A Week-Long Itinerary to Mendoza

It can be difficult for many travelers to choose where to stay when they are visiting Mendoza. The city itself is charming and worth spending a day in, but most people will be itching to get out to the valleys to see where the famous Malbec is produced. However, a day spent in the city is not a day wasted, and you can of course still start your trip off with a wine tasting. Hit up the popular Azafran restaurant for lunch, and try some wine from their well known circular wine cellar. If the weather is nice, spend the afternoon discovering Mendoza’s pretty parks, which are one of the city’s highlights.

A great option for people who don’t want to choose between the city and the valley is the upscale suburb of Chacras de Coria, located on the outskirts of Mendoza at the gateway to the valley. Day 02 in Chacras de Coria is the day for renting bikes and biking around the many boutique and large scale vineyards located in the area. Located close to one of Mendoza’s most important wine producing regions, Lujan de Cuyo, Chacras de Coria is home to the family-run Pulmary Winery, as well as being only a few kilometers from Nieto Senetiner, one of the most famous wineries in the area. Dine in Brindillas restaurant that night and experience their incredible tasting menu with wine pairings.

A holiday is for rest and relaxation, so on the third day of your Mendocino adventure, why not indulge in some spa therapies at the Cachueta thermal baths and health spa. This outdoor pool complex and indoor spa has a number of different thermal pools with restorative properties, as well as mud baths and a waterpark for kids. It provides a nice day of respite from eating and drinking all day long!

It would be remiss of any visitor to Mendoza to not visit the Andes, whose presence is a constant anywhere you go in the Province. There are many tours that leave in the morning, bringing the group deep into the mountains where a native gaucho, or Argentine cowboy, will be waiting with the horses to bring you through the mountains on horseback. As you approach evening, you will stop and be cooked a traditional asado, or barbeque, as the sun sets behind the mountains’ peaks.

This itinerary saves the best for last. A day in the Uco Valley is the quintessential Mendoza experience. There are a wealth of bodegas and wineries to choose from that offer extended lunch tasting menus, and two of the most popular are Andaluna and the trendy Bodega La Azul, both of which are located close to each other. Andaluna is at the higher end of the spectrum, and its restaurant and bar afford visitors impressive views towards the Andes. La Azul is a more relaxed and rustic affair, so depending on your preference, you can choose to dine in one and head to the other beforehand to have a glass of wine. Make sure to book into both, as they are very popular and arriving without a reservation could leave you disappointed. Head back to your hotel in the evening for some rest before you leave the next day.