City tour around Mercedes

The Square, the Coffee-Shop on the Corner

“Whenever you arrive in a new city, it is inevitable to follow the same procedure. The first thing to do is look for the main square in town. There you will see the church, the main bank, and you just need to look around and rest your eyes on the coffee-shop on the corner. That is the way a city tour starts”, asserts tourism journalist Marcelo Sola.

And he is completely right. Mercedes has all those condiments essential to any city: main square, church cathedral, Nación and Provincia banks and many coffee-shops. But visitors must go out for a walk in order to realize that once the tour has started, there are plenty of alternatives. If the idea is to travel back in time, a visit to some old pulperías and countryside grocery stores, such as La Pulpería de "Cacho" or Almacén de la Vieja Esquina is a must.

The city calendar includes provincial and national festivals in which attendants may taste homemade cheese and salami and enjoy the cultural and architectural legacy inside the urban shell.


History and Nature

Visitors may tour around the Víctor Miguez Historical Museum and the Carlos Ameghino Natural Science Museum, where they will understand both the history of the city and of the natural dwellers that have left their tracks on the cliffs of the Luján River.

The Town Hall, the Town Council, Saint Patrick’s Church, Saint Louis’ Church and many other corners in town such as its old stores are worth enjoying through a relaxed stroll.

The basilica and cathedral Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes (Our Lady of Mercy) deserves to be described in an independent chapter. Located opposite the main square, it is the target of countless excursions. In addition to observing its beautiful stained glass windows and a majestic architectural style, it treasures the written account of the story of the virgin after which the city has been named.

On the banks of the Luján River, there lies Parque Independencia (Independence Park), a unique place for camping or picnics. Sprinkled by a huge eucalyptus grove that guarantees oxygen and shade in the summer, two attractions stand out in the park: a suspended bridge spanning the Luján River and a motocross circuit.


And There Is Much More to See

Leaving town, there appears the venue the locals have come to call “the first countryside cuisine pole in the Republic of Argentina". Situated in the District of Tomás Jofré, just 7 kilometers away from Mercedes, there appears this excellent nook where visitors may taste the best Argentinian asado in an environment adorned with shows and typical dancing.

Small Mercedes lies just 100 kilometers away from the City of Buenos Aires. It offers a wide range of alternatives that respond to the motivation brought along by visitors. Everything is possible there.