Escuela de Lenguas UNLP/About Argentina/Tourist Attractions/Mendoza (province)

Mendoza is an important province located in the centre-west of the country. In this province there are mountains and oases. The oases were created by man. The Andes are in the limit between Argentina and Chile. One of the most famous passages is “Las Cuevas”. It is 3832 metres high. You can see the Aconcagua mountain. This is 6959 mts high. Tupungato is 6800 mts high and Maipo is 5323 mts high. The weather is dry and sunny, but it is different between the montains and the plains. On winter days, you can go skiing in the natural courts. People from all over the world come here. “Las Leñas” is a modern and important place to go skiing. The cultivation of grapes is very important too. There are very important vineyards. The wines from Argentina are very famous for their quality in the world. In Mendoza you can find many more things too.

Mendoza is one of the most important provinces of Argentina. It’s one of the historical provinces that preceded the creation of the National State. After the enactment of the National Constitution, Mendoza was the first province to enact its Provincial constitution in 1854. In 1814 the General Jose de San Martin decided to organize the Andes Army in Mendoza. There are important monuments in the city of Mendoza to remember him.

The Province of Mendoza, with an area of 148,827 km ², is the seventh largest province in the country. It occupies 5.35% of the total area of Argentina. It has a population of 1,741,610 inhabitants. This makes of it the fourth most populous province in the country. The main agricultural activity is the wine industry. Mendoza was the first wine producer in the country. Early in the century horticultural crops began to be grown, to stop with the monoculture of the vine. The main horticultural areas are the southern oasis, the basin of the river Tunuyán and areas surrounding the capital city. The province of Mendoza is one of the main tourist attractions of Argentina.

Some prominent people who were born in Mendoza are Joaquín Salvador Lavado (“Quino”) and Alberto Arizu. The former is a great cartoonist and humorist. He was the creator of Mafalda, a famous comic in the world that was translated into several languages. The latter is an important wine producer. The quality of his wines is recognized worldwide. His winery, Luigi Bosca, is 110 years old.

Cities

Mendoza

The city of Mendoza was destroyed by an earthquake in 1861 and ten thousand people died. Today it is a modern and beautiful city.

Other attractions

Irrigation ditches

The ditches (acequias) in the city of Mendoza are an ancient irrigation system invented by the Huarpe Culture (an indigenous community of Cuyo) which has been proposed to be declared a World Heritage Site. This special water system is not only an esencial element in the city plan, but it is also part of the cultural heritage. The city of Mendoza is set in the desert and the struggle for water has been always part of its history. Speaking of water in Mendoza is speaking about one of the most significant factors in their culture. Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, an Argentinian intellectual of the XIX century, defines this land as a “center of civilization” thanks to its irrigation ditches and Canals. Another chronicler, Lucio Funes, said "every house has its ditches, which provide water for crops and also drinking water, as pure as it originally sprang in the high mountains..." It is the water from the Canals, coming from the mountains, the one which transforms this dry place into a joyful land of continuous progress.

Las Leñas

Las Leñas is situated in Mendoza, near the Los Andes Mountains. During winter there is a lot of snow and the tourists go there for skiing. In summer time, there are a lot of activities too, like rafting, bicycling, horse riding, walking and 4x4 promenades.

The five-star hotels are very cheap in summer and you can find excellent food and indoor activities. I strongly recommend visiting this place.

The Andes

The majesty of the Andes attracts many Argentinean tourists as well as foreigners who are interested in seeing the mountainous landscapes and trying sporting activities such as mountaineering, skiing, snowboard and river rafting. The most important ski centres are Las Leñas, Penitentes and Vallecitos.

The Cuyo region has six thermal areas with different characteristics. All of them offer the traveller the unique benefits of sulfur springs in the world, loaded with minerals by biological and geological processes occurring in the area of the Cordillera.

In the area of Potrerillos in the foothills and near Mendoza River are Termas de Cacheuta waters with high therapeutic value that reaches a temperature of between 45 and 48 degrees suitable for various conditions. It’s located in a beautiful natural landscape. The Pierre Auger Observatory, located in the city of Malargüe, was the first Observatory in the world dedicated to the study of cosmic rays. It is a joint initiative of 18 countries with 500 scientists from 100 institutions from different countries.