Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Paraná Delta, a diluvial natural
labyrinth comprising over
6,500 miles (10,500 km) of
canals, rivers, and marshes, as
well as countless islands. Many
of these river islands are home
to small and self-sufficient
communities; others are
privately owned and built
over with smart and exclusive
weekend residences, restau-
rants, watersport centers, and
lodgings. The islands can easily
be reached by river bus from
the Estacíon Fluvial in Tigre or
by chartered rides on one of
the many boats moored in
Puerto de Frutos.
1973 Argentina-Uruguay treaty,
which ended the sovereignty
squabble, was that the island
be converted into a nature
preserve. Now, Isla Martín García
has a strong reputation among
ornithologists, and visitors come
for the flora and fauna as much
as for the fortifications. There are
over 200 species of birds found
here, including parrots, wood-
peckers, white herons, falcon-
like
chimangos
, and snail kites.
4
Colonia del
Sacramento
Road map
D3.
*
26,000.
g
from
Puerto Madero.
Founded by the Portuguese in
1680, Colonia del Sacramento
is a sleepy coastal Uruguayan
town whose Barrio Histórico has
been preserved intact since the
colonial era. In recognition of
this, and to guard against
intrusive development, the
district was declared a UNESCO
World Heritage Site in 1996.
After a century-long fight,
the town was ceded by its
founders to the Spanish in the
late 1770s, who held it until the
Independence wars. Portuguese
and Spanish influences resulted
in the cobblestoned streets,
leafy plazas, elegant churches,
and stucco-façaded mansions
that abound in Barrio Histórico.
Around the town's fig and
palm-tree-lined central square,
Plaza Mayor, are a number
of museums and historical
buildings. These include the
Museo Portugués
, with
excellent samples of maps on
The serene interior of the Iglesia Matriz,
Colonia del Sacramento
the Portuguese voyages of
discovery, and the
Museo
Municipal
, which houses an
array of indigenous artifacts.
To the east of the plaza is the
Iglesia Matriz, Uruguay's
oldest church, with religious
artworks that date back over
two centuries. Leading off
from the square is Calle de
los Suspiros (Street of Sighs),
one of the region's most-
photographed lanes, paved
with rough cobblestones and
flanked by colonial houses.
Visitors can end their day with
a stroll on the beach watching
the sunset after a meal at one of
the town's excellent restaurants.
Jacaranda blossoms covering a path at
Isla Martín García
E
Museo Portugués
Casa Historica, Calle de San Pedro,
in front of Plaza Mayor.
Open
11:15am-4:45pm daily.
&
E
Museo Municipal
Calle del Comercio, in front of
Plaza Mayor.
Open
11:15am-4:45pm
daily.
&
.
3
Isla Martín García
Road map
D3. Río de la Plata.
*
150.
g
from Tigre, daily.
Although comprising a small
area of land, Isla Martín García
has been fought over by Spain,
Brazil, Portugal, Uruguay, Britain,
and France; it was finally
conquered by the Argentinian
Navy in 1886. The island's
fortifications were used as
prisons and many A-list political
detainees did stretches here,
including Presidents Hipólito
Yrigoyen and Marcelo T. de
Alvear. A thorough account of
Isla Martín García's long and
violent history is related
through the displays in the
small
Museo Histórico
, located
near the center of the island,
close to the old lighthouse.
One of the conditions of the
One of the picturesque cobblestoned streets in Colonia del Sacramento
For hotels and restaurants see pp278-83 and pp288-99
