San Rafael is the second city of Mendoza province, sitting about 230 km south of Mendoza city in a valley of vineyards and fruit orchards at the foot of the Andes. It's a quieter, less polished version of Mendoza — around 175,000 people, a relaxed pace, and wine country on every side. Most travellers use it as a base for the Atuel Canyon or as a staging post for the ski resort at Las Leñas.
The wine scene here is genuine and affordable. The region has around a hundred wineries, most of them small family operations that have been working the same land since Italian and Spanish immigrants arrived in the late 19th century. Bianchi is the most famous label, founded by an Italian immigrant in 1928; Suter, of Swiss origin, is even older. Others welcome visitors with a handshake rather than a ticketing system. Wine tour lunches in San Rafael cost a fraction of what they charge in the Luján de Cuyo appellation.
The Atuel Canyon, 60 km south-west, is the landscape that brings people here who aren't just chasing wine. The Atuel River has carved through red and ochre rock to create a canyon of real drama. You can raft the rapids, kayak the calmer stretches, ride a catamaran on Dique Valle Grande, or hike the trails along the rim. The valley fills with campers in summer. East of town, at the historic Finca Los Alamos, the Borges Memorial Maze is one of the more curious literary tributes in South America.
San Rafael is three to four hours from Mendoza by bus, or a scenic drive through wine country along Route 144.