This area is formed by the urban areas of the departments of Las Heras, Capital Guaymallén and Godoy Cruz. Also the head cities Maipú and Luján, but for programming the tours those are considered part of the East Zone. The Great Mendoza is the most important city in the region of Cuyo and the fourth in population of Argentina.
Speaking of Mendoza, is speaking of clean areas, wide sidewalks, tree-lined streets, and a network of irrigation channels that water those trees. More than 500 kilometres of them irrigate about 900,000 trees. The green spaces are an obsession and one of the most important reasons for pride of Mendoza, which demonstrates the value of human work fighting the desert. The bustling and vibrant city finds relaxation in its beautiful squares, each one with its own personality, being witness of history. The Independence Square with its four equidistant squares. Plaza España, which recalls the mix of aboriginal blood with the Spanish; Plaza San Martín, recalls at the top of a huge Andean rock, who the governor of Cuyo was, the Father of the Nation and the liberator of America; Plazas Italia and Chile. The Plaza Pedro del Castillo recalls the founder of Mendoza and there is the Museum of the Foundation Area, where a detailed demonstration of the origins Mendoza is displayed to the public.
Modern buildings house intensive business, where disparate architectures coexist in total harmony. Parks and neighbourhoods full of green surround the downtown area, and oxygenating and protecting it. Among the most important Parks, there should be highlighted the General San Martín, with its characteristic Entrance Gates which were imported from France at the beginning of the last century. It has an elegant landscape design and its plant population of native and foreign species, often difficult to adapt to climate of Mendoza.
To the west of the Park and adjacent to it, there is the Cerro de la Gloria. There is a Monument with the same name, which brings to life the Sanmartinean epic. There is the Zoo, the only one of its kind, considering its size and fresh air in which the animal live, and the Greek Theatre Frank Romero Day, the incomparable scenery where the Central Act of The National Harvest Festival is celebrated, with the capacity for 22,000 seated spectators.
Other major parks of the Great Mendoza are the O Higgins in Capital, and the East Side Access in Guaymallén.
A variety of churches shows styles and eras of construction. Several museums are responsible for the narration of the past of the Province or for the exhibit of collections of natural science and anthropology.
There should be emphasized the Street Museum located on the sidewalk on Avenida Las Heras, there nice exhibition boxes display images of the olden days Mendoza.
The air traffic is received at the Gabrielli Francisco International Airport, which is 11 kilometres from the city, and ground traffic has an extensive network of roads and routes that connects the different destination in all directions.
Excellent and numerous restaurants await the traveller with a variety of flavours and options of prices.
The extensive and varied cultural calendar is mainly represented by:
The National Harvest Festival, which has its culmination night at the first weekend of March, but since January holds cultural, artistic and sporting activities.
The Harvest Festivals of Godoy Cruz, Guaymallén, Las Heras and Capital happen between January and February. Cantapueblo, a gathering of choirs from around the world, takes place in October.
For the soccer fans, there are important meetings of the best clubs of Argentina, in the months of January and February, at the Mundialista Stadium “Islas Malvinas”.
CAPITAL
This is the smallest department of the Province with only 57 square kilometres. In the west of the department, there are the mountain foothills, with the Provincial Reservation Divisadero Largo, an invaluable teaching value geological fault. In its Central Region, there is the Park General San Martín and the Cerro de la Gloria, to the south the Civic Neighbourhood and its parks, and in the east the dynamic city.
GUAYMALLEN
It is the department that has the greatest concentration of population in the Province. It has a thriving agriculture supplemented by its industries and businesses. In addition, in the town of Bermejo there is an artistic colony formed by musicians, painters and sculptors.
It is where many important areas for the shopping tourism are, with an impressive Shopping centre, wholesalers and international chains hotels.
GODOY CRUZ
It has 75 square kilometres, with a structure similar to the Capital. In the West, there are the foothills and in the East, there is the town. The administrative activity is concentrated around the Departmental Square, where there should be emphasized the City Hall Building, the building of Police Station and the majestic Church of San Vicente Ferrer, in a Gothic style.
It has a significant industrial zone on the Carril Rodriguez Peña, Carril Cervantes and in the Benegas district, with steel industries and brewing, among others.
To the south, there is an important and shopping centre with a very important gastronomic area visited by residents and tourists.
LAS HERAS
Regarding this area of the Great Mendoza, the head city will be the only one mentioned, and the rest of its vast territory, will be included in the Northern Zone.
It has an important commercial activity, especially in its main axles: Avenida San Martín, and the North Access, which communicates it with the main airport in the province. Its industry is reflected in two major cement facturies.
It has a historical area where especially the Sanmartinean venture is represented.
Several circuits allow the visitors to know the Great Mendoza Region, both by car and by foot, and therefore understand its past and present.
* The Great Mendoza foothills and surrounding areas circuit: covers the Microcentro, the glamorous Av. Emilio Civit, General San Martín Park, the Cerro de la Gloria, the Provincial Zoo, the Provincial Reservation Divisadero Largo, El Challao, the Church of the Virgen de Lourdes del Challao. For more information see Circuit No.3: City and surroundings and Circuit No.4: Divisadero Largo Reserve
* Godoy Cruz and Luján de Cuyo integration Circuit: cuisine and nightlife. This circuit includes a visit to the Calvary, visited by thousands of worshippers in the Easter, the Church of Carrodilla, and the Museum of Indigenous Carvings, a nice cuisine area and pubs and discos. For more information see Circuit No.2: Nightlife
* Circuit by car through the Capital, Las Heras and Guaymallén: City and history. It covers the Alameda, the Foundation Area Museum, Historic Field El Plumerillo, Casa Molina Pico Museum, Bermejo, Chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary, wineries and shopping. For more information see Circuit No.1: City and history
* Capital Historic Pedestrian Circuit. Visit the Cathedral of Loreto, Plaza Sarmiento, Municipal Aquarium, and the snake house, the O Higgins Park, the Gabriela Mistral Theatre, Plaza Pedro Castillo and the ruins of San Francisco. For more information see Circuit No.3: Historic
* The Government Units Pedestrian Circuit: Visit the Provincial Civic District. This circuit covers the city of Mendoza, the gardens of the City Hall, the Ecological Park, the Customs building, the “Emilio Civit” Congress and Exhibition Centre and Government House. For more information see Circuit No.2: Visit to the Provincial Civic District
* Pedestrian Circuit through the downtown of the Mendoza capital: it covers Plaza España, Plaza San Martín, Basílica de San Francisco and chamber of the Virgen del Carmen de Cuyo (Patroness of the Liberation Army), Avenida Las Heras, the popular Street Museum, and the walkway Sarmiento. For more information see Circuit No.1: Downtown
