If you’re planning a quick trip to Mendoza, this 3 Day Mendoza itinerary covers the best of Argentina’s wine region.
You’ll visit award-winning wineries with bold, architectural design, enjoy long vineyard lunches, and unwind with a peaceful countryside stay surrounded by mountain views.
We’ve visited Mendoza in both summer and winter, and this guide brings together our favourite experiences, from iconic wineries in Luján de Cuyo to striking spots in the Uco Valley.
3 Days in Mendoza
Day 1: Arrive in Mendoza, stop at Viña Cobos for a tasting, and check into your boutique hotel in the Uco Valley. Day 2: Spend the day wine tasting at architecturally striking wineries and enjoy a long, relaxed lunch in the Uco Valley. Day 3: Head to Luján de Cuyo for sparkling at Chandon, a gourmet lunch at a top wine estate, and a tour of Catena Zapata’s iconic pyramid winery. |
3 Day Mendoza Itinerary
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We recommend basing yourself in the Uco Valley, about an hour and a half south of the city.
It’s home to Mendoza’s highest-altitude vineyards, with striking modern wineries and small boutique producers set against the Andes.
What we especially loved about the Uco Valley was how peaceful it felt compared to other parts of Mendoza.
With wide-open landscapes and fewer crowds, it’s the perfect place to spend your days wine tasting and soaking up the scenery.
Having stayed here in both winter and summer, it was just as special the second time around. The owners are some of the warmest people we’ve ever met.
Each night, they serve a themed home-style dinner with plenty of their own wines, and the food was so good we never bothered going anywhere else. It's an effortless way to end a day of wine tasting.
Wake up for sunrise to watch the Andes turn shades of purple, pink, and red.
✔️ Top Tip: Book a second-floor room or one of their new eco bungalows — the vineyard and mountain views are incredible.
🛏️ Browse more stays in the Uco ValleyGetting around Mendoza
The best way to explore Mendoza is with a private driver. It makes everything so much easier (and fun) when you don’t have to think about driving or limiting yourself at the wineries.
Best for full or half-day outings
For full or half-day outings, we found Mendoza Gostosa to be the best value. Their team was professional and easy to communicate with, and they even helped us book some of the wineries we wanted to visit.Mendoza Gostosa is a great option if you’re planning to visit a few wineries in one day or combine a winery visit with your airport transfer.
As of 2025, expect to pay $85–$125 USD per person, depending on how far your hotel is from the wineries. This rate covers up to eight hours with your driver.
We booked them for both of our trips to Mendoza.
Best for one-way trips
For simple one-way trips, like getting to or from the airport, Paola (recommended by our hotel) was wonderful.
We booked Paola directly through WhatsApp (+54 9 2616 79-2057), and her rates were lower for pick-ups and drop-offs.
In 2025, it was $70 USD per group from our hotel in the Uco Valley to the airport.
Day 1
Overview: Arrive in Mendoza and ease into wine country
If you can, book an early flight into Mendoza so you have time for a wine tasting on the way to your hotel.
If you're staying in Buenos Aires beforehand, don't miss our list of 23 fun things to do in the city.
Kick off your trip with a wine tour at Viña Cobos
Viña Cobos is where renowned wine critic James Suckling awarded Argentina’s first-ever 100-point score for their 2011 Cobos Malbec.
Their Malbecs were some of the best we had in Mendoza.
We recommend booking one of their tastings that include harmonized bites. They were delicious little pairings that brought out the best in each wine.
Book your wine tour at Vina Cobos.
Unwind at your countryside hotel
Casa de Huespedes La Azul's dining room and outdoor pool area
After your tour, your driver will be waiting to take you to your hotel. Once you check in, unwind and enjoy the peaceful surroundings!
🛏️ Browse stays in the Uco ValleyDay 2
Overview: Explore the Uco Valley’s wineries and enjoy a long wine lunch
Today is all about exploring the Uco Valley’s impressive wineries.
Higher in altitude than the rest of Mendoza, the Uco Valley’s stony, mineral-rich soils give its wines a distinctive freshness and purity.
Start your morning with a big breakfast at your hotel - you’ll want something hearty before a day of tastings.
Taste wines at the Uco Valley's architecturally striking wineries
Zuccardi Valle de Uco
We recommend two wineries that stand out for their architecture and award-winning wines. Plan to visit one or two of them before your late afternoon lunch:
Zuccardi Valle de Uco
Listed in the World’s Best Vineyards hall of fame, Zuccardi is a must-visit.
Most of their wines are fermented and aged using concrete vats instead of oak barrels, so you really taste the terroir.
Their wines consistently earn top scores from wine critic Robert Parker, and the winery’s sculptural, modern design blends beautifully with the surrounding Andes.
Look out for their leather wine carry bags - they're so nice! We took a burgundy-coloured one home.
Book your tour at Zuccardi.
Bodega Alfa Crux
Bodega Alfa Crux's architecture blew us away - its futuristic concrete structure looks straight out of a James Bond film.
You can reserve your tour through the link on their Instagram page.
Both of these wineries are a convenient 8 minute drive away from each other.
Enjoy a leisurely lunch among the vines at Bodega La Azul
Afterwards, head to Bodega La Azul for a relaxed wine lunch overlooking the vineyards and mountains.
Owned by the same family as Casa de Huéspedes La Azul, it’s just a short walk back to the hotel after your meal.The atmosphere is warm and unpretentious, and the food, wine, and service were some of the best we had in Mendoza.
Day 3
Overview: Spend the day wine tasting in Luján de Cuyo and treat yourself to a vineyard lunch
Today brings you closer to the city, into Luján de Cuyo, one of Mendoza’s oldest and most prestigious wine regions.
The vineyards here sit at slightly lower altitudes than the Uco Valley, with warmer conditions that produce rich, full-bodied wines.
Begin your day with bubbles at Bodega Chandon or sleep in and take it slow
If you like getting up early (and can drink a lot of wine), start your day with a visit to Bodega Chandon - the first Moët & Chandon estate established outside of France.
The experience is light and fun, with tastings of their Brut nature and rosé alongside vineyard views.
Book your wine tasting at Bodega Chandon.
Or, if you’d rather take it slow, enjoy a relaxed morning at your hotel before heading out for lunch.
Enjoy a Michelin-starred wine lunch in Luján de Cuyo
The wine pairings usually include premium bottles you wouldn’t get to try otherwise.
For lunch, treat yourself to one of these two exceptional Michelin-starred winery restaurants:
Angélica Bistro, part of the renowned Catena Zapata estate, serves refined, yet creative Argentine cuisine in a romantic stone building beside the winery’s famous Mayan-inspired pyramid.
They follow a wine-first philosophy, where dishes are designed to bring out the best in the wines. It was our best meal in Mendoza.
The service was fantastic - especially the sommelier, who guided us through a wine pairing that included some of Mendoza’s top bottles you don’t often get to taste during regular winery visits.
We even discovered one of our favourite wines here (from a different winery!)
With opera music playing softly in the background, the whole experience felt atmospheric and fun.
If you can’t get a table for lunch, dinner is just as spectacular.
Alternatively, head to Riccitelli Bistro for a more relaxed, farm-to-table experience. The restaurant sources much of its produce from its own garden, and the view of the Andes is gorgeous.
Book your lunch reservation at 12pm, so you have enough time to get to your next wine tour at 3:30pm.
Wrap up the day with a tour of Catena Zapata’s iconic pyramid winery
After lunch, make your way to Catena Zapata for a 3:30 p.m. tour and tasting.
It's one of Argentina’s most iconic wineries, designed as a grand Mayan-inspired pyramid rising from the vineyards.
It's also listed in the World’s Best Vineyards hall of fame.
Book your wine tour at Catena Zapata.
We were excited to find a 2018 bottle from Zuccardi that we loved at dinner in Buenos Aires.
Best time to visit Mendoza
We’ve visited Mendoza in both summer and winter, and it’s a destination you can enjoy year-round.
That said, the warmer months definitely have their perks - vineyard tours are more comfortable when you’re not bundled up, the vines are green, and it’s warm enough to spend downtime by the pool with a glass of Malbec.
Be sure to double-check that the wineries you want to visit are offering tours at the time of your trip.
Enjoy your 3 days in Mendoza!
Don't miss our other Argentina travel guides:
Get started on booking your trip to Mendoza
- 🛏️ Book your accommodation: in the Uco Valley
- 🤠 Book your tour: browse highly-rated tours in Mendoza.
- 🚕 Hire a private driver: in Mendoza
- 🛫 Book your flight: use Skyscanner to compare flights across different airlines (we recommend booking direct with the airline however).
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