Introduction
TIERRA DEL SOL
WHY ‘TIERRA DEL SOL’? There’s no raining season in Mendoza. It hardly ever rains and the sun shines 320 days out of 365! Check out the following chart: Summer
36C / 97F
17C / 62F
Autumn
27C / 81F
9C / 48F
Winter
24C / 75F
3C / 37F
Spring
32C / 89F
12C / 53F
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Mendoza’s presentation booklet Basic Information
Reservoir “Los Reyunos” in San Rafael Mendoza
Introduction
TIERRA DEL BUEN VINO
Vineyards in Mendoza
WHY ‘TIERRA DEL BUEN VINO’?
Bodegas Norton, Bodegas Chandon, Bodega O. Fournier, Bodega Salentein, Bodegas Arizu, Finca Decero.
Mendoza was declared Great Wine Capital in 2005 because of our top-quality vines. Much earlier, in 1987, the Organisation Internationale de la Vigne et du Vin (OIV) declared Mendoza an Ciudad Internacional de la Vid y el Vino.
Wine making has always been an important activity in Mendoza. So much so that we’re home to Fiesta Nacional de la Vendimia, a festival devoted to history of the wine industry, vineyard workers and Virgen de la Carrodilla, patron saint of vineyards. People from all over the globe come to our province to appreciate our wines, wineries and festival. In addition, National Geographic selected Fiesta Nacional de la Vendimia as the second most important feast in the world.
You can visit the wineries along Caminos del Vino, where you’ll be able to taste delicious wines, at the same time that you enjoy beautiful landscapes. You’ll find wonderful wineries in Luján de Cuyo, Godoy Cruz, Maipú, Tupungato and Tunuyán. Some of them are
Mendoza’s presentation booklet Basic Information
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Introduction
THE PERFECT COMBINATION
MENDOZA AND YOU... THE PERFECT COMBINATION!
Mendoza is located at the west of Argentina, at the foot of the beautiful Andes. Our province, together with San Juan and San Luis, makes up what is called ‘Cuyo’. Mendoza is the third largest city in Argentina. It’s home to about a million inhabitants and it was declared university town in 2011.
province where there’s no beach? What about practicing water sports surrounded by mountains? Would you like to taste delicious wines watching dawn? Are you willing to go shopping spree or walk along handcraft fairs? How do you like running along an endless park full of green trees? Are you interested in visiting our numerous cultural and historical sites? Did you know you can take baths in thermal springs having the mountains as scenery?
Do you really want us to tell you everything about Mendoza instead of That isn’t enough? Ok, would you make finding out about it yourself? up your mind if we tell you that you can go out every day of the week? MendoDoes it sound good to you if we say za enjoys a real active night life. Thethat Mendoza is home to the highest re are plenty of pubs and lots of night peak in America, Aconcagua? Would clubs for you to have fun until the sun you like to see natural sandbanks in a shines!
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Mendoza’s presentation booklet Basic Information
Las Leñas, Mendoza
Entertainment
TOURISM IN MENDOZA
PICTURE 1
Rafting in Potrerillos, Mendoza PICTURE 2 Puente del Inca, Mendoza
WILL I GET BORED? NOT AT ALL!
Visit monuments and historical sites. Mendoza played a leading role in the Latin American liberation. General San Martín, Liberator of Argentina, Chile and Bolivia, prepared and trained his troops in Mendoza. Due to his heroic deed, Mendoza has plenty of monuments in his honour, Cerro de la Gloria, for example. One historical site, among others, is Museo del Área Fundacional, where the city stood once.
Explore the city. You can have a coffee at the pedestrian street, Peatonal Sarmiento; you can Go skiing. walk along a trekking path from CapiLas Leñas and Penitentes tal to Godoy Cruz; you can visit Alame• www.laslenas.com da. You can also take a look at Parque • www.penitentes.com.ar General San Martín. There, you’ll find a museum, the zoo, a lake, a large uniPractice water sports. Go rafting in Mendoza river or practice versity, the football (soccer) stadium windsurf, kayak, wakeboard, etc at the and Cerro de la Gloria, among others. dams and reservoirs Potrerillos, Carrizal, Valle Grande, Nihuil, Los Reyunos. Others. Other activities: paragliding, sky diving, mountain bike, trekking, horseback riVisit wineries. As we said, wine making is very impor- ding. Some of the following are web tant. Wineries offer tours around the pages to visit for more information. building, wine tasting, lodge among • www.argentinarafting.com the vineyards, bike tours to visit several • www.cordondelplata.com wineries in a day, and some even have • www.riosandinos.com • www.betancourt.com.ar art galleries. Mendoza’s presentation booklet Basic Information
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Entertainment
MENDOZA AT NIGHT
AMAZING NIGHT LIFE!
stay at a bar. Arístides is a street full of bars where you can also dance. It’s the street that livens up the night in Mendoza. We also have a road where you can find boliches only. Isn’t great? In Argentina, everyone stays out late! The good thing about going out in We go out between 12 and 1 am and Mendoza is that you can have find no get back home around 5 or 6 am. It may matter your age: You´ll find what suits sound weird but we’re sure you’ll get you everywhere! used to it! We generally get together with our friends and organize funny pregames. After that, we generally go to boliches (nightclubs) or parties. If not, we
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Mendoza’s presentation booklet Basic Information
Disco in Chacras de Coria, Mendoza
Habits
FOOD & DRINKS
The traditional “Mate”
Argentinian delights
Something sweet? Dulce de leche is the answer! You’ll also HAVE to try it. Argentinian food is unexplainable!
There’s a wide range of restaurants offering Italian, Chinese, Mexican, veDo you know what ‘mate’ is? getarian, etc food. A traditional drink, very important in our culture even today. It’s an infusion An Argentinian food? drunk out of a gourd with a ‘bombilla’. Definitely, ‘asado’. It’s widely prepared You can have it with or without sugar. all along Argentina. We grill different kinds of meat: cow, pork, chicken, goat, And what about ‘fernet’? etc. It’s difficult to explain with words It’s an alcoholic drink served with Coca how delicious it is, so you’ll HAVE to try Cola. It’s the most common drink you’ll one! find in clubs and bars. What other food do we eat? Empanadas (usually of meat), milanesas, pizza, pasta, locro etc. Mendoza’s presentation booklet Basic Information
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Economy
ABOUT THE MONEY
How much will I spend monthly? We estimate that, on average, a person will spend between 500 and 600 pesos per month in Mendoza. Eating out, cooking, going out at least once a week are included in such rates. To be sure, you’d better visit this web page and compare cost of living in your city with that in ours: • www.numbeo.com
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Mendoza’s presentation booklet Basic Information
Currency Currency
Purchase
Sale
Dollar Euro Real
ARS$ 4.52 ARS$ 5.55 ARS$ 2.04
ARS$ 4.55 ARS$ 5.70 ARS$ 2.19
*Currency rates at July 2012. As dollar price in Argentina is in continual change, we suggest visiting www.bna. com.ar. You should pay attention on the third column.
Contact
IMPORTANT INFO!
Local Committee Mendoza
more information www.aiesec.org.ar/mendoza http://www.facebook.com/aiesec.mendoza
Mendoza’s presentation booklet Basic Information
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