This self-guided walking tour shows the different sides of Mendoza city, featuring modern art, Spanish colonial architecture, tree-lined avenues, a bustling market and a thriving culinary scene.
While in Mendoza city make time in your itinerary to explore this laid-back little provincial capital in between trips to the wineries outside of town.
Becoming known for its haute cuisine — it has more Michelin-star restaurants than Buenos Aires, and its shady, tree-lined avenues invite long casual strolls, for locals and visitors alike.
Unlike Buenos Aires, you can get a feel for many of Mendoza’s different faces within one day.
Start in the historic center around Plaza Independencia to see Spanish colonial architecture and the city’s most buzzing areas.
Then wander into the quieter residential neighborhoods to experience Mendoza’s laid-back charm.
With this self-guided walking tour, you’ll discover why Mendoza city makes such an appealing home base between winery visits up into the valleys.
(1): Museo Municipal de Arte Moderno Mendoza (MMAMM)
10:00 a.m.
-Gral. Espej, Plaa Independencia
Hours:
Mon-Fri: 10:00 a.m. -7:00 p.m
Saturday and Sunday: 4:00 p.m. -8:00 p.m .
Nothing to wake you up like a nice jolt of modern art.
If it’s a weekday, head to Plaza Independencia to begin your day in Mendoza’s small but interesting Modern Art Museum. Admission is free and it features rotating exhibitions of local and national artists.
When you’ve moseyed on through, head back into the Mendoza sunshine and towards the mountains.
(2): Walk up Aristedes Villanueva St.
10:30 a.m.
→ Be sure not to miss a full-day Malbec Tour while in Mendoza.
In the evening, all the bars along this boulevard fill with people who spill out onto the sidewalk.
During the day there are a handful of nice shops for window gazing.
Try a stop at Santangelo Gallery (Olascoaga 631), featuring a well-rounded collection of works, all by local artists.
Further up the street, peek into Mutantes (Paso de los Andes 720), a DIY boutique where three art students display their collections as well as items from other local designers.
If it’s warm, consider an indulgent mid-morning ice cream stop — you have the whole afternoon to walk it off.
One popular local option is Innamorato, located on the same block at Paso de los Andes 748.
(3): Parque San Martin
11:30
Do a lap around the lake in sprawling Parque San Martin.
When you’ve done the rounds, head back down to town through the park’s main gates or portones, along Emilio Civit St.
Along this wide, open boulevard you’ll pass the colonial mansions of many of Mendoza’s most prestigious families.
(4): Lunch
1:00 p.m.
Lunch in downtown Mendoza used to be a practice in culinary monotony — everywhere you turned, nothing but milanesa (breaded meat patties), pizza, pastas.
Today Mendoza is celebrated for its culinary scene.
Within the province are 17 Michelin-starred restaurants and counting, more than Buenos Aires.
Nearby Fuente y Fonda (Montevideo 675) is an inviting bistro serving traditional Argentine cuisine and international specialties such as Shepard’s Pie.
It’s a bit pricey but the portions are generous.
Get a couple of appetizers and share the entree.
(5): Siesta
2:30-4:30
Now try to catch some zzz’s or lounge around with a good book in your hotel or in a plaza because you’ve run up against the endearing but sometimes vexing siesta, where everything (except the cafes) close.
(6): Mercado Central
5:00 p.m. Mendoza Mercado Central, Av. Las Heras 279
Mon-Sat: 8:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m./ 5:00 p.m. -8:30 p.m.
Sunday: 9:30 a.m. —1:00 p.m.
Head over to this indoor market in a building dating to 1883, to stock up on cheese and cold cuts charcuteries, herbal remedies, spices, dried fruits and excellent wine, of course.
There is an array of local and imported delicacies from mango paste to whole baby goat plus a growing food court.
(7): General La Paz
5:30 p.m
From Mercado Central, dart out a side entrance towards General La Paz Street. Along these bustling few blocks, you’ll find street vendors with their wares displayed across the sidewalk, as well as a handful of indoor marketplaces mostly selling clothing and footwear.
(8): La Alameda — Mendoza’s Pedestrian Thoroughfare
6:30 p.m
From General La Paz you’re just a stone’s throw from La Alameda, a lovely pedestrian boulevard lined with elegant and curving trees.
In this bohemian section of the city, stroll past the booksellers and artisans, and find yourself a cafe to enjoy some tea and some flaky pastries.
You have the rest of the afternoon to relax, take another siesta and gear up for a late dinnertime.
(9): Dinner
7:30 p.m
Azafrán, Av. Sarmiento 765
For a bit of a splurge, one of the aforementioned Michelin-star restaurants of Mendoza is Azafrán, headed by chef Sebastián Weigandt.
It opens early for Argentina, 7:00 p.m. so try and make a reservation for the early hours which may allow you to squeak in on short notice.
It offers an eclectic menu and an extensive wine cellar with an on-site sommelier in a cozy yet sophisticated setting. (not sponsored).
— by Gwynne Hogan
📌 Gwynne Hogan is a journalist who lived in Mendoza for three years learning about wine and working at the local English magazine, Wine Republic.