Latin America.

WINERIES: Mendoza is a viticulturist zone of excellence. It has numerous wineries for the production of fine wines of the highest quality that are exported to the whole world. In the Mendoza region the most widely produced varieties are malbec, syrah, cabernet sauvignon, merlot and barbera among the reds, and chardonnay, riesling and chablis among the whites. You can visit some of the wineries and try its wines. MUSEO FUNDACIONAL: The high-ceilinged structure on Plaza Pedro del Castillo protects excavations of the colonial Cabildo, destroyed by an earthquake in 1861. At that time the citys geographical focus shifted west and south to its present location. The museum works through all of human evolution as if the city of Mendoza were the climax of the process. MUSEO POPULAR CALLEJERO: The sidewalk museum along Av. Las Heras between 25 de mayo and Peru consists of a series of encased dioramas depicting changes in one of Mendozas major avenues since its 1830 creation in a dry watercourse.

SHOPPING
The shopping trainway It's a slow but nice trainway that goes through San Martin, Colon, Belgrano and Las Heras Avenue where you'll find lots of shops to buy whatever you may be looking for. The trainway is quite cheap ($0.50 Argentine Pesos) and the trainway stops at every corner. Palmares Open Mall It has the same stores as Mendoza Plaza Shopping but in a nicer and friendlier environment. It is located at the entrance of Mendozas most important and expensive neighborhood, Palmares. Mendoza Plaza Shopping Mendozas main mall where you will find nice stores and prices. It gets packed during weekends.

DINING
El Palenque ($$)
287 Aristides Villanueva, Need to arrive early (8.30pm) to get a place.

A must do in Mendoza. All the locals struggle to get a table at El Palenque every weekend night in order to have great food and to meet friends and dates. Try a Fernet con Coca-Cola after dinner as to get the complete idea of how a local enjoys the city. Francis Mallman 1884 ($$$)
1188 Belgrano, Godoy Cruz, +54 (261) 424-2698, Reservation recommended.

In 2006 The Times of London listed 1884 as the number 7 most desirable restaurant in the world. A blend of fresh Argentine produce, meat and fish prepared with homage to Mallman's Patagonian heritage blended with his French training. By local standards it is expensive but by US and European standards it is a bargain. The service is on par with the food, excellent. Lasal ($$$)
1069 Belgrano,St, +54 (261) 420-4322, www.lasalrestaurante.com

It is a great place to go when you have had your fill of traditional steaks. At Lasal you will be offered a different, contemporary and innovative menu. The restaurant is quite small and discreet. Downstairs the main area is non-smoking and has tables located in intimate corners. Upstairs on the mezzanine floor are more tables at which smoking is allowed. Apart from the food, which is excellent, one of the main attractions is the live music which complements and adds to the relaxed ambience of the restaurant.

Mande Faustino ($$)

785 Sarmiento St., +54 (261) 425-2985

It is a great place for some traditional Argentinean food but has more on the menu than the usual range of parillas. Situated at the very top of Sarmiento it is the last in a line of restaurants all of which have pavement and indoor seating. On a warm evening it is pleasant to sit outside, but part of the attraction of Mande Faustino is the decor, with warm-colored lights, wooden tables, a polished wood floor and a rustic country look. Another attraction is the music, which is more difficult to catch out on the street. But the main draw is the quality and range of food available. If you like Malbec wine you could try the lamb in malbec as a main course. It's delicious. Well worth a return visit. De Un Rincon de la Boca ($)
470 Las Heras Avenue

Famous pizzeria and Parrrilla. It is not fancy, but it serves good food and is very popular with the locals. They have a young man and a lady who hustle around very quickly seeing to all the customers! Las Tinajas ($)
38 Lavalle St., no phone.

This is a cheap and nice place to eat. There is a lot of buffets in Mendoza, but here for a good price you can have a real variety of meats, salads, pastas, etc. Tip: try to be arrive early because it is usually full. Mi Tierra ($$)
794 Avenida Mitre, + 54 (261) 425-0035, www.mitierramendoza.com

Wine-cellar themed restaurant. Dishes include rabbit, deer, wild-boar, pheasant, beef and fish. The restaurant has themed areas on the most prestigious wine cellars in the province, such as: Norton, Catena Zapata, Chandon and Terrazas de Los Andes, with information in English about each one, photographs, advertising material and maps. Francesco ($$)
1268 Chile St, +54 (261) 425-3912, www.francescoristorante.com.ar

A traditional Italian restaurant, Francesco is well-known for its excellent pasta dishes, and for its beautiful gardens. Set inside a beautiful old house, which the owners used to live in, Francesco is an excellent option for dining in Mendoza. Azafrn ($$$)
765 Sarmiento St., +54 (261) 429-4200

Relatively new in the Mendoza restaurant scene, Azafrn offers exquisite culinary alternatives, as well as an impressive wine list. Its decoration is charming and warm, and the creative menu draws in products from all over Argentina.

MUSIC, BARS AND NIGHTLIFE

Mendozas nighttime bars, discos and events are not centralized. We recommend visiting our suggestions and enjoying as much as you can! Please use Taxis to move around at night. Apateco
San Juan and Barraquero

If youre looking to dance, this is the right place for you. Apateco is a blast because it is full of people with the right aura. However, if you arent there to dance then you better go elsewhere because not moving would cause you to get pushed out of the way. As with most places in Mendoza there are no dress codes. A nice shirt and jeans is OK because it gets hot inside and the dancing may cause a few drinks might to spill on you. Its all part of the fun.

Chacras de Coria (Al Sur and others)

International road to Chile Km 15

There are a lot of discos where you can go in the Chacras de Coria district (half an hour from the city). The nightlife starts at 1am and finishes at 5am. Al Sur disco is nowadays one of the top places to have a great dancing night at Mendoza. Avenida Aristides Villanueva
Aristides Villanueva St.

If you are not looking for a disco and you only want to relax, have a beer or Fernet with Coca-cola and talk to locals, the Aristides is the perfect place for you. Full of bars and hostels, this street gets full of people looking for fun every night. A must do.

CINEMAS
Most American-made films are spoken in English with Spanish subtitles: Village Cinemas Lateral Acceso Este 3280 Mendoza Plaza Shopping
http://www.villagecines.com/village_mendoza/#Scene_1