With big neighbors such as Argentina and Brazil, Uruguay is often ignored by travelers and backpackers. But while in Buenos Aires, it is very easy to visit Uruguay, the second smallest country in South America. A short 2-3 hour ferry ride will bring you to Colonia del Sacramento and you can then take a bus to Montevideo. We chose to take a Seacat ferry/bus to Montevideo and stay there for 2 nights. So on day 1, we left BA at 12.30pm and reached Montevideo at 5.30pm. The bus ride from Colonia to Montevideo is 2.5 hours long. Taxis are pretty cheap in Uruguay so it cost around $6 to get from the bus station to our hotel which was in the city center. We checked into our hotel, freshened up and headed out to explore the city.
Montevideo
Walking 2 blocks brought us to the main square called Plaza Independencia. This is the heart of the small city and has a large statue of Artigas on horseback in the center surrounded by beautiful buildings and government offices. As it was getting dark, we just went to get something to eat. We spotted a pizza place along the main Av 18 de Julio. The place was crowded and people along with family and friends were all busy watching the soccer match between Uruguay and Venezuela on TV. Passersby were also standing outside and watching the game. Soccer is like a religion here and Uruguayans are quite into it. It was fascinating to see their cheers and gasps every time their favorite team scored or missed. The pizza was average, but the atmosphere was quite entertaining.
We did some research and found that there is a free walking tour available for Montevideo. Free walking tours have become quite popular and are available in most cities around the world. You just do your research and figure out where the meeting point is and at what time to show up. And although it says ‘free’, they work on tips, so you tip them whatever you feel right at the end of the tour. So after breakfast, we headed towards Plaza Independencia which was the meeting point. The tour was to start at 11am and we got there a bit early. It was hard to miss the 2 people wearing red shirts and standing beside an umbrella that said ‘Free Walking Tour’.
Valentin was our guide for the English-speaking group. He was very charming and funny and kept us entertained throughout the tour. He carried a mate cup in one hand and a flask stuck under his other arm. He later explained how you can easily spot a local Uruguayan because you would find them carrying a mate and flask everywhere. Their way of saying hello is to offer to share their yerba mate. They grow their leaves and have their own recipes and are very passionate about it.
We waited until more people showed up and started the tour at 11 am. Valentin started off by giving some history of Uruguay interspersed with humor. He showed us the various buildings surrounding the Independence square such as the Artigas Monument, Old Government House (The Estévez Palace); Palace of Justice where the Government House is set and the most magnificent building in the area, Palacio Salvo. We then headed through the gateway called Puerta de la Ciudadela which is the oldest part of the city. While we were there we were treated to the marching band of the Uruguayan guards. After a brief explanation we saw the Teatro Solis which is the center of arts and culture in Uruguay. The next square was the Matriz Square (Constitution Square) surrounded by the Cathedral de Montevideo, Club Uruguay and El Cabildo. Next was Sarandi street with all the shops and Zabala Square, The Republic Bank and San Francisco De Asis church. Last stop was the Port Market which was originally meant to be a train station, but converted to a market with lots of eateries. You can get a taste of the best Uruguayan food here, especially the delicious barbecues. This was the end of our tour and we took a group picture and said our goodbyes.
We had a quick bite to eat at the Port Market and took a bus to the main bus terminal. Local buses take cash in Uruguay and it is 33 Uruguayan pesos (US$1.11) per ride. Bus companies such as COT run services to other cities inside Uruguay. We took one of their comfortable buses to Punta Del Este for approx $10 each.
Punta del Este
We took the 2.15 pm bus and were hoping to reach Punta del Este in 2 hours but the bus stopped at every little town on the way and we reached there 3 hours later. We mainly wanted to see ‘La Mano’ (the Fingers) of Punta Del Este but if we had time, we were going to venture more into the little city. But since we were looking at a 3 hour ride back, we decided to hurry. Fortunately, as soon as we got off the bus, La Mano was right in front of us.
Punta Del Este is a popular beach town and it tends to get very crowded in summer. But there were hardly any people around now. Even as we were coming into town, all along the coastline, we could see many high rise apartment buildings, but they didn’t look lived in. They were either new or vacation homes that people come to spend their summer.
La Mano is a sculpture in Punta del Este by Chilean artist Mario Irarrázabal. It depicts five human fingers partially emerging from the sand and is located on Parada 1 at Brava Beach. There were just a few tourists like us taking pictures at the sculpture. We also did the same and headed out towards the beach. We just sat down there for a short while and had a couple of snacks, and then decided to explore a little bit. Due to time constraints, we decided to not go to the Parroquia La Candelaria which was at the other end of the Rambla (boardwalk), so we just walked a couple of blocks on Av. Gorlero, which seemed like a busy street with lots of shops and restaurants. This area looked like a favorite haunt for the rich and famous of South America.
We then headed back to the bus station and took the 6.30 pm bus which brought us back to Montevideo around 9 pm.
Tip: give yourself at least one day at Punta del Este. It is a pretty little beach town and makes for a very nice getaway.
Colonia del Sacramento
Today we planned to take the bus back to Colonia Del Sacramento, tour the city and take the scheduled ferry at 4pm back to Buenos Aires. So we got ready early, had breakfast and checked out of the hotel and headed to the bus station. We took the 9.30am bus from Montevideo and reached Colonia around noon. There was a tourist center at the bus station that gave us the map and highlights of things to see in Colonia.
This is a much smaller city compared to Punta Del Este, but big on heritage. It has been recognized as a UNESCO historical site for its old historical quarter from the time of the Portuguese settlement. It is known for its cobble-stoned barrio, the remnants from the old city walls and the drawbridge entrance. Set above the historic district is the 19th-Century lighthouse offering 360 degree views of the whole city and the river.
We walked a few blocks and came upon the beautiful drawbridge and as you enter, the remnants of the old city fort is visible on your left. We made our way to the main square, then headed towards the church and a few blocks down was the pier.
Walking along the rambla from the pier towards the lighthouse, the streets were lined with restaurants with their outdoor seating full of tourists enjoying their lunch.
We headed to the lighthouse and went up the spiral staircase to the top of the lighthouse. The city and the river views were spectacular. We could also see the tall buildings of Buenos Aires far into the distance.
Calle de los Suspiros had the oldest houses dating back to the 17th century and the cobblestones here looked like the original stones from that era with their varied sizes and shapes. These cobblestones were unlike the newer ones you see in most European countries or even in San Telmo in Buenos Aires as they were actually hard to walk on. This was a Saturday and there was a small gathering of locals playing music and tango dancers performing in the main square. We had lunch at one of the restaurants while we enjoyed the performance until it was time to head towards the ferry and make our journey back to Buenos Aires.
