Sunday, August 14, 2011

ARGENTINA

(does not include Buenos Aires or Patagonia)



JUJUY
HUACALERA
Hotels
Hotel Huacalera – Ruta 9, km 1790; 011-54-388-1-5581-3417; hotelhuacalera.com; modern and renovated; elegant and stylish.


PURMAMARCA
Sights & Sites
Camino de los Colorados – looming above Purmamarca is Cerro de Siete Colores (“7 Colors Hill”); colors most clearly visible in morning; best way to see is by walking a 3-km (2-mi) loop called Camino or Paseo de Siete Colores, which starts to left of church on main square; 1-lane gravel road winds through bizarre, humanlike formations of bright, craggy, red rock, before passing stark, sweeping, Mars-like vistas with tree stands in river valley; brings you back to town center.
Salinas Grandes Salt Desert – follow Ruta 52 towards Chile; salt pan, formed 10M years ago; lies at over 3Km above sea level.


TILCARA
Hotels
Casa Colorada – Finca Casa Colorada; 011-54-431-26794; casacolorada.com.ar; secluded, on 10K' mountain top, by road called “Road to Devil’s Gorge”; not for faint of heart; 10-room estate.
Restaurants
El Nuevo Progreso 1917 – 351 Lavalle; 011-54-388-495-5237; bohemian spot with llama carpaccio and beer-braised lamb; lovely; live music each night around 9:30.



MENDOZA
(Northwest)
LUNLUNTA
Hotels
Hotel El Aguamiel – Calle Anchorena (esquina Calle IV); 011-54-261-497-5788; hotelaguamiel.com.


MENDOZA (Maipu; includes Lujan de Cayo & Perdriel)
Bars & Nightlubs
El Palenque – 287 Aristides Villanueva; 011-54-261-15-429-1814; bustling bar and restaurant based on pulperia; outdoor tables.
Vines of Mendoza – 1094 Belgrano; 011-54-261-438-1031; vinesofmendoza.com; tasting room of over 100 local producers; sidewalk tables.

Hotels
Casa Lila – 262 Avellaneda Nicolas; 011-54-261-429-6349; casalila.com.ar; affordable and sweet.
Entre Cielos – 1998 Guardia Vieja; 011-54-261-498-3377; entrecielos.com; described as small, luxury wine resort; spa (“hammam”) and vineyard; spacious rooms.
Park Hyatt – 1124 Chile (on Plaza de la Independencia); 011-54-261-441-1234; mendoza.park.hyatt.com.
Posada Salentein – 778 Avenida Emilio Civit; 011-54-261-423-8514 or 011-54-262-242-4722; bodegasalentein.com.

Restaurants
Maria Antonieta – 1069 Belgrano; 011-54-261-420-4322; mariaantonietaresto.com; for brunch; chic dining spot, too.
Azafran – 765 Sarmiento (on Plaza de la Independencia); 011-54-261-429-4200; bve.com.ar.
Bodega Ruca Malen – Ruta Nacional, km 7 (Lujan de Cuyo); 011-54-261-413-8909; bodegarucamalen.com; faces Andes Mountains; 5-course tasting menu.
Don Claudio – Tiburcio Benegas y Aristides Villanueva; 011-54-261-423-4814; for lomo (sort of cheesesteak); canteen-like atmosphere.
1884 – 1188 Belgrano; 011-54-261-424-2698; 1884restaurante.com.ar; courtyard meat grilling (parilla and plancha); 7-hour lamb is must.
Francesco Barbera Ristorante – 1268 Chile (on Plaza de la Independencia); 011-54-261-425-3912; francescoristorante.com.ar.
Familia Zuccardi – Ruta 33, km 7.5 (Maipu); 011-54-261-441-0000; familiazuccardi.com.
El Palenque – 287 Aristides Villanueva; 011-54-261-15-429-1814; vinesofmendoza.com/node/260; bustling bar and restaurant; outdoor tables.

Services
Argentina Rafting – 86 Amigorena; 011-54-261-429-6325; argentinarafting.com.
Bikes & Wine – corner Avenues R Videla & Acceso Este (Guaymallén); 011-54-261-410-6686; bikesandwine.com.
Discover Andes – Guaymallén; 011-54-261-15-657-1967; discovertheandes.com; mountain and vineyard tours; Vallecitos Trek affords stunning views and lunch for $200.
Entre Cielos – 1998 Guardia Vieja; 011-54-261-498-3377; entrecielos.com; spa (“hammam”).

Sights & Sites
Achaval Ferrer – 2601 Calle Cobos (Perdriel, about 50-minute drive from Mendoza); 011-54-261-488-1131; achaval-ferrer.com; lovely, high quality estate.
Bressia – 7725 Cochabamba (Agrelo, Lujan de Cuyo); 011-54-261-524-9161; bressiabodega.com; vineyard.
Parque General San Martin – Avenida Los Platanos; 011-54-261-420-5052; parques.mendoza.gov.ar; bigger than Central Park; head to Cerro de la Gloria, for glorious view and picnic grounds.
Plazas – 5 airy plazas designed post-1861 earthquakes; Plaza Indepencia (most popular), Plaza San Martin (financial district), Plaza Chile (children’s playground), Plaza Italia (Romulus and Remus statue), and Plaza Espana (green spaces and most beautiful); there is additional Plaza Pelligrini.


VISTALBA
Hotels
La Posada de Vistalba – 3531 Roque Saenz Pena (at (Carlos Pulenta Winery); 011-54-261-498-9400; carlospulentawines.com; small inn (2 rooms) in 1 of region’s most important wineries.

Restaurants
Brindilla’s – 2898 Guardia Vieja; 011-54-261-496-3650; brindillas.com; small, highly touted spot; modern meals paired with gentle prices.



RIO NEGRO
BARILOCHE
Hotels
El Casco Art Hotel – Avenida Bustillo Km 11.5; 011-54-29-4446-3131; hotelcasco.com; ask for Nahuel Balcony Studio or Quiros Suite because, among other things, they have lake views.
Llao Llao Hotel & Resort – Avenida Ezequiel Bustillo, km 25; 011-54-29-4444-8530; llaollao.com; Canadian-style resort built of cypress timber with larch roof; between 2 Alpine lakes; excellent food; some rooms have stone fireplaces.

Shopping
Fenoglio – 1200 Avenue Bustillo; 011-54-294-442-2170 or 011-54-29-4442-0009; fenoglio.com.ar; finest chocolates; alfajores (Argentina’s signature sandwich cookie).


SAN VICENTE
Sights & Sites
Quinta San Vicente Museo de 17th de Octubre y Juan Peron Mausoleum – Lavalle and Avenida Eva Peron intersection (off Highway 58); 011-54-22-2548-2260; ic.gba.gov.ar/patrimoniocultural/17deoctubre; Eva and Juan Peron’s country home (about 1 hour southwest from Buenos Aires).

1 comment:

  1. Rebecca,
    Very great tips. Thank you very much for the info. I will be traveling to Mendoza region in Argentina and had a question. For "Vines of Mendoza" under Mendoza, did you have to make reservations to go there? I dont want to drive all the way there and not allowed to enter. Thanks again

    ReplyDelete