Foodie Uruguay and Argentina

Carrasco was the first case in Uruguayan history of urban planning and design of an entire neighbourhood exclusively addressed by private initiative. The main bulwark of that dream was the great Hotel Casino Carrasco, a monumental construction in the style of luxury hotels in Europe during the 1900s. Low buildings and large green spaces are the main features of this neighbourhood.

Avenida Arocena is the main avenue of the neighbourhood and together with its surrounding streets, it constitutes one of the most outstanding commercial walks in the area, ideal to walk on foot. On the corner, overlooking the Rambla is the majestic building of the historic Hotel Casino Carrasco. Given its proximity to the coast and its large dunes, Carrasco was born as a quiet resort away from the movement of the city. Currently, the beach and the coastal promenade in front of Hotel Carrasco are the most visited places in the neighbourhood, especially during the seasons where good weather predominates. It’s very popular for sports and outdoor activities. On windy days, the beach of Carrasco is favoured by kite surfers.

This tour will take you into the heart of the old town, visiting Matriz Square, with the first potable water fountain in colonial Montevideo, the Metropolitan Cathedral, Cabildo (the first town hall) and the Uruguay Social Club. You’ll also visit Independence Square, where you can see a monument dedicated to the national hero, Jose Artigas, as well as the citadel gate, Salvo Palace and Estevez Palace (the old governmental house).

Then the tour will take you to the main avenue, 18 de Julio lined, with shops, restaurants, bars and office buildings, before visiting the Obelisk, Batlle Park, the ‘La Carreta’ (covered wagon) monument and the Centenario Stadium. Later you’ll go to the residential area of Carrasco and Virgilio Square for a panoramic view of the city. You’ll return downtown passing by the neighbourhoods of Punta Gorda Malvin, Buceo with the yacht port, the yacht club, Pocitos, Punta Carretas, the golf club, Rodo Park and the Mercosur building

Lunch of three meals will be enjoyed in the port area, with no beverages included.

Today, you'll visit the UNESCO World Heritage site, Colonia del Sacramento. Wind your way through the stone streets discovering the fort, Spanish and Portuguese houses, and the port. You'll also explore the downtown area and the Rambla, which borders the Old City and where you'll find the Real de San Carlos where the Plaza de Toros, the Hipodromo and the old harbour can be seen.

Today, you’ll enjoy wine tasting at Irurtia Winery, lunch at Campotinto Restaurant, followed by wine tasting at Cordano Winery. The tour starts at Irurtia Winery. Surrounded by vineyards, Irurtia Winery has maintained their family wine tradition since 1913, when Basque Lorenzo Irurtia started producing wines in this area near Carmelo’s Hill. His grandson Dante was in charge of the winery and vineyards for 56 years and the person responsible for boosting quality wines in Uruguay, as well as consolidating Irurtia’s wine prestige. Nowadays, his children have taken over the family legacy and the challenges of continuing the path of their ancestors, with the responsibility of maintaining and increasing the world recognition of Irurtia wines. The visit consists of a tour around their property, vineyards and cellar, where guests will be able to enjoy a tasting of different wines, as well as homemade bread and cheese.

The visit will then continue to Campotinto Restaurant, located in the heart of the San Roque countryside, amidst the undulating fields of Carmelo, in an area surrounded by farms, vineyards, wineries, and fruit plantations, with lots of history and a laid-back and natural style. After lunch at Campotinto, the tour will continue to Almacén de la Capilla, Cordano Winery. Today it’s open to guests who want to know and taste local products and its classical wines. The Cordano family are a family of Italian immigrants who arrived in 1855 to colonise this part of the country called “Las chacras del pueblo del Carmelo”. Almacén de la Capilla, positioned in Colonia Estrella, is an old country grocer surrounded by quiet and natural countryside. It was founded by Antonio Cordano in the 1900s to provide the neighbourhood with goods and to be a meeting place for friends. Its name “Almacén de la Capilla” refers to Capilla de San Roque, a place quite near the grocers, which is also a tourist attraction full of history and stories of the place.

Your expert local guide will collect you from your hotel and bring you for an enjoyable sample of the different wineries in the Mendoza area. The Central Valley or Primera Zona (the closest to the city of Mendoza) includes the counties of Luján de Cuyo, Maipú, Guaymallén and Godoy Cruz. This is the home of malbec and where some of the most prestigious Argentine wineries are located. Originally from Bordeaux, France, this variety found the ideal place to prosper in Mendoza given the agro-climatic conditions of the area.

During the tour you'll visit three different wineries, we suggest a mix of smaller, boutique establishments and the larger operations, to give you a chance to see the contrasts and differences. During the visit, you'll always be accompanied by your private guide, though during the visits and tastings themselves you'll also be with the wineries' own guide.

Finally, in the afternoon, you'll stop at one of the top Bodega restaurants (such as La Tupina or Ruca Malen) for a chance to really enjoy the wine as it is meant to be; with great food. You have a gourmet tasting lunch paired with wines from the Bodega.

This exclusive tour serves as the perfect introduction to four of the city's most distinctive districts, offering a fascinating insight into its history, contrasts and culture. Your expert guide will draw on his extensive knowledge as you experience the highlights of Buenos Aires, including political centres, artist meccas and barrios rich in European architecture. You'll become acquainted with the foundation site of the capital at Plaza de Mayo, undisputedly Buenos Aires' political heart.

Next, you'll delve into one of the oldest districts, Parque Lezama and La Boca in the south, where artists ateliers and brightly coloured houses jostle for space; before moving on to Plaza San Martin and Retiro. Here, you'll notice the transformation of Buenos Aires architecture from the rambling style of the south of the city to the European-influenced residential quarters of the 19th century. Finally, you'll come face to face with the sophisticated neighbourhood of Recoleta, whose buildings and avenues were inspired by the French; it's also home to the world-famous Recoleta Cemetery and Evita Peron's Mausoleum, and you'll get to make a stop here on this tour.

Try your hand at making Argentina's most famous street food, the empanada. You'll learn about the different types of fillings, and perfect your crimping skills too. This cookery class is perfect for families and groups of friends.

Located on the ground floor of the Palacio, the celebrated Duhau Restaurante & Vinoteca offers the Vinoteca with its formidable collection of 500 different labels, 7000 bottles of Argentinean wines featuring the best Argentine malbecs and 100 different references. The Vinoteca also encompasses a unique Cheese Room, offering the best artisanal Argentinean cheeses selected by the maître fromager. These exquisite cheeses are served with assorted dried fruits, homemade bread and marmalades, air-dried ham (14 months) and the Iberian cured ham “pata negra”.

Dive into the street food scene of Buenos Aires on this enticing tour, tasting your way through San Telmo to discover three of Argentina’s favourite delicacies. With the help of a passionate gourmet guide, Alejandro Frango or his collaborator Ginette, you’ll sample empanadas, a typical pastry from Argentina, choripan, an irresistible little sandwich with chorizo, and Argentina’s take on Italian pizza. To finish off you’ll have a delicious sweetener: Argentina’s own version of Italian gelato.