A Year in Uruguay

Colonia del Sacramento is a colonial town from the period when Spain and Portugal were maneuvering for control in South America. Colonia was founded in 1680, as a Portuguese settlement on the Río de la Plata across from Spanish-governed Buenos Aires. It's about 175 kilometers from Montevideo.

Today, it's a UNESCO Heritage site and an active tourist destination. The Buquebus ferry brings enough visitors from Argentina that the restaurants quote prices in either Uruguayan pesos or Argentinian pesos. The Barrio Histórico is the main attraction, but it also has an attractive modern centro and several kilometers of beaches. The historic neighborhood contains an attractive mix of museums, residences, restaurants, and shops. From the top of the lighthouse, you can just make out the skyline of Buenos Aires on the horizon.

We enjoyed a daytrip there, yesterday.

Labels: Colonial, interior, Uruguay