After the Mendoza International Marathon: Maipú

The Route: Mendoza → Maipú (General Gutiérrez) → Bodegas López → Mendoza Logistics: The Metrotranvía runs from central Mendoza to General Gutiérrez in Maipú in about 30 minutes. The winery is about 300 metres from the last stop. Marathon Month: May Duration: 1 night

Central Mendoza ──(Metrotranvía, about 30 min)──> General Gutiérrez ──(300 m on foot)──> Bodegas López
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        └──────────────────────────(Metrotranvía back)─────────────────────────────────────────┘

The Mendoza International Marathon finishes at Parque General San Martín on a Sunday. Maipú is the wine district closest to the city, and a tram line makes it the least effortful excursion for a runner with stiff legs.

May in Mendoza: Autumn. Mendoza airport's May average runs from about 7°C at night to about 19°C by day. Cellar visits are indoors and cool, and a jacket is useful.

The Metrotranvía is a 17 km light-rail line between Parador Avellaneda in Las Heras and General Gutiérrez in Maipú. It has 26 stations, runs from 06:00 to 22:00 and has been in regular service for over a decade. The winery's own page gives the journey from Mendoza to Maipú as about 30 minutes. Check the fare and payment method at the station before travelling.

Night One: Maipú

The flat walk is the 300 metres from General Gutiérrez to the winery. The ground is level and the distance is short, which suits the first day after a marathon. Beyond that, distances in the district are long enough that a taxi is a better bet than walking.

Bodegas López is at Ozamis Norte 375, in General Gutiérrez. Guided visits include a tasting and cover the winery, the champagne cellar and the model vineyards, with explanation of harvesting, winemaking, ageing and bottling. Visits are offered in Spanish, English and Portuguese, and separate tastings include a comparison of vintages and a blind tasting. The winery's page does not list tour days, hours or prices, so email its tourism desk before travelling and ask for a booked slot.

The restaurant at the winery serves à la carte and set menus with views of the Andes. It is open for lunch from Wednesday to Sunday, so it is closed on the Monday and Tuesday after a Sunday race. Plan the evening meal elsewhere or move the visit to a day when the restaurant is open.

For a bed, Maipú has small hotels and vineyard lodgings, but none is named here. Ask the winery's tourism desk which places it recommends and whether it can arrange a taxi. A central Mendoza hotel with the luggage left in one place is a workable alternative, with the tram out and back, because the line runs until 22:00.

Getting Home

Return to central Mendoza by the Metrotranvía, then take a taxi or pre-booked transfer to Governor Francisco Gabrielli International Airport (MDZ). Allow generous time. A flight on the day after the visit needs a buffer, since any delay on the winery side shortens the afternoon.