Capital Department: Urban Culture, Wine Tradition and Nature
Accommodation in Capital Department
Capital Department combines impressive urban history with cultural venues, wine tradition and expansive green spaces. When planning your trip, you can choose different points of focus: explore an archaeological museum and historic sites, experience everyday life around Plaza Independencia, or spend time in Parque General San Martín. Tango classes, wine tastings and trails in the nature reserve are also among the possible discoveries.
Discover urban history and culture
The Museo del Área Fundacional focuses on excavations featuring remains of the former city of Mendoza. The archaeological museum brings urban history to life through the evidence unearthed there. If you are interested in historical development, you can include the historic walking tour of the city of Mendoza in your travel plans. It leads through the Área Histórica de la Ciudad and includes archaeological sites from the original city of Mendoza.
The Museo del Pasado Cuyano Dr. Edmundo Correas offers another glimpse into the past. It is housed in a mansion considered the oldest house in the city, built in 1873. For art, theatre and literature, the Espacio Cultural Plaza Independencia brings together three institutions: the Museo Municipal de Arte Moderno Mendoza, the Teatro Municipal Julio Quintanilla and the Biblioteca Municipal Ricardo Tudela. This gives you a range of cultural interests to choose from, without having to focus on just one form.
Plaza Independencia and Paseo Alameda
Plaza Independencia combines cultural offerings with lively public-square life. It features the permanent Plaza de las Artes craft fair, recreational games for children and an open-air Teatrino. Urban artists give a variety of performances there. If you are travelling with children, you will find dedicated play areas here as well as the fair; the Teatrino adds an open-air arts offering to the square.
History and dance meet at Paseo Alameda. The historic promenade is seven blocks long and was designed by General San Martín. At Paseo Alameda, Balcón de Tango offers tango classes on Sundays from September to April, followed by milonga events with live music. This seasonal schedule is a useful guide for anyone who would like to include tango in their trip.
Wine, green spaces and views
La Enoteca is the only surviving architectural remnant of the Escuela Nacional de Vitivinicultura, which operated from 1897 to 1939. Today, La Enoteca offers wine tastings and guided tours to tourists and local residents. The Viaje al corazón de Vendimia exhibition is included in the regular guided tours. Architectural history and wine tradition come together at this site, while the exhibition offers another way to explore the theme of Vendimia.
Parque General San Martín has been a protected urban environmental area since 17 April 1996. It covers more than 400 hectares and is home to over 300 plant species. Within the park, Teatro Griego Frank Romero Day has hosted the highlight of the Vendimia celebrations since 1963. Cerro de la Gloria offers views of the Andes and the city of Mendoza. The hill can be reached via footpaths or paved roads; parking, a police post and restroom facilities are also available there.
The Reserva natural Divisadero Largo offers a different perspective on nature. Its trails and views of the Andean foothills can be combined with insights into the reserve’s natural and cultural heritage. If you are choosing between urban history, the park and the nature reserve, you can take different interests into account when planning your trip without making every day the same.
Getting around and choosing the right base
Mendoza has around 90 kilometres of cycle paths for getting around the city. You need a SUBE card for city buses and the Metrotranvía; the MENDOTRAN app provides information on stops, timetables and routes. Tourist information centres run by the city’s tourism administration are located at the Municipalidad de Mendoza and Plaza Independencia.
When looking for a holiday apartment in Capital Department, you can first consider which aspects of the trip matter most to you: museums and historic sites, the offerings at Plaza Independencia and Paseo Alameda, wine tradition, or nature and green spaces. These interests can help you decide what kind of trip you want, without assuming anything about specific accommodation or distances. You can also explore Mendoza, a directly associated destination.
More destinations
More places within the same destination:
For the overview of the wider destination: Mendoza.
