San Rafael

No reviews yetCity Mendoza, Argentina

Rio En Valle Grande San Rafael, San Rafael, Mendoza, Argentina

Fuerte San Rafael Mendoza, San Rafael, Mendoza, Argentina

Plaza San Martín (San Rafael), San Rafael, Mendoza, Argentina

San Rafael Estacion de tren y Plaza de los Inmigrantes, San Rafael, Mendoza, Argentina

About San Rafael

Turquoise reservoirs, a red-rock canyon and vineyards that stretch to the foothills make San Rafael the outdoor capital of southern Mendoza. The city itself is calm and leafy, laid out around Plaza San Martín with irrigation channels running beside tree-lined avenues, and it serves as the base for rafting, fishing and wine tasting in every direction.

Its story begins on 2 April 1805, when the Fuerte San Rafael del Diamante was built as a frontier fort on the Diamante River; the ruins, now a National Historical Monument, survive at Villa 25 de Mayo. Immigrants from Italy, Spain and France later turned the dry plain into farmland, and wineries such as Valentín Bianchi and Goyenechea grew from that wave.

West of town the Atuel River has carved a dramatic canyon lined with reservoirs, from Valle Grande, where rafting trips start, to the broad lake at El Nihuil. Los Reyunos on the Diamante is another favourite for water sports. Mendoza city lies about 180 km north by Route 40, roughly three hours by bus.

Best seasonOctober to April for rafting, lakes and warm days; March for the grape harvest

Ideal stay3-4 days to combine the canyon, reservoirs and wineries

ArrivingAbout 180 km south of Mendoza by Route 40 (3-3.5 hours by bus); San Rafael also has a small airport

San Rafael Has So Much to Discover: 12 Highlights

Nature 2

Atuel Canyon

West of the city the Atuel River has cut a deep canyon of ochre, red and grey rock, followed by a gravel road between the Valle Gr...

Valle Grande Reservoir

The Valle Grande dam holds a vivid blue lake at the mouth of the Atuel Canyon, and below it the river is the area's classic raftin...

Lakes 2

El Nihuil Reservoir

Inaugurated in 1947, El Nihuil is a broad reservoir of some 9,600 hectares on the upper Atuel, about 69 km from the city by Route...

Los Reyunos Reservoir

About 35 km from San Rafael, the Los Reyunos dam on the Diamante River holds a deep blue lake framed by bare hills. Clubs here run...

Wineries 3

Bodega Valentín Bianchi

Founded in 1928 by an Italian immigrant, Bianchi is one of the best-known names in Argentine wine and a large producer on the outs...

Bodega Goyenechea

Founded in 1868 by two Basque brothers and run by the same family for six generations, Goyenechea lies roughly 50 km from the city...

Algodon Wine Estates

Set at the foot of the Sierra Pintada, Algodon combines vineyards and a high-end winery with a hotel and a golf course. Visitors c...

History 2

Fuerte San Rafael del Diamante

The frontier fort that gave the city its name was founded on 2 April 1805 beside the Diamante River and declared a National Histor...

Villa 25 de Mayo

The district that grew around the old fort is the site of the area's first colonial settlement and still keeps historic adobe buil...

Museums 1

Museo de Historia Natural de San Rafael

Started in 1956 by Dr. Humberto Lagiglia with students of a local school, this museum in Parque Mariano Moreno covers archaeology,...

Landmarks 2

Plaza San Martín (San Rafael)

Laid out in 1925, the city's main square is the place to feel San Rafael's easygoing pace, with tall shade trees, benches and path...

Catedral San Rafael Arcángel

The cathedral of the Diocese of San Rafael was begun in 1935 and finished in 1952, and it is the main church of the city centre, d...

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Photo credits

Photo: Lautaro Sanchez, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Photo: Lautarosanch, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Photo: User:Roberto Fiadone, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Photo: Ulises Icardi, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: User:Roberto Fiadone, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Photo: Gervacio Rosales, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0

Photo: Federico Gomez Aghetta, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain

Photo: Lautaro Sánchez, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Photo: User:Roberto Fiadone, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Photo: Nicolás Lichtmaier (Niqueco), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.5

Photo: Elvis Boaventura, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0

Photo: Pablo D. Flores, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.5

Photo: Diegazo2000, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Ulises Icardi, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Maria Celeste Rios, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Carloszelayeta, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Marisacon04, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Cesargil.37, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Photo: Ángela Rebelles, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0