Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
COLONIA DEL SACRAMENTO
Originally a seventeenth-century
Portuguese smuggling port designed to
disrupt the Spanish base of Buenos Aires
across the Río de la Plata, COLONIA DEL
SACRAMENTO (often referred to simply as
“Colonia”) is a picturesque town with
charming little museums, plenty of
outdoor activities and some of the best
foodie culture in Uruguay. Despite an
increasing number of tourists visiting the
town, it retains a sleepy indifference to
the outside world and merits more than
just a day-trip to get to know it better.
whole country. From there it's an easy stroll
around the atmospheric Barrio Histórico
(old quarter), or there's an easy half-day
excursion on foot or by bus to the eerie
abandoned resort of Real de San Carlos .
Around the Plaza Mayor
At the southwestern corner of the plaza
is the lighthouse (daily noon-6pm;
UR$15), which affords great views from
the cupola, while at the southeastern
corner lie the remains of the old (if
heavily restored) city gateway, the Portón
de Campo . Once charged with protecting
the important trade centre from invading
forces, now they permanently separate
old Colonia from the “new” city.
A few blocks north of the plaza, along
Vasconcellos, the Iglesia Matríz claims
to be the oldest church in Uruguay,
with some columns from the original
Portuguese building constructed in 1730.
10
WHAT TO SEE AND DO
Start your trip at BIT , the “Uruguay
experience”, the country's flagship tourist
information centre (Odriozola 434; daily
10am-7pm; T 45221072, W bitcolonia
.com; free wi-fi), two blocks from both the
bus terminal and ferry port. It's architec-
turally interesting - built in a modernist
glass box at the old railway station,
beautifully integrated with the disused
tracks - and is also a fantastic source of
information for both Colonia and the
The central museums
Dotted around the Barrio Histórico,
a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a
series of eight modest museums (all open
Real de San Carlos (5km)
COLONIA DEL SACRAMENTO
DAYM AN
ACCOMMODATION
El Capullo
Rivera
Sur
El Viajero B&B Posada
El Viajero Hostel & Suites
3
4
1
5
2
Río de la Plata
CO R O NEL A RROY O
Feria de
los Artesanos
DOCTOR DANIEL FO S A L BA
EATING
La Bodeguita
Buen Suspiro
Lentas Maravillas
Mi Carrito
Viejo Barrio
5
7
3
2
6
Bastión del
Carmen
Museo del
Período
Español
R I V A DAV I A
P L A Z A D E
D E PORTES
PLAZA 25
DE AGOSTO
DRINKING &
NIGHTLIFE
Matamala
Tr3s Cu4tro
AVEN I D A GEN E R AL FLORE S
Mini-Market
Motorent
Hostel
Colonial
4
1
El Abrazo
Iglesia
Matriz
Police
1 8 D E JU LIO
Motorent
Museo Municipal
Casa Nacarelo
Lighthouse
PLAZA MAYOR
MANUE L LOBO
Bus
Terminal
Portón
de Campo
M IGUE L A NG EL ODRI O Z O L A FLO R I DA
N
Museo del
Período Portugés
B.I.T
Ferry
Terminal
Port
0
100
metres
 
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