Compare Chile: Cities, Lakes & Volcanoes by Great Value Vacations vs Land of Wines in Chile & Argentina by Say Hueque

Day 1: Welcome to Santiago!

Accommodation: Hotel Torremayor Lyon

Touch down in the sunny city of Santiago! Immerse yourself in fascinating history, colonial architecture, and sweeping natural beauty in Chile's capital and largest city. Feel your eyes widen as you gawk at the sight of the majestic snow-capped Andes that surround the vibrant city.

Enjoy a comfortable ride to your first luxurious hotel and check-in. Once you're all settled, start exploring! Head to the upscale neighborhood of Providencia and treat yourself to a decadent first-night dinner. Try some traditional Chilean favorites, like Pastel de Choclo or Cazuela, a hearty homemade stew!

Transfer from Santiago airport (SCL) to Santiago hotel

Day 2: Santiago

Wake up smiling, enjoy breakfast, and get ready for your first fun-filled day in Chile! Grab your camera and embark on a tour of Santiago's historical downtown. Explore the Plaza de Armas, City Hall, the Cathedral, and much more.

After the tour, consider roaming around Santiago's artsy, bright Bellavista neighborhood. Discover unique street art, browse around handmade craft shops, and indulge in some tasty snacks at authentic empanada joints!

Santiago Historical Downtown City Tour

Explore Santiago, Chile's capital, which is nestled in the central valley, right below the majestic Andes. Feel the legacy of the "Mapuche" natives, who inhabited this land during the Pre-Colombian era, as well as the modernity of a thriving, booming city. Stroll along beautiful streets, visit interesting museums, admire amazing architecture, and learn all about the city's fascinating history.

Depart from your hotel and get ready to explore! Journey towards the city center, where you will see all of the main attractions. You will visit the Plaza de Armas, where you'll see the Cathedral of Santiago, the Municipality, the Post Office Building, the National History Museum, and more! Stand in awe of the gorgeous Government Palace, where you'll have the opportunity to walk through some of the most traditional streets and neighborhoods in Chile.

The fun's not over yet! Head uptown along the Costanera Highway until you reach the elegant Vitacura neighborhood and the Alonso de Cordova Avenue. Check out the FABA handicraft shop, which specializes in lapis lazuli jewelry, a semi-precious stone found only in Chile and Afghanistan. To conclude a fabulous tour, enjoy a traditional pisco sour while appreciating the beautiful spectacle of colorful jewelry.

Day 3: Santiago

Ahh, a day at leisure to relax in Santiago - what could be better? Recharge with a pleasant breakfast, then venture out!

Today, head to the Central Market (Mercado Central) and walk through stalls and stands of fresh seafood, local delicacies, and fresh produce and spices. This market is more than just a place to shop; it's a colorful spectacle of art and culture!

Are you a literature lover? If so, check out La Chascona, the former residence of Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda! Visit this home-turned-museum on your own, or splurge for a guided tour. The building's unique architecture and wacky shapes and colors will make you feel like you're in a wonderland of creativity!

In the afternoon, make your way to Santa Lucia Hill (Cerro Santa Lucia) and/or St. Christopher Hill (Cerro San Cristobal). These beyond-gorgeous hilltop parks boast some of the best views in Santiago, so make sure your camera is fully charged! Feast your eyes on an unforgettable sunset over the city's surrounding mountainscape.

Day 4: Santiago - Puerto Varas

Accommodation: Cabana del Lago

Say "see ya" to Santiago (for now) and jet off to the bright blue lakeside city of Puerto Varas! Nestled on the banks of Lake Llanquihue, Puerto Varas boasts quaint German-style architecture, which is reflective of its colonial past! In this picturesque city, you'll feel overwhelmed by the beauty of the picture-perfect snow-capped Osorno and Calbuco Volcanos that can be seen from every angle.

On the way to your hotel, enjoy an included private city tour of Puerto Montt and Puerto Varas! After the tour, check-in to your hotel and take delight in a lovely evening at leisure.

Transfer from Santiago hotel to Santiago airport (SCL)

Fly to Puerto Varas!

Transfer from Puerto Montt airport (PMC) to Puerto Varas hotel

Private city tour of Puerto Montt and Puerto Varas (en-route from airport to Puerto Varas hotel)

Explore Puerto Varas, known as the "City of Roses." The city is famous for its German traditions mixed with Chilean culture, and some of its highlights are the wooden architecture, local food and crafts, the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church and Costanera Avenue.

The tour continues to Puerto Montt, the region's capital and a commercial and fishing center. As you tour the city, located on the shore of the Pacific Ocean, enjoy panoramic views of the bay and Tenglo Bay. In Puerto Montt, see the cathedral, the colorful seafood market where fishermen going about their daily business, and the handicrafts market of Angelmó with a variety of copper, wool, wood and lapis lazuli products.

Day 5: Puerto Varas

Refuel with a yummy breakfast, then look forward to a day of volcanoes, lakes, and waterfalls! Embark on an unforgettable excursion to Peulla, where you'll sail atop picturesque Lake Santos and see several active volcanoes up-close!

Peulla Excursion with lunch

Grab your camera and get ready for a day of natural beauty, outdoor activities, and local cuisine. Depart from your hotel in Puerto Varas and head towards the south shore of Lake Llanquihue until you reach Vincente Perez Rosales Park, where you'll appreciate the sparkling spectacle of Petrohue River Falls! Watch the river water flow over the volcanic lava rocks, creating a true feast for the eyes.

Next stop, Peulla, a small ecological village of 120 inhabitants! Sail on the glistening waters of Todos Los Santos Lake for about 1 hour and 45 minutes, where you'll spot the impressive Osorno, Puntiagudo, and Tronador Volcanoes. In Peulla, you'll have the chance to partake in some outdoor activities, visit the Bridal Veil waterfall, and enjoy a delicious lunch.

Day 6: Puerto Varas – Santiago

Accommodation: Hotel Torremayor Lyon

After breakfast, hop on a quick flight back to Santiago. Once you're all re-settled into your hotel, spend your last full day in Chile discovering new treasures, or revisiting your favorite sites!

Santiago is filled with interesting museums, like the Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art, the National Museum of Fine Arts, and the Museum of Memory and Human Rights (free). Get your history on and check them out!

Unwind with a glass of local wine and treat yourself to a delicious last night meal.

Transfer from Puerto Varas hotel to Puerto Montt airport (PMC)

Fly to Santiago!

Transfer from Santiago airport (SCL) to Santiago hotel

Day 7: Depart Chile

Squeeze all your souvenirs into your luggage and enjoy a convenient ride to the airport. As you take off, wave goodbye to Chile, then spend the flight home dreaming about your next adventure.

Transfer from Santiago hotel to Santiago airport (SCL)

Fly home!

Day 1: Welcome to Your Wine Tours Travel Experience - Santiago de Chile

Transfer from the airport to your hotel in Santiago – Day at leisure

Upon arrival in Santiago, we’ll meet and drive you to your hotel. Your wine tasting tours start in two days so make the most of your time while you’re in this city!

Between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, this modern city offers all kinds of attractions for curious travelers. From different viewpoints in the city, you can see the natural beauties surrounding Santiago; the snow-capped mountains, and the beautiful Valle del Maipo, where the best Chilean wine is produced.

Santiago de Chile is known as the home of Pisco Sour, the delicious Cabernet Sauvignon, and the “Sanhattan” district, which is a stylish fusion between Manhattan and Santiago, and heaven on earth for enthusiastic shoppers.

Day 2: City Tour in Santiago De Chile

Discover the vivid capital of Chile and learn more about its eventful past through the most important sites of Santiago de Chile. Admire the Hidalgo castle and have incredible views of the city from Santa Lucia hill. Pass through the Constitution Square and the palace ‘La Moneda’, the current seat of the government. Walk to ‘Plaza de Armas’, the main square, surrounded by the Metropolitan Cathedral, the palace of the Royal High Court, the Main Post Office and other buildings of historical interest. Visit the San Cristobal hill for even more amazing panoramic views and the Central Market to see the great variety of Chilean seafood.

Day 3: Wine Tours Chile - Valparaíso 

Visit Casablanca Valley on the way to Valparaiso and learn about the winemaking process of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, the most famous white wines of this region. 

City tour in Valparaíso

After this wine tasting tour, discover the quirky town of Valparaíso and stroll through bohemian neighborhoods that offer spectacular views over the Pacific Ocean. This picturesque city was declared World Heritage by UNESCO. Unwind at Viña del Mar, a jet set resort of yesteryear, visiting the pier and the coastline with some of its beaches.

Day 4: Wine Tours in Chile II - Maipo Valley Vineyards

Travel to Maipo Valley, the oldest wine producing region in Chile

Head to Maipo Valley, the oldest wine-producing valley in Chile and considered the home of one of Chile’s best Cabernet Sauvignon. Visit Pérez Cruz is one of the most recognized boutique wineries in Maipo Valley in recent years. Pérez Cruz modern installations are reflected in its winery building architecture, which was conceived to harmonize with the surroundings and avoid the abrupt interruption of the rural landscape. Head to the Alto Jahuel sector to visit the Santa Rita winery, which won important prizes and gained the respect of the experts. After seeing the wine cellars, storage and bottling plant, taste two of its delicious wines.

Day 5: Continue Your Wine Tour in Mendoza - Argentina

Transfer from your hotel to the bus station / Transfer to your hotel in Mendoza

At the appropriate time, you will be transferred to Santiago’s bus station and you’ll take a bus to Mendoza in Argentina. Upon arrival at Mendoza airport, we will drive you to your hotel.

Mendoza is the heartland of the Malbec grape (and other tasty types) and home of impressive mountains like the forbidding Aconcagua, the tantalizing summit for seasoned climbers around the world. it’s the top eclectic destination of Argentina. From snow-capped mountains to untamed rivers and sunny vineyards, there is an option for every taste. This is the perfect destination for romantic getaways but also the right place to go for healthy impressive outdoor sports—adventurous, hiking, rafting, rappel, and zipline among many others. Summertime is the best period for adventure!

Day 6: Full-Day Wineries Tour - Mendoza

At the appropriate time you will be picked up from your hotel and driven to the vineyards area, the region of Luján de Cuyo, which is well-known as the cradle of Malbec with its centuries-old vineyards at the base of the imposing Andes Mountains. In the course of 6 hours you will enjoy your first wine tasting tour in Mendoza, and visit two different wineries accompanied by a specialized guide.

Today you will experience Argentine wine and learn all about it, including how it is produced, which grapes are grown and how the industry has been developed. But not just that, you will also have the chance to taste it and decide which one is your favorite!

Day 7: Day at Leisure in Mendoza

Day at leisure in Mendoza – Optional tours

Take the day to shop your favorite wines, relax in one of the many green parks with the locals, have lunch in a vineyard or maybe choose one of our optional tours, such as rafting, horse riding or even fly fishing.

Be impressed by the exquisite cuisine of Mendoza taking part in a very unique culinary experience where the cook will teach you how to prepare a traditional recipe that you will later enjoy during dinner. Learn the most primitive method of glowing red flames and smoky ambers to cook vegetables and meat whilst you delight your senses with proper wine pairings of different blends produced in the region.

Day 8: Travel From Mendoza to Buenos Aires

Transfer from your hotel to Mendoza airport / Transfer to your hotel

This is the end of your wine tour in Chile and Mendoza! At the appropriate time, you will be transferred to the airport, and upon arrival in Buenos Aires, we’ll drive you to your hotel.

Buenos Aires Tasting Walking Tour

Have you ever “tasted” a city? Today we will pick you up at your hotel and with a local culinary guide, we will discover the flavors and rhythm of Buenos Aires.

Our walk will begin on Corrientes Avenue, the Broadway of Buenos Aires, full of theaters, cinemas, and bookshops. Savor its Spanish and Italian heritage in emblematic pizzerias (you will beat the lunch rush at famous pizzería Guerrin) and mingle with locals in historical cafes.

On this walking tour, you will visit one of the historic neighborhoods of Buenos Aires: you will get a taste of Argentine architecture too! The tour will show you the gastronomy and architecture of the area, in an active way.

You will learn about the great Spanish and Italian influence that Argentina inherited after its great migratory waves from 1850. You will never have a city that tasted so good before! At the end of the tour, you will have a transfer back to your hotel.

Day 9: City Tour & Tango Show - Buenos Aires

Half-day city tour through Buenos Aires

In the morning we will pick you up from your hotel to enjoy our 5-hour Buenos Aires walking city tour. Depending on your hotel location and your interests, you can choose to explore either the Northern area of the city or the Southern area.

Over the course of a half-day, you will have the chance to visit the historical and political center of the city; Plaza de Mayo, and the Pink House (the presidential house). Southern destinations include San Telmo, the oldest residential neighborhood, and La Boca where Buenos Aires turns colorful and tango is ever-present. Come walk Caminito Street and dance with the locals.

Northern tours in Buenos Aires include the chic and aristocratic Recoleta, where the big palaces remind us why Buenos Aires is called the “Paris of the South”. Visit the amazing architecture of the Recoleta Cemetery, the local café La Biela, and the National Museum of Fine Arts.

No matter how much research you have done, you always learn something unexpected when taking a walking tour, not just from the official information, but often from the unscripted moments of chitchat with your tour guide…and (why not) with other locals! After enjoying this tour, our guide will take you back to your hotel.

Dinner and tango show

In the evening we’ll pick you up from your hotel to take you to a mystical place where you’ll discover one of our most ancient traditions. Tango is more than our national dance… tango is our immigrant origins, the talent of our local artists, the sensuality of Argentine women, and our way of dealing with a broken heart; dancing our way through tragic, and yet eternal, love stories.

Tonight you will enjoy a 3-hour professional display of tango and music with a group of local artists onstage immersed in an elegant and alluring place. The manners, ambiance, clothes, and dance steps that tango-lovers used to practice 100 years ago will come to life again and you will travel back in time for a night.

This spectacular tango show in Buenos Aires will be accompanied by delicious Argentine and international cuisine. Dinner is all-inclusive, beverages included so you can lose yourself in the ethereal taste of Malbec wine. At the end of the evening, around midnight, you will be driven back to your hotel, fully in love with the bohemian spirit of our incredible city.

Day 10: The End of Your Wine Tours to Mendoza and Chile

Transfer from your hotel to Buenos Aires airport

It’s the last day of your wine tours to Argentina and Chile… we hope to see you back here soon! At the appropriate time, we’ll pick you up from your hotel and drive you to the international airport to take your flight back home.

Did you know that Patagonia is just 3 hours away by plane from Buenos Aires? If you want to discover these southern natural wonders, we have some trip ideas so you can keep on exploring Argentina.