Things to do:
Mendoza, it’s a fairly small town and not much to do there. Despite the fact that Mendoza is technically in a desert area the city center is full of trees, squares, and parks( thanks to the underground water system). You have to keep in mind that they are taking very serious there siesta time and everything is closed from 1 pm to 4 pm ( some places even closed at 12 pm)
Place to visit:
Mercado Central( near Plaza Independencia) is worth a visit if you have some free time. A very interesting place to get your daily vegetables and fruits, and to try the regional specialties. The empanadas here are amazing.
Peatonal Sarmiento (Sarmiento pedestrian street) is the place to be during the daytime. Plenty of coffee shops where you can enjoy some people watching. This little pedestrian street connects the busiest San Martin street(most banks, exchange burros and blue people are there) with Plaza Independencia.
At night, attention shifts to Av. Aristides Villanueva. The many restaurants, bars, and pubs make this area the epicenter of Mendoza’s nightlife. If you’re feeling adventurous, try one of the most popular drinks in town: Fernet with Coke – an acquired taste and not for the faint-hearted!
Wine tours:
Wine tours in Mendoza are pricey but if you can afford def worth it. Most wine tours take you to 2/3 different winery and include transportation and lunch. You can find many options and tour agency on the Main Street,.,., The one I used was 175$ pp included 7 meal lunch, 3 high-end wineries with more than 15 different wine tasting. The company is called “Ampora wine tours” (app.mendozawinetours.com).
There are two areas where you can do tours Uco Valley and Lujan de Cuyo. The Lujan de Cuyo is the oldest wine area and most wineries there are a lot older. But wines in the Uco Valley are of better quality. Malbec is the typical wine in Mendoza area and it’s must try.
If you want to do the wine tour by yourself(only in Lujan de Cuyo the Uco Valley is very far and no local buses or I couldn’t find them;) you can take bus 10 from Rioja street going to 171, 172, 173. The bus takes about 40 minutes and you will see a few bikes hire shops, so get off there. The one I used was “bikes&swines”. They will give you a map of the area with all wineries indicated. Start off a cross theropod in the wine bar, you will get 6 wine tastings for 40 pesos and a free half bottle of wine. Trapiche is the biggest Argentinian winery and it’s worth visiting. Using bikes to do the wineries is very nice and enjoyable way. Also a lot cheaper, but only if you are good on the bike. After a few glasses of wine, some people start believing that they are untouchable. So please keep your foot on the ground ;). In case if you get hungry cross the road from Trapiche winery there is a nice restaurant.
Restaurants:
Cordillera Vinos and fuegos : this restaurant it’s a little gem. The owner is an Irish/Argentinian guy who used to have a winery himself. So he is a wine lover himself and has a special wine cellar. The meat there is to die for. My favorite is the medallion stake with salad and fries.
Accommodation: I’ve stayed in ” Urbana class” hotel Reasonable price, great location. Also, have an outdoor swimming pool on the rooftop.