Gay Mendoza: gay travel guide to the wine capital of Argentina

We took a wonderful wineries tour and found it to be the perfect way to get familiar with Argentinian wine and the many bodegas. We were picked up by Fabio, a very charismatic English speaking guide, who took us to three different wineries in the area. Each visit included a tour and wine tasting. We also had an outstanding lunch at the award-winning Ruca Malen bodega, famous for its food and wine pairing experience.

A more simple way to visit the bodegas is to rent a bicycle from your hotel and visit them independently. We recommend calling the bodegas in advance to tell them you're coming as they have different opening/closing times. You could also join an organised cycling tour of the wineries. We found having a group and a guide is a great way to avoid getting lost or riding off the road after having tastings at a few different vineyards!

After visiting quite a few bodegas, we wanted to explore a different side of Mendoza, so we decided to visit an olive oil plantation and we absolutely loved it! Everyone gets so into grapes that it's easy to neglect another popular fruit grown in abundance here: olives! Olive oil production is also famous in Mendoza. Touring an olive oil plantation and factory is a fun way to learn about Mendoza's olive industry. We really enjoyed visiting the Olivicola Laur olive oil factory and seeing the trees as well as learning about how they produce their products, with lots of tasting samples!

Don't think that there's nothing to do but tour vineyards during your time in Mendoza. Since you're so close to the beautiful Andes mountains you can also go trekking to take in the breathtaking surrounds. This full-day trekking tour from Mendoza will take you along the La Angostura ravine with views of the Potreillos Dam and some of the highest peaks of the range. After your trek, you'll be able to enjoy a traditional Argentinian asado barbecue with local wines.

Another fun and unique activity we recommend in Mendoza is horse riding through the Andes mountains. We did this as a day trip, starting from an authentic Argentinian ranch, and spending the day enjoying the stunning scenery of the Andes mountains. This incredible gaucho experience includes a traditional Argentinian asado lunch before returning back to your accommodation. Speaking with fellow gay travellers in the region we definitely agreed this was one of the highlights of our trip in Argentina if only just for the views: simply breathtaking!

If you want to explore a bit of the area surrounding Mendoza then a day tour to the Atuel Canyon and San Rafael is a must-do. You'll be able to admire the stunning views of the Uco Valley before arriving at the colonial town of Villa 25 de mayo. Afterwards, you'll be taken to the incredible gorge of Atuel Canyon, which features unique rock formations with names like “The Hanging Gardens” and “The Wax Museum. You'll also get to explore San Rafael before heading back to Mendoza.

After all that trekking and/or bike riding to vineyards you might be feeling a bit tired and sore, so why not relax at a thermal spa? This natural thermal grotto has been expanded on to become a very unique location for rejuvenation, relaxation and a variety of treatments. There are outdoor thermal pools as well as indoor relaxation pools, mineral mud therapy, massage services, Finnish and Scottish style showers. The Cacheuta Thermal Spa is about a 40-minute drive out of the city so if you don't have your own car you can join this tour which takes you to the spa to relax for an entire day.

Don't forget, what with all that wine-tasting, to spend some time exploring the beautiful and historic city of Mendoza itself. Spots you should not miss include the Plaza Independencia, La Alameda and Cerro de la Gloria. There are a variety of interesting museums including the Casa de Fader, a historic house museum full of art and the Museo Nacional del Vino – National Wine Museum! You could also join a tour to learn about the history and culture of the city, like this one which includes a visit to the gorgeous San Martin Park (pictured here).

The Uco Valley is another area near to Mendoza that is renowned for its delicious local wines and beautiful scenery. This area makes for another lovely day trip where you can enjoy stunning views of Lake Potrerillos and Tupungato mountain while visiting vineyards. You could also explore the wine trails at the foot of the Andes mountains on a tour which includes a visit to three different off-the-beaten-path wineries and a gourmet lunch at a 5-star resort.

As well as being a great location for visiting the Andes mountains and wine tasting, Mendoza also offers a whole host of exciting activities to get your adrenaline pumping. If cycling through vineyards is too tame for you then you could go mountain-biking in the Potrerillos Valley instead; and if trekking isn't exciting enough you could try white water river rafting on the Mendoza river. This is definitely a place for thrill-seekers as well as wine-lovers to visit!

Azafrán is one of our favourite restaurants in Mendoza. They offer traditional Argentinian cuisine with a modern twist and the meals are absolutely to die for. Try one of their six-course degustation menus to sample dishes such as beef tartar, octopus with seaweed, rabbit escabeche and a variety of sorbets. The sommeliers are on-hand to help you pick the perfect wine pairings for every course. Azafrán is open 7 days from midday until midnight.

Ruca Malen is a beautiful winery with views of the Andes that has also become known for having one of the best winery restaurants in the country. You can visit for a tour of the vineyards with a picnic but we would definitely recommend that you try their amazing five-step tasting menu matched with their best wines which was as you can imagine an unforgettable experience for the Nomadic Boys. Ruca Malen endeavours to only use ingredients produced in Mendoza in their delicious dishes, with many grown onsite. The restaurant is only open for lunch but what a lunch it will be!

If you're worried about all the Argentinian meat on offer in Mendoza don't, because the lovely Caléndula cafe and restaurant serves the most fantastic vegetarian food in the city! The meals are exquisite with many vegan, gluten-free and lactose-free options as well. There are also regular live music shows and local art exhibitions in this colourful space. Caléndula is open Monday-Saturday from 9am until 10 or 11 pm.

Often described as the best restaurant in the city and housed in a winery dating from 1884 (hence the name) is 1884 Restaurante Francis Mallmann (or just Mallmann's to locals). The food, wine and cocktails are all exceptional here; as is the courtyard/garden area with fires that is lovely for lounging around after your meal. This is probably also one of the most expensive restaurants in Mendoza, but perfect for splurging on a special occasion!

El Retortuño is a restaurant/cultural hall that puts on live performances to showcase music and dance of the region. Sure, we found El Retortuño to be a little bit on the touristy side, but it is a great way to get introduced to the singing and traditional folkloric dances of the region while sampling some delicious typical Argentinian cuisine. Visitors are free to join in with the dancing and the small space feels very intimate and homey. El Retortuño is only open on Friday and Saturday nights but it's definitely worth a visit.

Travel insurance: For your trip to Argentina, you should think of getting a good travel insurance so that you are protected in the case of injury, illness, theft or cancellations beyond your control. We love Heymondo travel insurance; we've been using them for years and cannot recommend them highly enough. They offer comprehensive coverage and it's very easy to make a claim online if you need to.

How to get there: Mendoza has an international airport about 8km away from the city centre which is serviced by flights from Buenos Aires and Santiago, Chile. If you are travelling by plane from somewhere else you will have to connect or transfer in one of those cities. If you don't have a car, you can also arrange a private transfer from Mendoza airport to get to your accommodation with ease. You can also get to Mendoza via buses from Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Santiago and other cities in the region.

Visa requirements: If you are visiting Argentina from most EU countries, USA, Canada or Australia then you don't need a visa to stay for up to 90 days as a tourist. Make sure you check your personal visa requirements here, and that you have a passport that's valid for at least six months after your arrival.

Getting around: The city centre of Mendoza is easily walkable but you will need to hire a car or taxi if you want to visit the nearby vineyards independently. Taxis are quite inexpensive and your hotel will be able to order one for you. If you decide to rent a car, the streets are easy to navigate and parking is also quite cheap in the city centre.

Vaccinations: You should always be vigilant about using mosquito repellent when travelling in Argentina, as mosquitoes can be carriers of many diseases. The CDC also recommends that travellers to Argentina be vaccinated for Typhoid and Hepatitis A, especially if you will be travelling to rural areas. For more detailed information check the CDC website here.

Currency: In Mendoza, and throughout Argentina, the currency used is the Argentine Peso. It gets abbreviated to ARS and €1 converts to around 48.50 Argentine Pesos while $1 is about 43.25 pesos.

Tipping culture: Tipping isn't expected in Argentina, but is usually appreciated if you feel like rewarding good service. In places like hotels you may also receive slightly better service if you leave a few pesos out for the staff each day. At a restaurant you can tip about 10% of your total bill.

Online privacy: Argentina is a very gay friendly destination with progressive laws so you will be able to use gay dating apps like Scruff or Grindr without any issues. If you do prefer to keep your internet usage private then we recommend using ExpressVPN; an affordable and reliable virtual private network.

Accommodation: If you'd like to see more accommodation options than the ones we've mentioned here make sure you check out our gay hotels in Mendoza article; or you can use the Booking.com website. We love to use Booking.com when searching for hotels because they have the best prices as well as excellent 24/7 customer support.

Sightseeing and adventure: If you're looking for more fun activities to do during your time in Mendoza then we recommend the GetYourGuide website for all the best choices. The website is easy to use to book activities and their 24/7 customer support service is always fantastic.

When to visit: As we've mentioned, Mendoza is a lovely sunny destination all year round so you can visit whenever it fits into your timetable. If you want to experience the “Vendimia” grape harvesting festival, which includes a LGBTQ segment called “Vendimia Para Todos“, then you will need to travel to Mendoza in early March.