Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(San José 164; closed Tue & Wed)
This recently reopened museum has a varied collection
of Spanish artifacts, including colonial pottery, engravings, clothing and maps.
Real de San Carlos
At the turn of the 20th century, Argentine entrepreneur Nicolás Mihanovich spent
US$1.5 million building an immense tourist complex 5km north of Colonia at Real de
San Carlos. The complex included a 10,000-seat bullring, a 3000-seat
frontón
(court) for
the Basque sport of
jai alai
, a hotel-casino and a racecourse.
Only the racecourse functions today, but the ruins of the remaining buildings make an
interesting excursion, and the adjacent beach is popular with locals on Sundays.
Museo Paleontológico
MUSEUM
(Real de San Carlos; Thu-Sun)
This two-room museum displays glyptodon shells, bones
and other locally excavated finds from the private collection of self-taught palaeontolo-
gist Armando Calcaterra.
Tours
Walking Tours
WALKING TOUR
(tour per person in Spanish/other languages UR$150/200)
The tourist office outside Colonia's
old town gate organizes good walking tours led by local guides. Spanish-language tours
leave at 11am and 3pm daily year-round, with occasional sunset tours added at 7pm in
January and February. Tours in other languages can also be arranged; just ask at the tour-
ist office.
Vintage Car Tours
DRIVING TOUR
( 099-806106; 1929vintage@gmail.com; per 15min/hr US$20/60)
Local resident Gabriel
Gaidano offers spins around town for up to four people in his 1929 Model A convertible.
Look for him on Plaza de Armas.
Bike & Coffee
BICYCLE TOUR
( 4523-2646; bikeandcoffee.com.ar; San Miguel 81; 2hr bike tour UR$400, 4hr/8hr bike rental
UR$200/300;
9am-11pm Fri-Sun)
This Buenos Aires-based outfit offers bicycle tours
