The Best Sight in Mendoza City, Wine Regions

Background Illustration for Sights

After a devastating earthquake in 1861, Mendoza was reconstructed on a grid, making it easy to explore on foot. Four small squares (Chile, San Martín, Italia, and España) radiate from the four corners of Plaza Independencia, the main square. Their Spanish tiles, exuberant fountains, shaded walkways, and myriad trees and flowers lend peace and beauty. Avenida San Martín, the town's major thoroughfare, runs north–south out into the southern departments and wine districts. Calle Sarmiento intersects San Martín at the tourist office and becomes a peatonal (pedestrian mall) with cafés, shops, offices, and bars. It crosses the Plaza Independencia, stops in front of the Park Hyatt, then continues on the other side of the hotel to a busy restaurant strip.

Parque General San Martín

Dating back to 1896, this 971-acre park has more than 50,000 trees from all over the world. Fifteen km (9 miles) of paths meander through it. You can stop and smell the roses (a dedicated garden contains hundreds of varieties), observe aquatic competitions from the rowing club's balcony restaurant, or set the kids free on the numerous playgrounds. Scenes of the 1817 Andes crossing by José de San Martín and his army during the campaign to liberate Argentina are depicted on a monument atop Cerro de la Gloria (Glory Hill), a steep 20-minute walk up from the park's center. The stadium here (built for the 1978 World Cup, which Argentina won) hosts popular soccer matches; the amphitheater (capacity 22,500) fills to the brim during Vendimia, the annual wine harvest festival; and there are markets and open aerobics classes on the weekend.

Avenida Emilio Civit 701, Mendoza, 5500, Argentina

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