We’d really enjoyed Santiago and Chile and it had been really nice to have a few days of relative relaxation.
We decided to visit Los Dominicos on our final full day. Los Dominicos is a Craft Village on the outskirts of Santiago which is full of local artisans selling beautiful goods.
Although Dom and I weren’t in the market for buying anything it was nice to stroll around and enjoy a refreshing drink in a shady cafe. The whole place was very attractive.
Our final night in Santiago was spent at a rooftop restaurant which sold the most delicious fish. We’ve eaten well here although I would imagine being vegetarian or vegan would be a challenge!
The next day found us at the airport once more, this time bound for Mendoza, Argentina.
The heat continued to intensify and we were very thankful that our Air BnB apartment had air conditioning. The apartment itself was lovely and believe it or not, we were actually looking forward to cooking for ourselves for the next few days.
We didn’t really have a firm plan for Mendoza other than a Vineyard tour so that was the first thing we did.
Catching the train to Maipu we realised we’d managed to choose the hottest day yet for a cycle ride that involved alcohol! Mad dogs and English men sprung to mind…
Following some faffage at the bike shop we were finally on our way. The heat was incredible and before we’d even got to the first vineyard, we had pulled off to enjoy food and rest at Cafe Taipu. And what a gem this was!
The garden was lovely and the owner just wonderful. She thought we were ‘loco’ for cycling in the heat of the day and hurried round with cushions for our heads and encouraged us to put our feet up. But this was not the reason we’d come to the vineyards and as soon as we’d eaten, we saddled up once more.
Unfortunately, we’d opted to cycle to the vineyard at the furthest point away and when we got there, it was closed! After yet more cycling in the heat we finally found the next vineyard of choice and, hurray, it was open. Our tasting session was run by a lady called Victoria who was very knowledgeable and very fluent in English (no surprise there).
We had the chance to try three different wines and they were delicious. This particular vineyard only exported around 20% of its wine to Europe. I’d definitely buy it if I found it in the UK.
The vineyard tour is a must if you head to this region of Argentina and one I’d definitely recommend. Just take lots of water and sun screen with you – you’ll need both in equal measure!
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