Amazing Mendoza Tours
About Mendoza, Argentina
Mendoza is the name of both a province of Argentina and its capital city.
Nestled in the foothills of the Andes, the city of Mendoza is a few hours’
drive or a half-hour plane ride from Santiago, Chile or about a two-hour
plane trip from Buenos Aires.
Spectacular views of the snow-capped Aconcagua, at nearly 23,000 feet the highest mountain in Latin America, can be seen a short drive from the city. The vineyards, some as high as 5,000 feet above sea level, are silhouetted against the tallest mountains.
Starting some 150 years ago, people from Spain, Italy and other European countries came to the region and started the vineyards that produce the Malbec and many other fine wines. The European cultural traditions have merged with Andean traditions to create a unique and dynamic new destination that is quickly being discovered by sophisticated world travelers.
This
trend intensified recently when Mendoza was named the eighth member of
the network of “
Great Wine Capitals of the World,”
which includes Bordeaux, Rioja, and Napa, California and others.
In addition to Malbec, the Argentina wine capital is known for quality blends
using Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and an increasing range of other grapes. The
region has attracted internationally-known winemakers such as Michel Rolland
and Paul Hobbs.
Using Mendoza city as a
convenient base, visitors can happily fill their
days with wine tasting, visits to wineries, delicious meals in restaurants,
wineries and cooking classes; learning about local art and culture in museums,
craft fairs and galleries, exploring the majestic Andes landscape, luxuriating in spa treatments, or simply strolling in the city’s tree-filled parks
and plazas and people-watching in one of the many outdoor cafes.
Business travelers will find Mendoza to be a world-class venue with the Internet access, restaurants for entertaining, and meeting places that cater to all of their needs. Argentina generally is one of the countries with a high standard of living in South America.
Because it’s in the Southern Hemisphere, Mendoza offers two other great benefits to the traveler from North America: The seasons are reversed, so it’s a great place to escape the North American winter or whatever season you like the least; and unlike when you travel to Europe, you’ll experience little or no jet lag, because the time zones are similar.
Now is the perfect moment to get to know Mendoza. The devaluation of the Argentine peso has made enjoying the high-quality food, wine, art and culture, scenery and climate an incredible value that costs much less than similar experiences in other parts of the world. Prices are going up rapidly but relative to Europe, Argentina will be a terrific bargain for some time to come.