Imagine yourself driving thru beautiful vineyards covered with a thin layer of foggy. Surrounded by majestic mountains and crispy cypresses, you drive along a dirty road, on the way to the top of a hill, where the modern building starts to reach your sight.
You have now arrived to Vik Retreats Chile, a playground for wine lovers and art enthusiasts. The hotel, perfectly designed by awarded architects, houses individually decorated suites and bungalows, all of them with magnificent views.
After a warm welcoming by the staff, you arrive to your charming room. At the same time modern and vintage. Super cozy, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the beautiful mountains and vineyards. There is no television – perfect to disconnect and enjoy the sounds of nature.
If you reserve a full board stay – highly recommended – you will now start to understand why this hotel brand is one of my favorites – absolutely high standard levels of cuisine and service, not to mention the wine – one of the tops of Chile.
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Either lunch and dinner are a true gourmand experience, all paired with their three top quality red wines. Not to mention the breakfast, a feast of Gods, with everything you can imagine, from poached eggs and avocado toast, to delicious dulce de leche crepes and Dammann tea.
But the cherry on the top is not the luxury suite, the haute cuisine, neither the outstanding wines. The impeccable and warmth service takes the first place. Prepare to be spoiled to the fullest. From complimentary wine tasting and cabalgatas around the vast propriety to twice a day cleaning service – including turndown where they put a delicate sweet gift beside your bed.
After taking a warm bath, prepare yourself to sleep on the bed of your dreams. But be aware that you may not distinguish whether is reality or not. Vik Retreats Chile is a true dream.
Vik Chile is about 2 hours driving from Santiago International Airport, in the Colchagua and Millahue Valley – the most famous and renowned wine region in Chile. Discover more about other Vik Retreats in South America here.
Cape Town is a city which offers endless options for every kind of visitor. From fitness people looking for places to exercise to foodies always in search for the next outstanding meal, it’s a place to visit at least once-in-a-lifetime. Here I will show only a “taste”of what you can do if you had about 5 days to explore the town.
Day 1. Stroll Around the V&A Waterfront Area
This is a program that must be included in every itinerary, even if if you have only a day in Cape Town. It’s not because it’s a touristic place, but because you can have wonderful views of the Table Mountain from the V&A and you can also have a delicious meal at an oceanfront restaurant, as we did at The Harbor House. A definitely must do experience while visiting the city.
Table Mountain from the V&A WaterfrontHarbor House RestaurantCool Food Market at the V&A
Watch the Sunset from the Table Mountain
To go up to the most iconic place of Cape Town, you can either take a cable car or hike it up. It’s about two hours walking and then you can take the cable car to go down. By cable car is about a 10 mins ride in a spinning panoramic gondola. Once you are up there, you can choose a place, open a wine (that we brought with us) and enjoy absolutely amazing views of the whole city.
Cheers!Admiring the View from The Table Mountain
Day 2. Drive Along the Peninsula
If you have only two days in Cape Town, besides walking along the V&A Waterfont and watching the sunset at the Table Mountain, as I mentioned before, you can rent a car or hire a driver/uber (as we did) to have a scenic tour along the Peninsula. It takes at least 4 – 5 hours to do it properly., or a whole day if you have this time. I recommend you to start clockwise, from Muizenberg, so you will always drive with the ocean on your left hand (remember it was a British colony – left hand drive).
Penguins Colony at Boulders BeachBreathtaking Views Along the PeninsulaWow! The 12 Apostoles from the Cheapman’s Peak Drive.
You will pass through Simons Town, a beautiful british style beach.We stopped at Boulders Beach to have a look at the Penguins Colony, where you can see thousands of cute penguins. Then, if you have time, you can drive through the Cape of Good Hope, or you can directly drive to the other side of the Peninsula, passing through beautiful beaches and finally entering in one of the most scenic roads I’ve ever seen (it’s similar to Highway 1, in California, but smaller). You must reserve at least 30 mins to drive the famous Chapman’s Peak Drive in a slow pace, stopping as much as you want along the route. It’s definitely breathtaking!!!
Breathtaking Views Along the Chapman’s Peak DriveSunrise in Hout Bay
Take a look at the Llandudno Beach, the most beautiful one in my opinion. And finally you can ended up your tour at the beautiful and lively Camps Bay.
Saying “Cheese” at a View Point Along Chapman’s Peak
Watch the Sunset from Camps Bay
This is definitely one of the best places to have amazing sunset views while tasting a good South African wine. I recommend you to choose either to stay in the middle of the action, at Zenzero or Chinchilla, or move to a more private sunset from the beautiful and trendy Bungalow. In this area you can also ride a bike and cycle along the charming beachfront promenade.
The 12 Apostoles from Camps Bay – Sunset TimeBeautiful Beachfront Restaurants in Camps Bay
Day 3. Ride a Bike Through Scenic Beachfront Roads
My husband loves to cycle, so I decided to contact Bike & Saddle and choose their Half Day Fitness Cycle. It’s a vigorous ride from Camps Bay climbing up the scenic Chapman’s Peak Drive. Before we start, we thought we wouldn’t be able to accomplish it, but then we realized we were cycling along absolutely breathtaking views – literally. It was one of the higlights of the whole trip and I higly recommend it for those who are adventure seekers. It’s not that difficult and I can affirm you will cycle the most wonderful kilometers of your life.
Good Vibes OnlyEarly RisersCiclying the Cape
Have a Feast of the Gods – or many of them
Cape Town is well know for its high standard culinary. As we had only 5 nights there, we couldn’t try it all, but I can definitely affirm its cuisine is absolutely outstanding. We had the most spectacular tasting menu at the Greenhouse Restaurant, one of the Top in Africa, a succulent brandy & truffled prime rib at the Shortmarket Club, a delicious and elegant dinner at the Signal, inside the Cape Grace Hotel, but there is so much more, such as the TestKitchen, La Colombe, Foxcroft and so many others we would have to spend a full month there to experience it all.
Delicious Meal at the Signal Restaurant
Day 4. Try Some Good Wine Minutes from the City Center
As you may know by now, South Africa is acknowledge for its wine production, particularly in the Winelands Region – Stellenbosch and Franschhoek as the most famous cities. But maybe you don’t know that only a 20 minutes drive from the V&A there is a wine region they call New Winelands, more specific the Constantia neighborhood. It’s where we stayed at the beginning of the trip. These estates had their first wine production back there in the XVIII century. We visited the Klein Constantia Estate because of their Vin de Constance, one of the most awarded dessert wines of the world. You can also have a delicious lunch there to balance your body after so much wine.
Vin de ConstanceKlein Constantia EstateWine Time in the New Winelands
Day 5. Visit The Beautiful Kirstenbosch Gardens
If you are the kind of visitor that loves to mix your itinerary with some beautiful parks, than you should visit this place. It’s absolutely beautiful, different from any other place I’ve ever visited before. You have to pay a fee to get in and you can also pay for a tour with a golf cart. Along the way, you will see ancient trees widespread along a vast terrain. Or you can take a basket of your favorite delights and have a delicious picnic beyond nature.
Strolling Around the Gardens
As you can see, Cape Town has so much to offer, it has everything for every taste. Pick your selection and have a wonderful experience!
Nominada por muitos como a cidade mais bonita da África do Sul, a Cidade do Cabo também tem o título de cidade mais antiga do país. Com sua geografia particular, tem muito a oferecer, de atividades ao ar livre para quem gosta de aventura a culinária gourmet de alto padrão para os amantes da gastronomia.
Vinhedos ao Redor do Cellars-Hohenort Hotel
Eu recomendaria uma estadia de pelo menos 5 noites na cidade, uma vez que são muitas as opções do que fazer. Nós escolhemos ficar em dois lugares diferentes, começando nosso roteiro pelo charmoso bairro de Constantia, que eles chamam de New Winelands.
Café da Manhã no Cellars-Hoehnort
Este bairro é tranquilo e cheio de vegetação. Ficamos no romântico e super confortável Relais & Chateaux The Cellars-Hohenort Hotel. Foi o começo perfeito para relaxar de e desligar da nossa vida tão agitada. Enquanto estávamos hospedados alí, visitamos o maravilhoso Kirstenbosch Gardens, onde você pode fazer um piquenique sob as belas árvores centenárias.
Passeando pelo Kirstenbosch Gardens
Nós não queríamos fazer um piquenique sem vinho, então fomos para o conhecido Klein Constantia Estate, que faz um dos vinhos doces mais premiados do mundo – o Vin de Constance. Fomos muito bem tratados enquanto saboreávamos os seus vinhos maravilhosos e depois provamos a deliciosa comida de bistrô sob uma árvore de jacarandá. Altamente recomendado.
Klein Constantia Bistrô
Falando sobre comida, devo dizer que a refeição mais incrível que tivemos durante toda a viagem foi exatamente dentro do nosso hotel em Constantia. O Greenhouse Restaurant foi definitivamente um dos mais deliciosos menus de degustação que tivemos em toda a nossa vida. Absolutamente alto padrão, requintado e com criações saborosas.
Menu Inventivo do Greenhouse Restaurant
Depois de dois dias relaxando, fomos para a agitada Victoria & Albert Waterfront Area, mais conhecida como V & A Waterfront. Aqui ficamos no suntuoso hotel Cape Grace Hotel, uma estadia absolutamente fabulosa, perfeitamente localizado em frente à marina, em uma área tranquila com vista para a Table Mountain. Se quiser saber mais detalhes sobre esse hotel, leia um review específico sobre ele aqui.
Cape Grace Hotel e a V&A Waterfront
Nesta área você pode caminhar com segurança e ter um delicioso almoço em frente ao mar, como fizemos no charmoso Harbour House Restaurant, assim como pode alugar um barco e observar o pôr do sol do mar com vista para as belas baías da Cidade do Cabo.
Marina da Cidade do Cabo – Vista do Cape Grace Hotel
Já ouvimos falar da Cidade do Cabo e da sua beleza, mas, ao passearmos pela Península de carro pudemos ver como ela é realmente incrível, desde a Praia dos Penguins até Camps Bay, passando pela absolutamente cinematográfica Chapman’s Peak Drive, um local que não se pode perder quando visita a cidade.
Vistas de Tirar o Fôlego ao Longo da Chapman’s Peak Drive
Se você está procurando uma deliciosa refeição em um restaurante badalado ou simplesmente assistir ao pôr do sol da magnífica Table Mountain, Cape Town tem um pouco de tudo! Deixe esta cidade incrível surpreendê-lo, como fez a nós … Confira alguns lugares que eu sugiro visitar.
O Badalado Shortmarket ClubVin de ConstanceO Quarto Romântico e Charmoso do Cellars-HohenortMimados pelo Greenhouse RestaurantPenguins BeachPôr do Sol da Table Mountain
Designated by many as the most beautiful city in South Africa, Cape Town has also the title of the oldest city in the country. With its particular geography, it has plenty to offer, from outdoor acitivities for adventure seekers to high standard gourmet cuisine for food lovers.
Vineyards Around the Cellars-Hohenort Hotel
I’d recommend a stay of at least 5 nights in the city, as there are so many things to do. We decided to stay in two different places, starting our itinerary from the beautiful Constantia Neighborhood, which they call New Winelands.
Breakfast at the Cellars-Hoehnort
This neighborhood is tranquil and full of grenery. We stayed at the charming and very comfortable Relais & Chateaux The Cellars-Hohenort Hotel. It was the perfect start to chill out from our busy lives. While here we visited the absolutely wonderful Kirstenbosch Gardens, where you can have a picnic under the beautiful centenary trees.
Strolling Around the Kirstenbosch Gardens
We didn’t want to have a picnic without wine, so we headed to the well known Klein Constantia Estate, which does one of the most awarded sweet wines in the world – the Vin de Constance. We were fabulous well treated while tasting their marvelous wines and then we tasted their delicious bistrô food under a rosewood tree. Higly recommended.
Klein Constantia Bistrô
Talking about food, I must say the most amazing meal we had during the whole trip was exactly inside our hotel in Constantia. At the Greenhouse Restaurant, we had the chance to taste one of the most delicious tasting menus we had in our whole lives. Absolutely high standard with inventive and savorous creations.
Inventive Menu at the Greenhouse Restaurant
After two days of chilling out vibe, we headed to the vibrant Victoria & Albert Waterfront Area, better known as V&A Waterfront. Here we stayed at the suntuous Cape Grace Hotel, an absolutely fabulous stay, perfectly located in front of the marina, in a tranquil area with Table Mountain views. You can read a full review of this beautiful hotel here.
Cape Grace Hotel and the V&A Waterfront
In this area you can either walk and have a delicious lunch in front of the sea, like we did at the charming Harbor House Restaurant, as you can rent a boat and watch the sunset from the ocean overlooking Cape Town’s beautiful bays.
Cape Town Marina – View from Cape Grace Hotel
We have heard about Cape Town and its beauty before, but driving through the Peninsula we were able to see how amazing it really is, from the Penguins Beach to Camps Bay, passing through the absolutely cinematographic Chapman’s Peak Drive, a must go place while visiting the city.
Breathtaking Views Along the Chapman’s Peak Drive
Either if you are looking for a delicious meal at a trendy restaurant or watch the sunset from the magnificent Table Mountain, Cape Town have it all! Let this amazing city surprise you, as it did to us… Check it out some suggested places to visit.
The Trendy Shortmarket ClubVin de ConstanceThe Romantic and Charming Room at The Cellars-HohenortPampered by The Greenhouse RestaurantPenguins BeachSunset from the Table Mountain
We would be celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary trip in March/19, so one year ago – yeah, literally – we decided to plan this once-in-a-lifetime trip to celebrate this special occasion in high style. Our picked destination was Africa, so we selected the excellent Gilt Edge Agency to plan it for us. Vernon, our designate agent, has pacientfully hand-picked every detail of this dreamy trip, with marvelous 5* services and absolutely meticulous planning, exactly what we were looking for.
Cape Town from the Table Mountain
Our itinerary has started in the lively Cape Town, where we saw the most amazing sunset from the magnificent Table Mountain, played with penguins at Boulders Beach, had the most scenic drive through the Chapman’s Peak Drive and savoured the most delicious meals of our lives.
Cycling through Chapman’s Peak Drive
Then we headed to the famous Winelands, the beautiful wine region only about 50 minutes from Cape Town. With its particular geography and more than 500 wineries, this region is definitely a must go place for wine lovers who also admire stunning landscapes.
Living the Dream in the Winelands
The third part of our trip was certainly one of the highlights: an authentic safari experience in the beautiful Kruger Park, more specifically in a private game reserve called Timbavati. It was our first safari and we were blessed with great game viewing. Everyone says it’s a marvelous and unique experience and now I can definitely affirm that’s more than true. We loved the energy and pure relaxation we absorbed from the bush.
Magical Moments in the Bush
At last, but not least, we headed to the most secluded island of our whole lives at the Indian Ocean, in Mozambique. We’ve been to many beautiful beaches before, but this place… Oh boy! It’s definitely Heaven on Earth!
Lost Paradise in the Indian Ocean
We were able to learn with this trip that even in a place with so much diversity and sometimes injustice – like the one I live – people can be happy and proud of their origin. South Africa has such a sad recently history and tourism is definitely the best thing these places could ever dream for. It brings a chance of a new beggining.
So Many Friends Along the Way
I think it’s not needed to mention that we left this place in tears… We are back, but half of our hearts are still there. Africa, you are special. We will remember this trip forever!
Ocean Front Bungalow
Read my whole itinerary in detail, beginning from Cape Town.
🇧🇷 Na nossa primeira ida a Mendoza fomos ao restaurante Siete Fuegos e conhecemos o famoso The Vines Resort, um complexo luxuoso integrante da rede Leading Hotels of The World. Desde então ficamos com o desejo de nos hospedar lá.
Vivendo um Sonho no The Vines – by The Unique Traveler
🇧🇷 Chegamos num fim de tarde e fomos arrebatados por um lindo anoitecer visto do terraço do nosso bangalô. Todos muito bem decorados e confortáveis, com tecnologia de primeira, incluindo som ambiente conectado ao celular, Apple TV e uma pequena cozinha com microondas e geladeira. Para se sentir em casa…
Anoitecer no The Vines – by The Unique Traveler
🇧🇷 Passar a noite alí foi realmente muito mais incrível do que ir apenas para almoçar, embora também possa afirmar que o ambiente do restaurante Siete Fuegos é mais convidativo durante o dia, com a vista dos Andes e dos vinhedos. O silêncio absoluto foi perfeito para uma deliciosa noite de sono.
Banheiro com Vista do The Vines – by The Unique Traveler
🇧🇷 O momento mais espetacular da nossa estadia foi o amanhecer. Acordamos com uma lua linda, em cima dos Andes, ainda iluminando as montanhas e os vinhedos dourados. Um frio gostoso. Um momento para ficar guardado. Dica: pague um pouco a mais e fique nas Villas Deluxe, que ficam em frente ao lago, assim você terá essa vista.
Terraço do The Vines ao Amanhecer – by The Unique TravelerOs Andes e a Lua – by The Unique TravelerApreciando a Vista – by The Unique Traveler
🇧🇷 O hotel tem todo o conforto digno de um 5*. A área de piscina é belíssima, embora não seja aquecida. Dispôe também de uma jacuzzi com uma bela vista dos vinhedos. A cereja do bolo, para mim, é a academia, descentemente equipada e com uma vista de cair o queixo.
Área da Piscina – by The Unique TravelerAcademia em Meio aos VinhedosMalhar com Vista Fica FácilJacuzzi em Meio aos Vinhedos – by The Unique TravelerCafé da Manhã com Vista – by The Unique Traveler
🇧🇷 O resumo da nossa estadia: hotel belíssimo, muito luxuoso e com bastante tecnologia. Perfeito para famílias, pois os bangalôs ou “villas”, como eles chamam, têm quarto e sala separados, contando ainda com uma mini cozinha. Também é bom para casais, mas diria que ele não é tão charmoso e romântico quanto o Cavas. Espere por preços salgados em tudo, da massagem ao cafezinho.
🇧🇷 Você já deve ter lido os meus posts antes sobre Mendoza e sobre as vinícolas mais bacanas que visitei na minha primeira ida a Mendoza. Agora voltei lá e adicionei mais três à lista.
🇬🇧 You must have read my previous posts about Mendoza and the most wonderful wineries I have visited when I first went to Mendoza. Now I have just came back from there and add three more to my list.
➡ Superuco
🇧🇷 É uma bodega boutique com uma pequena produção orgânica e biodinâmica de altíssima qualidade. Para os proprietários, todos da família Michelini, na terra não existem vértices, portanto os vinhedos foram plantados de forma circular – a única bodega com esse tipo de plantação em Mendoza. Localizada no Valle de Uco, dentro das propriedades do The Vines Resort, a visita é simples e rápida, sem grandes formalidades. Os vinhos, em compensação, são dignos de um banquete. Simplesmente divinos! Altamente recomendável!!!
🇬🇧 It’s a boutique winery with a small production – organic and biodinamic – with high quality products. For the owners, the Michelini family, on Earth there is no vertex, that’s why the vineyards were planted in a circular form – the only winery to work like that in Mendoza. Settled in Uco Valley, inside the vineyards of The Vines Resort, the visit and wine tasting are simple and uncomplicated, without formalities, as the owners. The wines, on another hand, are worthy of a banquet. Simply divine!
➡ La Azul
🇧🇷 É uma bodega boutique de estilo mais rústico que foca muito mais no serviço de restaurante do que na produção do vinho. Dito isso, você pode imaginar que não irá ao local pela visita a bodega, mas sim pelo almoço, muito gostoso, que inclui a degustação dos vinhos da casa. Fica em um local agradável, no Valle de Uco, com vista das montanhas. Perfeito para um almoço sem pressa.
🇬🇧 It’s a boutique winery with a rustic touch that focus much more in the restaurant than in the wine production. That being said, you can imagine you won’t choose this place for the winery visit, but for the delicious lunch menu they offer everyday, including house wine. It’s settled at an adorable place, in Valle de Uco, with mountain views. Perfect for an unhurried lunch.
➡ Bressia
🇧🇷 Uma das vinícolas mais prestigiadas de Mendoza, mesmo sendo pequena e bem familiar. Seus vinhos – todos de excelente qualidade – são produzidos pelo fundador da bodega, que também dá o nome a cada vinho que produz. Uma visita simples, porém muito agradável que nos apresentou os detalhes da história dessa bodega que consideramos uma das melhores de lá. Tim-Tim 🍷
🇬🇧 One of the most prestigious wineries of Mendoza, even being small. Their wines – all of them with high quality – are produced by the founder, who gives the name of every wine he produces. An uncomplicated but very pleasant visit, which presented us some history details of this fabulous winery that we consider one of the best of Mendoza. Cheers! 🍷
🇧🇷 A região de Mendoza é enorme e as bodegas são bem espalhadas, então é um pouco difícil sugerir aonde ficar, depende do seu estilo.
🇬🇧 The Mendoza region is huge and the sites spread throughout, it may be difficult to define exactly where to stay, it depends on what you like.
Valle de Uco in Autumn – by The Unique Traveler
🇧🇷 Primeiramente, você deve levantar alguns pontos: você prefere ficar no meio dos vinhedos or próximo de restaurantes e lojas? Você prefere ficar em hotel de rede ou aqueles mais distintos?
🇬🇧 At first, you should raise some questions: do you prefer to be settled in the middle of the vineyards or within walking distance of a variety of restaurants and shops? Would you rather stay in a standard hotel or more genuine style?
Lujan de Cuyo – by The Unique Traveler
🇧🇷 Dependendo do que você respondeu, você pode escolher entre ficar hospedado no centro ou em uma das três principais regiões de Mendoza, conforme segue:
🇬🇧 Depending on your answers, you can choose between staying in the city center or in one of the three main regions of Mendoza. Let me explain better:
➡ Mendoza Center
🇧🇷 Se você quiser ficar no meio de um centro urbano, com a maior variedade de lojas e restaurantes a poucos passos de distância. É um lugar interessante para ficar se você nunca foi a Mendoza, considerando que você ficará no meio de tudo. Ao mesmo tempo, falta bastante charme e você terá que viajar todo dia cerca de 30 – 60 mins para chegar em qualquer bodega. Nós ficamos no Park Hyatt Mendoza na nossa primeira visita, bem localizado em frente a uma linda praça, a poucos passos de distância dos restaurantes mais famosos. É um 5* com excelente conforto e serviço, mas não espere muito – é um hotel de rede.
🇬🇧 If you want to be in the middle of everything, with the greatest variety of restaurants, shops and hotels. It’s a nice place to stay if you have never been there, cause you are going to be in the middle of the action. At the same time, it lacks charm and you will have to drive at least 30 minutes to reach any winery. We stayed at Park Hyatt Mendoza in my first visit, well located in front of a beautiful square, within walking minutes of the most famous restaurants. It’s a 5* hotel with wonderful service and comfort, but don’t expect too much – it’s a chain hotel.
➡ Maipú
🇧🇷 A região mais próxima do centro de Mendoza. Aqui você pode encontrar alguns hotéis charmosos, mas nã tantos quanto em Lujan de Cuyo. Você também não encontrará tantas bodegas, mas na minha opinião é uma excelente região para ficar – juntamente com Chacras de Cória – para quem quer ficar próximo do centro, mas ao mesmo tempo no meio dos vinhedos, em lugares com melhor custo x benefício.
🇬🇧 The closest region to Mendoza Center. There are some charming hotels in the area, but not as many as in Lujan de Cuyo. You also won’t have so many wineries, but in my opinion it’s a nice place to stay – as the same as Chacras de Cória – if you want to be in the middle of the vineyards, but also close to the city center and with more reasonable prices.
🇧🇷 É a região mais famosa, aonde a maioria das vinícolas começaram. Deve ser incluso em todo itinerário de quem visita Mendoza pela primeira vez. Conta com inúmeras pousadas charmosas misturadas a intermináveis lindos vinhedos. Se você quiser ficar em alto estilo, confere o fenomenal Cavas Wine Lodge, um membro da renomada rede Relais&Chateaux com serviço e conforto de primeira qualidade. Para aqueles que procuram uma hospedagem com charme no meio dos vinhedos, existem muitas outras opções. Algumas delas abaixo.
🇬🇧 It’s de most famous region, where almost every winery started. It should be included in every itinerary of those who visit Mendoza for the very first time. There are lots of beautiful charming lodges in the area, nestled among countless vineyards. If you want to stay in high style, you should check the outstanding Cavas Wine Lodge, a Relais &Chateaux member with superb service and comfort. For those who seek for charming hotels, there are lots of adorable lodges in the area.
Cavas Wine Lodge – by The Unique TravelerSpa at Cavas Wine Lodge – by The Unique TravelerSunset at Rooftop in Cavas Wine Lodge – by The Unique TravelerBathroom at Cavas Wine Lodge – by The Unique Traveler
➡ Valle de Uco
🇧🇷 A região mais linda de Mendoza, na minha opinião. Quase toda vinícola de alta qualidade tem vinhedos por aqui. The Vines Resort é o mais famoso da região, um 5* membro da renomada cadeia Leading Hotels of the World. É aonde fica o restaurante Siete Fuegos do legendário Chef Francis Mallman. Existem também outros hotéis e pousadas muito charmosos na região, abaixo alguns deles.
🇬🇧 The most beautiful region of Mendoza, in my opinion. Almost every high standard winery has some vineyards here. The Vines Resort is the most famous hotel, a 5* Leading Hotels of The World member. It houses the extraordinary Siete Fuegos restaurant (that I will tell you more about in another post), from the famous Argentinean Chef Francis Mallman. There are also some other outstanding lodges in the area.
The Vines Resort – by The Unique TravelerThe Vines from the Terrace – by The Unique TravelerJacuzzi of The Vines – by The Unique Traveler
🇧🇷 Para mim, o melhor itinerário de 4 dias seria ficar 2 noites no Valle de Uco e 2 em Lujan de Cuyo. De Lujan você pode acessar com facilidade as vinícolas de Maipu e também os melhores restaurantes do centro de Mendoza. Aproveite!
🇬🇧 For me, the best 4-day itinerary would be 2 days staying at Valle de Uco and 2 more days staying at Lujan de Cuyo. From Lujan you can easily reach some of Maipú’s wineries and also the best restaurants of Mendoza Center. Enjoy!
Now that I have introduced you to the spectacular world of Mendoza, and showed how you can plan your trip, I am going to tell you the wineries you should include in your next (or first) visit, from my point of view, of course.
Believe it or not, they have more than a thousand wineries there, from small boutiques to huge producers. My husband had some particular wineries to include in our tour. Once it was our first visit in the region and he has great knowledge about argentinian wines, he had so many plans. About 10 wineries to visit in 4 days. “OMG”! I thought… “I will need a new liver after this…” But everything went fine, as you only taste how much you want to. The good side is that we were able to visit almost every winery that was on our list. That’s why I will tell you about the ones we’ve been, and not about every big and famous Mendoza winery (which you can easily find at experiencemendoza.com).
PULENTA ESTATE
A well know boutique winery that is controlled by some of the most tradicional families of Mendoza. With modern installations, a small museum inside (on the tour you can see it), great vineyard views from the tasting rooms and wonderful wines, it was one of the best visits we had.
Main Entrance of the Modern Pulenta Estate
CATENA ZAPATA
It’s a must place to visit. The most famous and traditional family of Mendoza, with spetacular wines, huge vineyards widespread all over Mendoza (in the three areas) and an outstanding winery, with a pyramid-shaped building. It’s one of the most demanded wine tours by people who really appreciate wine and culture. Because of its fame and exclusivity (just 4 – 6 people each tour), it was the hardest one to book, so if you want to go there, hurry up!
Wine Tasting at Catena Zapata
COBOS
This winery has one of the most high quality wines of Mendoza and my husband was crazy about it. Just don’t expect to have plenty of history like Catena and Pulenta or outstanding views. It’s a winery to have a great tasting, probably one of the best in this aspect.
Wide Range of Cobos
ACHAVAL FERRER
This is a boutique winery similar to Cobos. They have high quality wines, but don’t expect to have an outstanding tour. It’s much more about the tasting, that is frequently taken in the garden with spetacular views.
Wine Tasting with View at Achaval Ferrer
EL ENEMIGO
This is a winery that you should include in your itinerary, especially for lunch. The winemaker had developed his knowledge at Catena, so you can expect high quality wines in a very small and young winery, with warm hospitality and great gourmet food.
ZUCCARDI
This winery has some peculiarities. At first, it’s important to mention that there is two branches, the biggest, in Maipú, where they produce their basic line Santa Julia. The other, in Valle de Uco, it’s a newer one that just produces Zuccardi line (higher quality). We went to the Maipú branch and realized that it’s very commercial, although it’s beautiful and has many activities to do, as riding a bike through the vineyards (one of my dreams). The experience I really recommend is to have lunch at Casa del Visitante Restaurant, inside the winery. They serve the classic parrilla, that includes Argentinian meat, classic empanadas (fantabulous, by the way), salad and vegetables. And you can pair it with Zuccardi Wines. Just perfect!
Bike at Zuccardi
CHANDON
On my birthday my husband had a surprise for me… We had lunch at Chandon to drink sparkling wine (that I love with all my heart!). It’s a delicious gourmet menu paired with the best sparkling wines they have. The architecture is amazing, you feel like you are in France. Actually, it was the first Moet&Chandon branch outside France (just Chandon here) and the sparkling wines have amazing quality and flavour. Perfect for bubbles lovers.
French Style Gardens at Chandon
In 2018 we went back to Mendoza and visited new wineries. Check it our here what we have got for you.
Primeiramente, procure se organizar com antecedência. Por algum razão (provavelmente a sua fama), a região de Mendoza está sempre lotada. Então se você pretende conhecer as vinícolas mais exclusivas (não aquelas bem turísticas) e ficar nos hotéis mais charmosos no meio dos vinhedos, você precisa começar a organizar tudo com alguns meses de antecedência. Caso contrário, você vai ter que aceitar o que estiver disponível. Veja opções de hotéis aqui.
Para ajudar na organização, considero essencial ter uma agência local especializada como referência, pois através dela fica muito mais fácil montar o roteiro e conseguir reservas nas vinícolas mais concorridas. Nós fizemos com a Red Globe Tours, através do Roman (o proprietário) e posso dizer que eles são super dinâmicos, respondendo às minhas dúvidas e solicitações super rápido.
Vinhedos de Mendoza no Verão
Cada estação do ano tem suas particularidades. Na nossa primeira visita, nós fomos no final do verão, na época da colheita, quando os vinhedos estão verdinhos e repletos de uvas, a temperatura ainda é quente (cerca de 20oC a 30oC) e as montanhas raramente tem um ponto branco. Em Abril ou Maio, o clima fica mais ameno, mas ainda agradável para ficar ao ar livre, as folhas dos vinhedos ficam avermelhadas, embora sem uvas, e as montanhas já começam a ficar branquinhas. Mágico. No inverno é frio e pode nevar, ainda que raramente. Vi algumas fotos com tudo branquinho e fiquei maravilhada, mas confesso que seriam necessárias algumas garrafas de vinho a mais (acho que isso não seria um problema). Na primavera, volta o clima ameno e as folhas comecam a aparecer novamente. O melhor de tudo é que Mendoza tem um clima super árido e seco, portanto é bem difícil chover, mesmo no inverno, garantindo dias lindos de sol quase o ano todo.
Mendoza no Outono
Algo importante a saber antes de ir é que a região de Mendoza é bem grande e os vinhedos e suas vinícolas estão bem espalhadas em três principais regiões: Maipú, Lujan de Cuyo e Valle de Uco. No meu post As Vinícolas Mais Especiais de Mendoza eu conto tudo sobre as vinícolas que visitei na primeira vez que estive lá.
Tradicional Assado Argentino no Restaurante Siete Fuegos
Imagine yourself driving thru beautiful vineyards covered with a thin layer of foggy. Surrounded by majestic mountains and crispy cypresses, you drive along a dirty road, on the way to the top of a hill, where the modern building starts to reach your sight.
After a warm welcoming by the staff, you arrive to your charming room. At the same time modern and vintage. Super cozy, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the beautiful mountains and vineyards. There is no television – perfect to disconnect and enjoy the sounds of nature.
If you reserve a full board stay – highly recommended – you will now start to understand why this hotel brand is one of my favorites – absolutely high standard levels of cuisine and service, not to mention the wine – one of the tops of Chile.
