Hotel Villavicencio
An old Mendoza icon.
Leandro Kibisz — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Leandro Kibisz — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Leandro Kibisz — CC BY-SA 4.0
Villavicencio is a protected natural area in the Andean foothills, about 50 kilometres from Mendoza city, created in 2000 over 62,000 hectares to protect wildlife, the mineral springs that made the place famous, and its archaeological and historic sites. At its heart stands the old Hotel Villavicencio, a large white building with steep roofs among gardens and trees, once a mineral-water spa and now closed; its image is one of the best known in Mendoza, with a small chapel beside it. From there the winding Los Caracoles road climbs through countless bends towards the Uspallata valley, with wide mountain views and, on clear days, Aconcagua. The reserve has short trails for walking and watching birds, desert plants and cacti. It opens Wednesday to Friday 09:30-18:00 and Saturday and Sunday 09:30-18:30, and closes on Mondays and Tuesdays. Payment is by card only, and buying tickets online in advance is recommended. The mountain road is partly gravel and narrow, so drive with care.
An old Mendoza icon.
Endless hairpins.
Birds and cacti.
Provincial Route 52, about 50 km northwest of Mendoza city
Wednesday to Sunday, 09:30-18:00 on weekdays and 09:30-18:30 at weekends; it is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.