Centro / Plaza Independencia

Downtown Mendoza with plazas, cafes, and museums. Safe during the day but watch your phone and skip the main plaza late at night.

Downtown Mendoza centers on Plaza Independencia with its fountains and shaded paths. During the day you'll see families, office workers on lunch breaks, and tourists checking out museums and government buildings. Tree-lined streets give good shade. Sitting alone at cafes is normal - locals do it all the time to read or work on laptops. Police patrol regularly and streets stay lit until late evening. Most places close around 9-10 PM on weekdays, some cafes later. Weekends get busier with street markets and plaza performers. Not much English outside hotels and tourist spots. The area is safe during the day and early evening, but skip the plaza after 11 PM when it empties out. Phone theft happens even in daylight - keep your phone in your bag, only take it out inside.