This week is the first South American Real Honeymoon on Peonies to Palm Trees, and I’m so excited to share Ashley and Jason’s awesome trip to Argentina!  I’d definitely recommend Argentina to anyone who likes cosmopolitan cities, good wine, and red meat.  Don’t get me wrong, vegetarians will also have a great time in Argentina, but steak lovers will be in heaven.  Enjoy!

When and where did you honeymoon?

Jason and I left for our honeymoon in Argentina a few days after our wedding in June 2012. While in Argentina we traveled to Buenos Aires, Salta, and Mendoza.

How long was your trip?

Our honeymoon was two weeks! I always recommend getting off as much time as possible—it seems like one of the few times where work will give you a lot of time off!**

How did you decide on your honeymoon destination(s)?

In some ways, the decision to go to Argentina was made for us. We had never traveled to the southern hemisphere, so we searched where we could go on miles in the southern hemisphere—Argentina was the best option! While it felt like a random choice at the time, Argentina clicked with us! We fell in love with the country.

The best part of our honeymoon was….

If I had to pick just one, the best part of our honeymoon was visiting Mendoza, the Argentinian wine country. The wineries were all so beautiful and the wine was so different than what you find in Napa/Sonoma. One day we took an amazing horseback ride with “Finca Las Lechuzas” to various wineries—it was magical!

There were so many other amazing parts too! In Salta we drove north to Purmamarca to see the “Hill of Seven Colors” and salt flats—they were stunning!

In Buenos Aires, per the suggestion of a local, we took the “Hop On, Hop Off” bus. It turned out to be a fantastic way to see the entire city!

If I knew then what I know now, I’d change…

Two things! First, we were shocked at how expensive it was to fly between cities in Argentina. It’s a huge country so if you don’t have a lot of time, flying is generally the best option. Along the trip we heard of new overnight buses with full reclining seats—I may have checked those out in hindsight. Second, in Buenos Aires we rented a Jetsetter apartment. While very cute, we missed having suggestions of what to do in the city that a concierge or other guests can provide.

How much planning did you do in advance?

We booked all of our flights and hotels before our honeymoon. We’ve found in the past it’s stressful to arrive to cities with nowhere to stay—this trip was meant to be stress free! Daily activities were unplanned.

What was your biggest honeymoon splurge?

We stayed in a STUNNING hotel in Salta—Legado Mitico.

Where do you want to go on your next big trip?

Having loved the Argentinian wine country so much, we hope to visit other wine countries—maybe France this coming November!

Where they stayed:

• Buenos Aires: “An apartment offered by Jetsetter. We loved the neighborhood, Palermo, but would prefer to stay in a hotel or B&B. The apartment felt a bit isolating.”
• Salta: “Legado Mitico was an absolutely beautiful hotel with a great breakfast. It was very luxurious. The only downfall was that it is a few blocks from the main square.”
• Purmamarca: “Hosteria del Amauta was a fine place to stay for one night. It was nothing special, but clean and cute!”
• Mendoza: “Lares de Chacras, a nice hotel in wine country. The pictures online definitely make it look nicer than it is, but Lares de Chacras is a great place to stay. Visitors should know that hotels in wine country require a cab ride to get around.”

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** My two cents?  Don’t be afraid to ask for extra time off for your honeymoon.  Ashley is totally right – this may be one of the only times when your employer and colleagues will be sympathetic about you being out of town for several weeks, so take advantage of it!