Arrive in Buenos Aires in the morning, and check into one of our recommended hotels in the upscale Recoleta district. Settle in, and take a short walking tour of the neighborhood, which still has many of its Beaux Arts-style palaces. In the afternoon, a body scrub in the spa might be just the thing to restore yourself after the night flight.

Fly from the domestic airport to San Carlos de Bariloche, the largest city in Patagonia’s spectacular lake district. Transfer by car about 45 minutes to Llao Llao Hotel & Resort, perched on a hill between Lake Nahuel Huapi and Lake Moreno. Check into the newer Moreno Wing, where the Deluxe Moreno Lake Suites have woodburning fireplaces, panoramic terraces and Jacuzzis with views of the lake and Mount Tronador. Take the rest of the day to enjoy the facilities of the hotel, including an indoor-outdoor pool, a well-priced spa and an 18-hole golf course.

Return to San Carlos de Bariloche, fly to Buenos Aires and continue on to Salta in the north of Argentina. Check into Legado Mítico, a stylish boutique hotel in the colonial heart of the city.

After touring the small but fascinating Museum of High Altitude Archaeology, transfer a little over three hours south to Cafayate. The route there takes you through the Quebrada de Cafayate, a sensationally scenic red-rock canyon. Stop along the way at impressive formations such as Devil’s Throat, the Amphitheater and the Three Crosses viewpoint. Check into the Grace Cafayate resort, set amid vineyards just outside the small city of Cafayate. Again, I recommend a spa treatment to refresh yourself after the long drive.

Take these days to enjoy the area around Cafayate, a wine region of cactus-studded vineyards backdropped by rugged mountains. Because of the elevation, lack of rainfall and large day-night temperature differential, red wines tend to be richly concentrated, and whites are lively and aromatic. Piattelli’s winery has an excellent restaurant for lunch, as well as some of the area’s best wines. El Porvenir also has high-quality bottlings, as does El Esteco. I recommend taking time to visit the dramatically situated ruins of Quilmes, the largest pre-Columbian city in Argentina.

After breakfast, drive back through the Quebrada de Cafayate and fly from Salta to Buenos Aires. Transfer 90 minutes to La Bamba de Areco, a historic estancia surrounded by rich farmland, pastures, polo fields and allées of plane trees. The rooms are on the small side, but the public lounges are comfortable and beautifully decorated. Communal lunches and dinners give a stay here the feel of a gracious house party.