Best of Patagonia (with Iguazu)

Argentina | Brazil | Chile

Best of Patagonia (with Iguazu)

This itinerary explores the highlights of Patagonia while also embracing a side trip to Iguazu Falls, and exploration of Buenos Aires, Santiago and surrounding areas. If you’re only looking for a limited Patagonia trip, check out our itinerary, Quick Patagonia (a 10 day itinerary ).

Length: 21 days

Transport: car rental, Ubers/app-rides

Best Guide Book: Moon Patagonia

Day 1 – Buenos Aires

Day 2 – Buenos Aires

Day 3 – Day trip to Colonia Del Sacramento (Uruguay)

Day 4 – Buenos Aires / Iguazu

  • Flight to Iguazu
  • With a morning flight visit Argentinian side of the falls
  • Drive or transport to Hotel de Cataratas (1+h drive – depends on customs delay at Argentina / Brasil border)
  • Dinner – at Hotel das Cataracts
  • Lodging – Hotel das Cataratas (night 1/2)

Day 5 – Iguazu

Day 6 – El Chalten

Day 7 – El Chalten

  • Hike to Mt. Fitzroy (14 miles, Laguna de Los Tres, walk or short drive to trailhead – or cab to Electrico trailhead then hike to Fitzroy and end back in town)
    • The trailhead for Laguna de Los Tres is at the north end of Avenida San Martin
  • El Chalten town
  • Dinner – The Asadores or pick a different place from the night before
  • Lodging – Same place (night 2/2)

Day 8 – El Chalten

Day 9 – El Calafate

Day 10 – El Calafate

Day 11 – to Chile

  • Transfer to Eco Camp
  • Drinks, Dinner at Eco camp
  • Lodging – Eco Camp (night 1/4)

Day 12 -W Trek French Valley

  • Shuttle then boat to Refugio Paine Grande
  • Hike to French Valley and return to Refugio Paine Grande (about 15 miles / 2200 foot climb round trip)
  • Dinner at the Refugio
  • Camping at Refugio Paine Grande

Day 13 – W Trek Grey Glacier

  • Hike to Refugio Grey (about 7 miles / 2700 foot climb)
  • Boat to Grey Glacier then Grey Beach
  • Shuttle back to Eco Camp
  • Dinner at Eco camp
  • Lodging – same place (night 3/4)

Day 14 – W Trek Mirador Torres

  • Hike to Mirador Torres and return to Eco Camp(about 14 miles / 3500 foot climb)
  • Dinner at Eco camp
  • Lodging – same place (night 4/4)

Day 15 – to Valparaiso

  • Transfer to Puerto Natales
  • Fly from Puerto Natales to Santiago
  • Pick up rental car
  • Drive to Valparaiso (1h9m drive)
  • Dinner at hotel
  • Lodging – Casa Higueras, Palacio Astoreca (night 1/3)

Day 16 – Valaparaiso

  • Valparaiso walking touring and explore
  • Uber to Vina del Mar
  • Drinks at Kunstmann Craft Bar and /or Mirror Bar. 
  • Dinner at La Concepcion
  • Lodging – same place (night 2/3)

Day 17 – Casablanca Valley wine tasting

Day 18 – Santiago

Day 19 – Home

  • Fly to Buenos Aires and home or fly home directly from Santiago

In-Depth Itinerary

Day 1 – Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is a delightful city -reminiscent of Paris with lovely architecture and beautiful parks. It was once one of the wealthiest cities in the world, although it had declined after years of government mismanagement and a ruinous dictatorship.

Arrive at the Buenos Aires airport. Usually you’ll fly into EZE however you might land at AEP. For safety, use only Uber app or Taxi Ezeiza, the official airport taxi service for transfer. If you’re trying to save money there is also a Tienda Leon Shuttle Bus and Urban Bus Line 8 to downtown. We recommend you download Como Llego (the city transportation app for buses and subway and get a Sube card if you plan to use it to get around downtown Buenos Aires).

Drop your bags off at your hotel. There are two parts of town you should stay in: Palermo or Recoleta. We’d only consider staying in these two places. They’re nice, vibrant, and walkable. If you’re on a budget, our top choice is 248 Finisterra, but Malevo Muraña Hostel is another option. For midrange, we enjoyed our stay at Sofitel Hotel and our other recommendation is Ribera Sur Hotel. For luxury, look at Mio Buenas Aires and Alvear Palace Hotel.

This itinerary depends a little bit on if you are going to want to hire a tour guide. We’re laying this out as if want a tour guide for 6-8 hours on day two. We highly recommend Paola with Tours by Locals. Other good options include Buenos Aires Vision and Eternautas. BA Free Tour offers shorter free walking tours around town (and you can pick which area you want to explore – make sure to tip well!).

If you opt to not use a guide, we have laid out the things to see on the itinerary, day two, but without car transport you may need to move things around to make it all work due to transit times

After checking into your hotel, walk or uber to your choice of Museum(s) Museum of Latin American Art (MALBA) , which showcases pieces by Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Antonio Berni, and Wilfredo Lam amongst others, and /or Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes with old Masters, Impressionist paintings, a large collection of Argentinian painters etc. Be sure and seek out the interesting and historic conquest of Mexico mural here.

There are some lovely gardens in the Palermo district that you may want to visit with time, Jardín Botánico Carlos Thays, Jardín Japonés, Parque Tres de Febrero and Parque El Rosedal. You could also visit these after your tour on day two if you run out of time on day one.

There are a couple of interesting buildings to visit from the Belle Epoque period of Buenos Aires – Teatro Colon (where you can also see operas, concerts) and Palacio Barolo – a commercial office building built from 1919 to 1923. The building was commissioned by one of a number of wealthy Italian expats living in the city and designed by Italian architect Mario Palanti. It’s modeled after the story of Dante’s Divine Comedy, with the lower floors representing hell, the middle floors purgatory, and the top stories heaven. The decor reflects that to some extent, though it’s much more ornate in the lobby and on the lower floors and plainer on the higher floors. Though the building is beautiful on the outside and interesting on the inside, it’s the incredible views that are the real attraction.

Palacio Barolo

For dinner tonight we recommend Roux and for after dinner drinks make your way to the swanky Presidente Bar (or choose from Buenos Aires Restaurants for other dinner and drink options).

Day 2 – Buenos Aires

Start your guided tour with a short ride to Plaza de Mayo. Cafe Tortoni, is a great way to start your day – enjoyable as much for the atmosphere (a French-style cafe that opened in 1858) as for its coffee options. From here, you’re in the perfect spot to explore the historic center.

Plaza de Mayo is the political center of the country. Large protests took place here by grandmothers protesting forced disappearances of their children and grandchildren under the dictatorship in the late 1970’s. Take in Casa Rosada (aka the Government House) . The May Revolution kicked offing this square starting the process of gaining independence from Spain, though Argentina wouldn’t actually become a sovereign nation until 1816. Next visit the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral, which sits on the square’s north side, was once the seat of Pope Francis, and houses the mausoleum of General José de San Martín (an independence hero for Argentina, Chile, and Peru).

Next drive to the La Boca area. La Boca is the neighborhood that is home to the iconic colorful houses and streets you see on the cover of Buenos Aires guide books. El Caminito is the main attraction, where you’ll find the famous cobblestone walkways and colorful houses. This area was originally the old port where tango was born. Along here is effectively an outdoor street museum where artists exhibit their works. You can also take a tour of this district with Buenos Aires Ciudad La Boca Tour, if not on another guided tour. Grab lunch here before heading to your next attraction.

La Boca Neighborhood

The final stop on our tour was Recoleta Cemetery. A remarkable necropolis, the cemetery is a dense maze of mausoleums for prominent families and national heroes, including Eva Perón.

Recoleta Cemetery

This is a good time to visit the many lovely parks of Palermo if you did not get to the day before. Next make your way to visit the Museo Nacional de Arte Decorativo (MNAD) an enormous mansion housing an impressive collection of art and furniture that gives visitors an idea of how the wealthy of Buenos Aires lived in the early twentieth century.

For dinner we recommend La Carnicería and for after dinner drinks (or a light dinner with drinks) head to Floreria Atlantico , a bar hidden underneath a flower shop, or choose from Buenos Aires Restaurants.

If you want to see a tango show now might be the best night. Most tango shows include dinner so you’ll want to factor that into your plans. Some good options include El Querandi, La Ventana, Café de los Angelitos, or El Viejo Almacen.

With more time and if in Buenos Aires on a Sunday rearrange your days to head to San Telmo, the old area famous for its antique stores and a giant flea market on Sundays. . Walk to Casa Ezeiza at Defensa 1179, an old aristocratic mansion from 1874. Then head along Defensa to see the narrowest house in Buenos Aires, La Casa Mínima. Finish your time back at Plaza Dorrego at Feria de San Telmo one of the best antique markets in the world. This is effectively a collection of over 250 booths that sell every vintage item you can think of. If you’re hungry after this, grab a sausage sandwhich at Nuestra Parrilla.

Day 3 – Colonia Del Sacramento (Uruguay)

We recommend you do a day trip to the UNESCO world heritage town of Colonia Del Sacramento in Uruguay. Founded by the Portuguese in 1680, the city was of strategic importance to the Spanish and today is enjoyable for its post-colonial style houses. But if you prefer to not venture out this far, you could instead spend an extra day in Buenos Aires. Alternatively, if you have more time, you could spend the night in Uruguay and extend your exploration with a winery visit or venturing to Carmelo. You could start your day with breakfast at Quotidiano Bar de Pastas or La Alacena before catching the ferry.

You need to catch a ferry to get to Uruguay. There are two primary ferry companies that go here: Buquebus or Colonia Express. We chose Buquebus for its ease (and it turns out they have excellent customer service too!). You will have to get into the ferry line at least an hour before the ferry leaves (remember, you are crossing into another country – do NOT forget your passport). The ferry takes about an hour and fifteen minutes but is a pleasant ride across the Río de la Plata.

In our opinion, the best ticket to buy includes the ferry ride and a walking tour of Colonia Del Sacramento. One of the best things about the tour was learning about the very progressive and unique country of Uruguay. Once you arrive in town, disembark and join your walking tour. Things you should aim to see in town include the Old Town Gate, Plaza de Armas, the charming streets of Colonia (including Calle de Los Suspiros), ruins of San Francisco Convent, the Portón de Campo, El Faro Lighthouse, the Governor’s house, and the promenade and its white sand beaches. There are a few small museums in Colonia Del Sacramento, the most interesting of which are probably Museo del Azulejo, Vivienda Portuguesa, Espacio Dr. B. Rebuffo, Espacio del Azulejo, Espacio Indígena, Archivo Histórico Regional, and the Espacio Español. Read about them and decide if you want to visit any.

Colonia Del Sacramento

We definitely recommend enjoying a leisurely lunch. Some great options for in town include Casa Viera, Calma Coco, Charco Bistro, or Lentas Maravillas. Another popular place to visit is Finca Del Sacramento (a 5 minute drive outside city, where you can try wine that they produce). Some popular dishes include Uruguayan parrilla, a traditional barbecue with a variety of meats, served with white rice and salad and a Chivito, which is the most popular sandwich in Uruguay.  

If you have additional time, a nice place to try the local wine in town is Vinoteca De La Colonia or El Buen Suspiro. Or grab a local beer at Chopería Mastra Colonia or Barbot Brewpub.

Depending on the timing you select, you could also venture to a winery. Some of the closer options (you could arrange a taxi or rent a car for the day) are Finca del Sacramento, Hacienda del Sacramento, Bodega Los Cerros De San Juan, Narbona Wine Lodge, and Viñedos del Quintón. There are a ton of tour companies you can look at that arrange winery visits, including Tours by Locals.

Ferry back to Buenos Aires and grab dinner at Roux or choose from Buenos Aires Restaurants. Grab an after dinner drink at Bar 878 or Chintonería.

Day 4 – Buenos Aires to Iguazu

Either plan to spend your morning in Buenos Aires and catch an afternoon flight to Iguazu or catch an early flight and stop by the Argentinian side of the falls on your way in (as we did).

To a degree, you’re going to have to plan your day around the flight to Iguazu Falls. The direct flights leave from AEP and land in FTE. It’s then an hour plus drive to the hotel (customs at the border can cause long delays depending on how many people are visiting). If your flight is early enough you should first visit the Argentina side of the falls. Take the tourist train then walk out on the boardwalk to the Garganta de Diablo overlook You could fly into the Brazilian side, but as of this post, there are no direct flights from Buenos Aires and flight with transfers in Rio or Sao Paulo take 6+ hours.. Either plan to rent a car or arrange with your hotel for a transfer from the airport if flying into FTE.

Garganta de Diablo – Argentinian Iguazu Falls

Iguaza falls is really amazing. It’s not just one falls, it is a massive waterfall system spanning across miles of cliffs. Really the most impressive waterfalls in the world. When Eleanor Roosevelt saw them her comment was “oh my poor Niagra”. The falls are a UNESCO world heritage site and contained within two national parks – one in Argentina and one in Brazil. The Argentinian side allows you to look over the falls, the Brazilian side provides the best panoramic views of them.

There is exactly one hotel we recommend staying in: Hotel de Cataratas. Yes, it’s expensive but it sits in the park over the falls and offers unlimited views from the Brazilian side (which is where you want your views from). Perhaps more importantly you can walk the park trails and get amazing views of the falls after and before the park closes to people not staying at this hotel. You park your car just inside the entrance and get a free shuttle to the hotel. I’d scrimp elsewhere in the trip to be able to stay here.

Have dinner and drinks at the hotel (there’s several excellent restaurant offerings).

Day 5 – Iguazu

Get up early and walk down to the end of the walking circuit where there is a boardwalk across the river to a location where you are literally surrounded by waterfalls. There is even an elevator back up to the road and then you can catch one of the park busses back to the hotel (check times they start running if you go before the park opens), By going early you may have the whole place to yourself. The other main thing to plan on today is the Macuco Safari where you take a boat right up to (and into) the falls. Prepare to get soaked. Other things you can do include stargazing, a visit to Parque da Aves Conecta (an excellent bird refuge – right outside the park entrance), a helicopter tour to get an overview of the falls from above (highly recommended), a visit to Bela Vista Biological Refuge (a preserve to help species at risk of extinction), hiking either the Caminho Das Bananeiras Trail (1.3 km) or Ytepopo Trail (5 km). If you did not see the Argentinian side on the day you arrived, consider a trip over there although as we said, the border crossing/immigration can be very lengthy).

Part of Iguazu falls
You can see the amazing setting of the Hotel de Cataratas

Day 6 – Iguazu to El Chalten

Today is a long travel day. The distance from Iguazu to El Chalten is 2400 miles. Drive to the airport (about a hour, depending on customs) then fly from AEP to El Calafate (FTE). You will have to fly through Buenos Aires as there are no direct flights. The shortest journey takes a little over 6 hours including the layover. Once you land, pick up your rental car and drive to El Chalten (2h21m drive) – we warned you it’s a very long travel day. Fortunately it is an attractive drive

Dusck along the road to El Chalten

Check into your lodging. We recommend the Los Cerros del Chalten Boutique Hotel, where you can get a very good meal as well.

Day 7 – Mt Fitzroy hike

The big thing to do in Patagonia is trek / hike. There are a couple of iconic world – class day hikes in Argentina Patagonia and we suggest you do both. The first one is the event for today – the 14 mile / 3454 feet round trip (or 14 miles point to point – more on that below) hike to Laguna de Los Tres below Mt Fitzroy. Yes it’s a big hike but excellent.

There are two options for how to do this hike. The first one starts right in El Chalten and the north end of Avenida San Martin. You can drive, cab, or walk to the trailhead from the hotel. Pay the fee and start the steady but not particularly steep climb. It levels out after a couple of miles and is relatively flat until you reach the base of the last climb (at about 9km). There are great views along the way. From here it is a steep 1500 foot climb on a rocky trail over about a mile to get to the lake. . On your way back down (or up) take a short detour to Lago de Capri.

Your second option is to get a cab to the El Pilar / Electrico trailhead and then walk up to Fitzroy and end up back at the trailhead in El Chalten. Be advised that once you are the Electrico trailhead you are committed to the full walk as you won’t be able to get a cab back (no cell service). There is a pay booth so be sure and bring money. The advantage to doing the hike this way is that it is not out and back and in good weather you can add a view of more glaciers along the way and the climb to where you start up the rocky last mile is more gradual than the one out of El Chalten (though the total elevation gain and mileage are fairly similar).

Lago de los Tres and Mt Fitzroy

Return to El Chalten and get dinner at the excellent The Asadores (get reservations, it’s small) or pick a different place from the night before

Day 8 -Laguna Torre hike

Today’s hike leaves only a short distance from the hotel. The hike is much easier than the one the day before and we highly recommend that you start in the dark and time the hike to arrive for dawn at the Mirador del Torre viewpoint (about 2 miles) to catch the morning light on the peaks. Continue along a river valley until you arrive a beautiful Laguna Torre. This hike is about 12 miles round trip but only gains about 800 feet. If you start before dawn you should be back in town for lunch.

In the afternoon, hop back in the car for a 2 1/2 hour drive back to El Calafate. The drive itself is fairly scenic passing several lakes, with the Andes in the background. El Calafate is a much larger town than El Chalten. You can stop for a drink or dinner in town or head straight to your lodging and eat there. We think that the most interesting lodgings are out of the town in former (or current) estancias (sheep ranches). Choices include El Galpon del Glacier (located right on the lake with availability to arrange horseback rides and a ranching demonstration / barbecue, and the very upscale Eola lodge . There are also several other excellent but more remote Estancias in the area (Nibepo Aike (1.5 hours from El Calafate), Estancia Cristina (only accessible by boat – figure nearly a day to get there).

Day 9 – Perito Moreno Glacier

The biggest draw in the El Chalten area is the Perito Merino Glacier. It’s about 1 h 20 m drive to the glacier overlook walkways. We suggest booking a boat tour with safari nautico for an hour cruise up to the mile long face of the 97 square mile glacier that spills into Lago Argentina. Coming off the enormous southern Patagonia ice field, for years (until 2020) this was one of the few growing glaciers in the world. Alas it looks like climate change is now catching up here as well. You can also contact Hielo and Aventura for trekking adventures out on the ice. After your boat tour or trek, be sure and continue a short distance to the overlook trails where a series of boardwalks give you a great view over the enormous glacier.

Perito Moreno Glacier
Walking on the Glacier

In the afternoon drive back to El Calafate for a beer at La Zorra Taproom, or wine tasting at La Tenda de Vinos. Grab dinner in town before returning to your estancia.

Day 10 – El Calafate

Today is a great day for a leisurely wander around the estancia grounds and a/or horseback ride. Patagonia is a land of enormous sheep ranches (usually tens of thousands of acres) and for a time much of the worlds wool came from Patagonia.

Dawn at El Galpon de Glacier
Horseback riding at the Estancia

Alternatively you can take a boat tour on Lago Argentine to another glacier, the Upsala glacier.

If you have extra time, El Calafate has several brew pubs and other places to get a drink

We stayed at El Galpon del Glacier and after a horseback ride along the lake and to a nearby river joined an afternoon demonstration of sheep shearing and the a barbecue dinner at the lodging

Gauchos

Day 11 – El Calafate Argentine to Eco Camp in Chile

There are a couple of famous treks in the Torre de Paine national park – the O trek (goes all the way around the mountain – generally about 8 days, and the W trek – hits the most scenic parts – about three days (not including getting there). Doing the W trek can be done camping with your own stuff, camping – renting a tent and potentially sleeping bag from the Refugio, or getting a dorm room in the refugio. None of them are cheap – even camping on your own has some pretty steep fees. You can get meals at the refugio’s but they are also pretty pricey (it was around $100US per day for meals when we looked into it and the food was, shall we say, somewhat edible). Logistics is also challenging – you will need to arrange transport to the park, buses to the boat and from the trailhead, boat cruise , and camping / Refugio reservations. Unlike in the US and Canada you must camp in designated campgrounds (which we didn’t think looked all that great). To make it more complicated there are two different companies that own the Refugios and you must deal with two websites to book them. If you are not booking far in advance it can be challenging to find dates where everything will work for you. Not to say it can’t be done but for these reasons many people use a service to arrange the booking. Given the MUCH better accommodations and food, and the fact that they arrange everything, consider the Eco Camp. There are several hotels in the park that can also help with transportation logistics, but they are very expensive, ranging from $600 – 3000 or more per night, depending on dates.

Today is another travel day. Arrange with the Eco Camp for a transfer from El Calafate to the Eco Camp. We booked via Falshpackers for the Eco Camp and transfer but the lodge can probably arrange as well. There are a couple of options – a couple of buses (arranged via the Eco Camp) that takes about 9 hours – OR a private transfer (also arranged by them) that took more like 4 hours. Part of the delay is crossing the border into Chile (everyone needs to get off shuttle or bus for passport control and it can take a while. In any case arrive at the Eco Camp and get a drink / settle in and have dinner at the lodge. This is an interesting place – a series of geodesic domes with central meeting area/ restaurant / bar and outdoor deck areas with views of the Paine de Torres. You can opt for more basic rooms (no heating, shared bathrooms) or the fancier domes with en suite bathroom and heater We recommend staying here both for the nice accommodations/ atmosphere / good food but also for the logistics of doing the trek. If you have non trekkers there are day programs each day to keep them entertained as well.

Eco Camp Patagonia

Day 12 – Hike to French Valley

Today after breakfast you will need to pack up your stuff and vacate your room (since you will be camping tonight) and climb on a shuttle to the boat on Pehoe Lake. From here ride across the lake past a couple of waterfalls and arrive at Refugio Paine Grande. You’ll leave your overnight gear /change of clothes and walk with just a day pack up to the French Valley overlook. Along the way you walk along a lake with great views over the multicolored Paine Mastiff and then walk ups along the creek coming down the French Valley. Generally you will stop for lunch at the Italiano campground before continuing up the creek to a nice overview of the French Glacier and French valley then returning the way you cam back to the Refugio. Here you will have dinner, get your tent assigned and pick up your sleeping bag.

On the drive to the boat
Los Cuernos del Paine
French Valley

Day 12 – Refugio Paine Grande to Grey Lake

In the morning grab a somewhat edible breakfast, turn in your sleeping bag, pack your bag and head up though a valley to a trail around Grey Lake – about 7 miles. Arrive at Grey Lake Refugio for lunch, the catch the Grey Lake boat which heads up to the beautiful Grey glacier then back to Grey beach with then a short walk to the bus back to the Eco Lodge for good food, drinks, and a hot shower.

Grey Glacier

Day 13 – Hike to Mirador Torres del Paine and back

This is the biggest day of the trek. Depending on when you are traveling you may start before dawn, hike up over a small pass, then drop down into the valley and arrive in a couple hours at Refugio Chileno, where you will have a short break before continuing up the valley for another hour and a half. The last part is an hour or so steep climb up to the Mirador – and a glacial lake right at the base of the towers (the climb is reminiscent of the one up to Fitzroy). Eat lunch at the Mirador before returning the way you came and arrive back in the afternoon at the Lodge.

Day 14 – Transfer to Puerto Natales, fly to Santiago, drive to Valparaiso

In the morning after breakfast the lodge will arrange a transfer to the tiny airport in Puerto Natales (when booking flights be sure you use this airport – there is one further away in the larger town of Punta Arenas but it is quite a bit further away. If you are there before mid March you may want to consider adding a Punta Arenas as a stop in order to view the colonies of Penguins nearby however.

View back to the mountains from the road

From Puerto Natales it’s a 3 hour flight to Santiago (Chile is a long country). Pick up a rental can and make the easy hour drive to Valparaiso (though be aware that driving in the town of Valparaiso itself can be challenging due to narrow streets and steep hills. Fortunately once at your hotel no need to drive until you leave town. You can grab dinner at your hotel

Day 15 – Valparaiso

Valparaiso’s historic quarter is a UNESCO world heritage site due to its unique setting, history, and architecture. It was a critically important point for most of the 19th century, as it was the stopping off point for trade around the Straights of Magellan on the way to the Pacific. Nicknamed a mini San Francisco, european families settled here and looking around you see houses of French, Italian, German, and Spanish style. It is a vert steep town and is served by numerous historic funiculars. In 1914 the Panama Canal opened and Valparaiso fell on hard time. As with many places around the world, the economic decline meant that the old city remains relatively intact. Always colorful, street art began appearing in the 1960’s and 70’s and now is actively supported by the local government. There is almost no part of the historic where you won’t see extensive and excellent murals.

Arrange a walking tour to get an overview of Valparaiso history and introduction to the historic funiculars and street art. Valparaiso is a great place to just wander around as well.

In the afternoon, grab an uber over to nearby Vina del Mar. This is the beach resort for the Valparaiso area and feels much more modern and upscale than slightly grungy Valparaiso. wander along the beach and gardens and grab a drink at one of the many bars.

Vina de Mar

Uber back to the hotel then walk the short distance to dinner at La Concepcion with great views over the Valparaiso harbor

After dinner walk back to your hotel and consider a dip in the hot tub.

Day 17 – Valparaiso

Grab your car and negotiate the narrow hill streets and head the short distance (about 45 minutes) to the nearby Casablanca Valley. If Valparaiso is little San Francisco, Casablanca valley is like the Napa Valley. Cool ocean breezes make different grape varieties than more inland areas (including white wines). Like virtually every wine growing region around the world we have visited, the scenery is lovely. There are a lot on wineries to choose from (see list), but we suggest pacing yourself and picking around three. We do recommend making reservations – just driving up is not much of a thing here, We started at Villard Wines with its excellent wines and beautiful tasting potion, continued on the Bodegas RE with it’s unique and historic clay jar fermentation, and then headed to the very intimate tasting experience at Attilio and Mochi. Drive back to your hotel in Valparaiso, then Uber or walk to fantastic dinner atLa Cuperucita and El Lobo. This excellent restaurant is out of the main historic district but is on a small hill (everything is on a hill here) in the owner’s grandmother’s house.

Casablanca Valley winery

Day 18 – Valparaiso to Santiago

After breakfast at the hotel, drive the hour or so back to Santiago, park your car, drop your bags and head out to explore Santiago. While Valparaiso is little San Francisco with hills and a bit of bohemian atmosphere, Santiago is like LA – sort of sprawling with mountains in the background and a seeming series of downtown high rise areas popping up around town.. The historic center is attractive enough, but it’s no Buenos Aires.

Walk out to the Plaza de Armes, and see the presidential palace and cathedral. From here it is a short walk down a shopping street to the historic Mercado Central, which is also full of restaurants and is a good place to grab lunch.

Plaza de Armes

From here wander down the leafy boulevard to the cable car ay Metropolitan park and ride the cable car up to see the view from the shrine at the top and continue on the cable car across the mountaintop park (then return).

Santiago from the cable car

In the afternoon head over to the Museum of Precolumbian art, then climb up Santa Lucia hill for sunset views before heading to dinner

Day 19 – Heading home

You can fly out of Santiago or you might find better connections by flying back to Buenos Aires (about 2 hours) then home from there

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