Getting Around Mendoza

Mendoza's city center is compact and walkable, but the wine regions are spread out across three areas at different distances. Here is how to get in, get around, and reach the bodegas safely.

Getting to Mendoza

Most visitors arrive at El Plumerillo International Airport (MDZ), about 20 minutes north of the center, with frequent flights from Buenos Aires (under two hours) and some regional connections. Long-distance buses link Mendoza to the rest of Argentina and to Santiago de Chile over the Andes; the bus terminal sits just east of downtown. A taxi or rideshare from the airport to the center is quick and inexpensive.

Around the city

The center is laid out on a grid around five plazas and is easily covered on foot, including Plaza Independencia, the pedestrian shopping streets, and the Avenida Aristides Villanueva bar strip. The vast Parque General San Martin is a short ride west and large enough that a taxi to the Cerro de la Gloria monument saves a long uphill walk. Taxis and rideshare apps are cheap and the simplest way to move around at night.

The golden rule of wine touring: don't drive and taste

The wine regions are the reason most people come, and how you reach them matters. Never drive yourself if you plan to taste. There are three good options:

• Private remis (driver-guide): The most flexible and stress-free choice. A driver handles navigation on rural roads, timing between bodegas, and reservations, and waits while you taste and lunch. Affordable by international standards, especially split among a group.
• Organized tour: Small-group half-day and full-day tours cover all three regions, including the far Uco Valley, with transport, reservations, and often lunch arranged for you. Ideal if you don't want to plan logistics.
• Bicycle (Maipu only): Maipu is flat, close to the city, and has bodegas clustered close together, making it perfect for a self-guided bike tour. Rental companies set you up with a route. Pace your tastings and start early.

Distances to the wine regions

• Maipu: ~15-20 minutes from the city. Closest and easiest; great for cycling.
• Lujan de Cuyo: ~40 minutes south. The traditional Malbec heartland; close enough for rideshare.
• Uco Valley: ~90 minutes south. The most scenic but a long day; a driver or tour is strongly advised.

Reaching the mountains

For the high Andes, Ruta Nacional 7 runs west toward the Chilean border, passing Potrerillos lake, Cacheuta hot springs, and the Aconcagua viewpoint. These trips involve long mountain driving, so most travelers join a tour or hire a driver rather than self-drive.

Quick recommendation

Walk the city, take cheap taxis at night, cycle Maipu if you like, and book a private driver or tour for Lujan de Cuyo, the Uco Valley, and any Andes excursion. Reserve wineries a few days ahead.