The Ultimate Travel Guide to Mendoza, Argentina

If you’re looking for an exciting getaway with breathtaking views, vibrant culture, and incredible food and wine, Mendoza, Argentina should be at the top of your list! Ever since studying wine, the region of Mendoza intrigued me. Reading through my textbooks, I fell in love with the captivating images of picturesque vineyards and the majestic Andes Mountains. The terroir of Argentina also fascinated me, and it also helps that my husband is a huge Malbec fan. This is how we chose Mendoza as a destination. In this Travel Guide to Mendoza, I’ll be sharing where to stay, where to eat, and things to do (including wineries). For a comprehensive guide to the wine region and a deep dive into the wineries, check out this blog post.

How to Get to Mendoza

We are loyal to American Airlines, and we were able to find flights on AA from NYC to Mendoza (MDZ), connecting in Sao Paolo, Brazil. You may also find connections through Buenos Aires which could be a fun city to stop in and explore more of Argentina if you are interested! To visit Argentina from the USA, you do not need a visa for up to 90 days of travel.

Transportation

I highly recommend booking transfers ahead of time or renting a car. If you are staying at a Vineyard Hotel / Resort or anywhere outside of the city, transfers with English Speaking drivers are possible to book through your hotel, but will be expensive. Regular taxis are cheaper, but if you don’t speak Spanish, it may be harder to get around. Renting a car would give you full freedom for getting around, just be prepared to drive on many dirt roads and make sure to map out your route to your destination beforehand, as the GPS and service can be finicky.

We used Wine Safari drivers a few times in Mendoza, and they were excellent! We also had a travel planner, Onyx & Evergreen Travel, help us with transfers to and from the airport and had a private driver to and from all wineries with the help of Wines of Argentina.

Travel Guide to Mendoza: Where to Stay

Mendoza is a large region, extending much farther out than just the city itself. If you are interested in a combination of activities, staying in the city is easiest to be close to restaurants and shopping. The city of Mendoza is also closest to sub wine regions of Lujan de Cuyo and Maipu where you can visit many wineries. If you want to visit wineries in Lujan de Cuyo and Valle de Uco, I highly recommend staying at a Wine Resort. You may have to drive into the city for some dinners, but there are many experiences nearby and onsite that these hotels offer.

Cavas Wine Lodge

Cavas Wine Lodge is about 40 minutes from the city of Mendoza, but it’s surrounded by many wineries within minutes. We LOVED our stay here. Each room has a plunge pool, outdoor shower, and a roof deck with a fireplace where you can see views of the vines and Andes Mountains. The staff here was incredibly friendly and helpful! Each morning, breakfast was fantastic, and it’s served in your room or at the restaurant. We also experienced a couples massage at the spa and an Argentinian cooking class making empanadas and Tomaticán.

Chozos Wine Resort

To switch things up, we stayed one night at Chozos Resort. This is a newer resort and there weren’t many reviews when I booked it, but we decided to give it a shot! We opted to stay in the Glamping Cabins amongst the vines. These rooms are stunning with a hand sewn interior, and offer lots of privacy. The accommodation here was unique and super comfortable, and the staff was helpful and friendly as well.

Travel Guide to Mendoza: Where to Eat

No travel guide to Mendoza would be complete without a list of the top restaurants. The cuisine in Mendoza was unreal. I knew to expect lots of meat, which we had, but I didn’t know there would be as much Spanish and Italian influence as there was! It was delightful. These are all of the places we ate that I loved:

• La Gloria Cantina – This is a fun restaurant / market where you can pick out your own bottle of wine from a wide local selection to enjoy with dinner. They also have fantastic cocktails and an approachable, authentic menu. Ask to sit on the patio for the best vibe.
• Centauro – This Michelin-Guide Restaurant is located downtown Mendoza in an old mansion that was once a small hotel. The food here was innovative and delicious! We also did the wine pairings which the Sommelier guided us through.

• Brindillas – If you’re looking for an upscale, local tasting menu, Brindillas is it! Their menu was creative and flavorful. Brindillas wine list also features an impressive array of local varietals that complement the menu perfectly.
• Durigutti 5 Suelos – I cannot say enough good things about our experience at Durigutti. The lunch at their restaurant, 5 Suelos, was an incredible farm to table experience, accompanied by their very best wines. Come hungry and be prepared to indulge!
• Bodega Salentein Restaurant – Not only did we love our tasting at Bodega Salentein, but their restaurant on property is also spectacular. This was the best steak I had the whole trip! They offer a 9 course menu paired with their best wines.

Travel Guide to Mendoza: Things to Do

Wine Tasting

Wine tasting is a huge part of my travel guide to Mendoza. So much so I dedicated an entire blog post to the wine region and the wineries we went to. Check it out here.

Horseback Riding

If you love adventure, there are multiple companies that offer horseback riding near the Andes. Our hotel, Cavas Wine Lodge, offered this as well. This is on my list for next time!

Relax in the Thermal Baths

Cacheuta Thermal Baths has mineral-rich waters where you can buy a day pass to relax. This is the perfect activity after a few back to back days of wine tasting!

Take a Cooking Class

On of my favorite things for this Travel Guide to Mendoza is taking a cooking class. We did this through our hotel (Cavas Wine Lodge) but there are many local companies (also try Airbnb experiences) you can book through. We enjoyed learning how to make traditional bread, Tomaticán, empanadas, Argentine steak, and fruit flambé!

Explore Mendoza Nightlife

As we learned through talking with many young people on our winery tours, Mendoza has a vibrant nightlife. Calle Arístides Villanueva is the place to go to explore the city’s lively bars and clubs!

Visit the Museo Nacional del Vino

For a cultural excursion, visit the Museo Nacional del Vino as part of your travel guide to Mendoza. Located in the heart of the wine country, the museum offers a captivating journey through the history of winemaking in Argentina. Explore the exhibits detailing the evolution of grape cultivation, winemaking processes, and the cultural significance of wine in Argentine society.

What to Pack for Mendoza Argentina

What to pack for Mendoza will depend on the time of year you visit. We went in December (summertime in the Southern Hemisphere) and the weather was in the 80s during the day with cooler evenings. I mostly packed sundresses, comfortable shoes, and nicer outfits for going out to eat. I’d recommend layers as the mornings and evenings get cooler, but mid-day it can get very warm. A lot of the ground can be dusty, so wearing sandals or shoes you don’t mind getting dirty is a good idea, especially if you are wine tasting and frolicking through vineyards!

Outfits Linked Below on LTK:

What to Know Before You Go

• Have Argentine Pesos for tipping and taxi rides, otherwise everywhere else should take credit card.
• Book ahead of time. For dining out and winery visits, booking ahead of time is a must.
• Download a translator app. We found ourselves in many situations where our drivers or some people did not speak english. If you don’t speak spanish, download a translator app just in case!
• Be Prepared to Ship Wines Home. Many wines from Argentina are available in the US, but there are a select few that are not. In these cases, you may want to be prepared to pay for shipping them back home!
• Map out your visits. I mention this more in my Mendoza Winery Guide, but with Mendoza being such a large region, map out your winery visits and dinner plans ahead of time! Many places are 30 minutes+ away.
• Motion Sickness. My husband reminded me to put this one in here… the roads are quite bumpy and many are unpaved. If you get motion sickness easily, pack something to help with this!

Podcast

Check out our podcast episode recapping our entire trip to Argentina here!