Ahhh, Mendoza! Ciudad de los árboles. It’s hard to believe, standing atop Cerro La Gloria, that Mendoza gets only 2 mm of rain a year. This viewpoint on the tall hill to the rear of San Martin Park is a nice hike up from the city Zoo, or an easy car/bus ride from town. From here you can see out to the Andes Mountains in whose shadow lie the famous wine producing regions that surround Mendoza. You can also see the city itself, full of green trees and city parks, all watered on the city irrigation system.
Mendoza will always have a special place in our hearts as the first city we visited in Argentina and the place where we fell in love with this country. In this guide I will suggest some places to eat and drink and give you some ideas for activities. It is a friendly city, so talk to people, get to know them, and they make sure you have an excellent visit.
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The Wine Regions
There are 3 main wine regions you will hear about when visiting Mendoza. Each is accessible by either car or bus and very doable as a day trip. They are, Maipu, Lujan de Cuyo and Uco Valley (Valle de Uco). Uco Valley is the newest region, with some of the most incredible winery architecture in the world. Some of the wineries in each region are accessible by bicycle making cycling tours very popular. 
Some things to consider…
- You will need to either go on a guided tour or call the wineries ahead of time to make sure you can get in for a tasting. They schedule out, so make your reservations at least the day before, or earlier if possible.
- They will serve you plenty of wine. We also had a lunch pairing with what seemed like never ending wine pairings and ended up quite drunk. If you decide to rent a car, keep that in mind and designate a driver.
- If you don’t want to go on an official tour, you can often hire a driver, or even a taxi, to take you around for the day. It will probably be cheaper than a tour, but you’ll have to make your own arrangements.
- For a more adventurous tour, try renting a bike. In the towns surrounding the vineyards, you will find several vendors who rent bicycles for day use.
- Shop around for your tours. We saw prices for very similar tours of the same regions that varied wildly. Our Uco Valley Tour in October 2018 was around $150 USD per person, including transfer, three winery tours, one including a wine pairing lunch.
Lujan and Maipu are slightly cheaper to tour. They are a little closer and have the more established wineries. They don’t have quite the spectacular views of the Andes Mountains that Valle de Uco boasts, but don’t think that means their wine is any less amazing. In fact, each region has subtle but distinct differences in their signature grapes, the Malbec, so you should probably try them all.
Pay attention in the tours and you will come away feeling like a sommelier. You’ll definitely be able to impress your friends with your knowledge at your next dinner party.
A great website with lots of advice is http://www.experiencemendoza.com/en/wine-tasting/visiting-mendoza-wineries/.
Where to Stay
As Argentina’s 4th largest city, Mendoza has plenty of options for accommodations, and you can definitely find something for every budget. The area of Mendoza near Avenida Aristides, is a wonderful, semi residential area with restaurants and cafes enough to make you feel like a local. This was our favorite part of town, and while we explored other areas, I highly recommend making this your home base. A recent AirBNB search found multiple options for $40 or less. Want one night free?? If you’re new to AirBNB, sign up with our link and you’ll get $40 off your first stay.
If you’re looking for a little more luxury, for approximately $150 per night you can get a room at the beautiful Diplomatic Hotel with every amenity you could need. Book through Booking.com with our link and get $25 back after you complete your stay!
If you’re a budget traveler looking for a hostel bed, the Chill Inn Hostel and Gorilla Hostel are both highly rated. We stayed at Gorilla and the owner was very helpful in finding us a tour for Valle de Uco that was very reasonable in price. They coordinate other tours as well. Your experience may vary based on which room you are in. The rooms upstairs are quieter and you have less people walking in and out. They also don’t allow you to drink any beer or wine that you purchase outside of the hostel, since they sell beer and wine at the property. This is a little disappointing after a day of wine tasting when you want to come home and enjoy a bottle you just bought. Otherwise, as far as hostels go, it was a good home base.
Where to Eat and Drink
You won’t have a shortage of either restaurants or bars in Mendoza. A good plan is to find a restaurant with a daily menu that works for you. Many serve a plate, side and beer or soda for around $180 pesos. 
In addition to the sidewalk cafes with their menu del dia, we found some other gems that I’m excited to share with you. Our 3 favorites are:
El Asadito (5500 Av Juan B. Justo 512) At the time, we didn’t realize what a deal we were getting! For around $1000 ARS (approx. $26 USD as of this writing in 2018), we shared a wonderful meal of selected steaks, ribs, and sausages with sides. Add a bottle of wine for a complete meal! Learn more about parrillas in Argentina in our post, 8 Must Read Argentina Travel Tips.
The Winery (Chile 898) At the corner of Montevideo and Chile streets, a block from Plaza Italia, you will find a little shop called The Winery. They carry a huge selection of Argentine wines as well as wines from all over the world (but when in Argentina…) They will help you pick out a wine that works for you and, if you want, you can walk through into the outdoor courtyard with your purchase. The neighboring bakery, Brod Café, will open your bottle for a small cork fee and serve it to you. Pick up a loaf of bread or a cheese sandwich and spend an hour enjoying Argentine life.
Rama Negra (Belgrano 980)– This little coffee and pastry shop sits on Avenida Belgrano (the street with the tram running up and down), 3.5 blocks from Aristides Ave. The proprietor is super friendly and helpful and their coffee and pastries are amazing!
Other Outdoor Activities
Wine not your thing, or you need a break for a day? Here are a list of some of the other amazing outdoor activities you can find near Mendoza.
- Take a Day Trip into the Andes Mountains and Aconcagua Park
- Tour the surrounding hills on Horseback with a traditional Asado dinner served at the end of the day.
- River Rafting on the Mendoza River
- A Day at the Termas Cachueta Spa
- Hike to the top of Cerro La Gloria
- Take a stroll through Parque San Martin
We hope you love Mendoza as much as we did! Please share your thoughts and experiences with us!
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