Argentina
Mendoza is a desert city that learned to drink from the mountains.
Snowmelt from the Andes runs through a web of old irrigation channels, the acequias, which water the plane trees lining its wide streets and the vineyards that ring it, and the result is the capital of Argentine Malbec, set beneath the highest peak outside Asia. This guide books Mendoza properly: a Maipú bike-and-wine day, a Malbec tasting in Luján de Cuyo, the high-altitude boutique estates of the Uco Valley, a day in the Andes at Puente del Inca and the Aconcagua viewpoint, horseback rides under the cordillera, rafting on the Mendoza River, a long soak at the Cacheuta hot springs, and the green city itself, from the plazas to Parque General San Martín and the Cerro de la Gloria. Then it matches you with a bed, from the Park Hyatt on Plaza Independencia to a vineyard retreat in Luján, because in wine country where you sleep decides how you taste.
Rafting on the Mendoza River
White-water rafting on the Mendoza River near Potrerillos, in the valley between the city and the high Andes. The rapids suit first-timers, the scenery is mountains and vineyards, and the season runs through the warmer months when the river carries snowmelt.
Termas de Cacheuta Hot Springs
Hot springs set in a mountain canyon about 40 kilometres from the city, with terraced outdoor pools, a spa and a natural grotto sauna. A day soak at Cacheuta is the classic way to recover after a wine day, a rafting trip or a long drive.
Parque General San Martín
Mendoza's great green lung: hundreds of hectares of shaded avenues, a lake with an island, a rose garden and the hill monument that overlooks the city. Free to enter and made for a long walk, a bike ride or a picnic.
Cerro de la Gloria
A hilltop monument to San Martín's Army of the Andes, with sweeping views over Mendoza and the plain below. The climb is short, the history is the foundation of Argentine independence, and sunset is the moment to be there.
The classic Mendoza wine day: pedal flat country lanes between old family bodegas, an olive oil mill and tasting rooms in Maipú, the oldest wine district, just south-east of the city. It is cheap, social and relaxed, with plenty of shade and a map of stops.
Luján de Cuyo is where Argentine Malbec first won the world's attention. A winery visit here means old vines, a tour of the cellar and a tasting of tank and barrel samples, usually less than half an hour south of Mendoza city.
The Uco Valley is Mendoza's high-altitude wine frontier, with boutique estates set against the Andes about an hour and a half south of the city. A private-driver day lets you pick the wineries, the pace and a long lunch with the mountains as a backdrop.
A long, scenic day up the Mendoza River valley into the high Andes: Uspallata, the natural stone arch of Puente del Inca and a viewpoint for Aconcagua, the highest mountain outside Asia. It is the essential Mendoza mountain day.
Ride out of the city's edge into foothills and river valleys with the Andes ahead, then finish with an asado, the traditional Argentine barbecue. A cabalgata is the gaucho way to see Mendoza's landscape, and it suits beginners as well as experienced riders.
White-water rafting on the Mendoza River near Potrerillos, in the valley between the city and the high Andes. The rapids suit first-timers, the scenery is mountains and vineyards, and the season runs through the warmer months when the river carries snowmelt.
Hot springs set in a mountain canyon about 40 kilometres from the city, with terraced outdoor pools, a spa and a natural grotto sauna. A day soak at Cacheuta is the classic way to recover after a wine day, a rafting trip or a long drive.
FreeMendoza's great green lung: hundreds of hectares of shaded avenues, a lake with an island, a rose garden and the hill monument that overlooks the city. Free to enter and made for a long walk, a bike ride or a picnic.
FreeA hilltop monument to San Martín's Army of the Andes, with sweeping views over Mendoza and the plain below. The climb is short, the history is the foundation of Argentine independence, and sunset is the moment to be there.
FreeMendoza's city centre is built around five plazas, with Independencia at the middle and España, Chile, Italia and San Martín at the corners. Tiled fountains, shaded benches, weekend craft stalls and street performers make a gentle, free city walk.
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
$$$$Plaza Independencia
Mendoza's grand address, directly facing Plaza Independencia. A five-star hotel with a spa and hammam, a pool, a casino, an Argentine grill and rooms with Andes or city views, all within walking distance of the central plazas.
Rates on Expedia →Luján de Cuyo
An adults-only vineyard hotel in Luján de Cuyo with a working Malbec vineyard, a hammam and spa, a fine-dining restaurant and 24 rooms and suites with terraces. The stay for wine lovers who want to sleep among the vines.
Rates on Expedia →
$$$City Centre
A dependable, full-service city hotel on Primitivo de la Reta, with an indoor pool, the Neptune Spa, three restaurants including the La Cabrera steakhouse and free on-site parking. A good mid-range base for the centre.
Rates on Expedia →Chacras de Coria
A garden boutique hotel in Chacras de Coria, the leafy village south of the city, with seven suites and houses, a seasonal pool, a restaurant and a free breakfast buffet. A quiet, characterful base between the city and the wineries.
Rates on Expedia →City Centre
A small, friendly hostel at Avenida Bartolomé Mitre 946, three minutes on foot from Plaza Independencia. Dorms and a twin room, a free breakfast, a shared kitchen and a garden make it the budget pick for wine-country travellers.
Rates on Expedia →The practical primer for a first visit: which wine districts to choose, what to book ahead, how to get around the city and the wineries, how many days you need and where the mountain and spa days fit.
A neighbourhood guide to sleeping in Mendoza, from the plaza-side Park Hyatt and the central Sheraton to a garden stay in Chacras de Coria, a vineyard hotel in Luján de Cuyo and a budget hostel.
