
| San Gregorio de Polanco |
|
San Gregorio de Polanco
Rent in San Gregorio for your next vacations.
|
|
|
Your relax
It’s from a long time a very important resort where is the ideal place to relax and enjoy the nature. There you can take a rest, you can breathe fresh air, you can go on long walks, ride horses, eat healty and more. We recommend you at least two days in this very calm place.
|
| Colonia del Sacramento tourism |
|
Colonia del Sacramento Information - A portuguese fort
| This charming little coastal town dating back to the 17th century should not be missed. A former fortress and contraband port now protected by UNESCO, Colonia has wonderful old Portuguese colonial architecture and streets shaded by sycamores. The old Barrio Historico is a slow-paced hamlet, a place to stroll cobblestone lanes, linger under palm trees in the park or sit and watch local fishermen cast for the day’s catch. On our most recent trip there, the air was fragrant from spring blooms - a welcome change from the more-polluted air of Buenos Aires and Montevideo.
Tour the fortress walls, lighthouse, municipal museum, the historical museums (Museo Espanol, Museo Portugues) and the oldest church in Uruguay, the Iglesia Matriz del Santisimo Sacramento, which dates from 1699. There’s also an old bull ring to check out, the only one in the country (bullfighting was abolished shortly after the ring was built). And take note of the daily yerba mate ritual - it’s quite a spectacle to see so many people imbibing the herbal tea-like drink in the late afternoon. Ferries and hydrofoils connect Colonia with Buenos Aires. 100 mi/160 km west of Montevideo.
|
|
|||||||||||
|
|
| Punta del Este tourist information |
|
Punta del Este travel information
During high season, glamorous Punta del Este (or Punta, as most call it after a couple of days) is filled with rich South Americans, mainly Argentinians, looking for sun and fun. It’s a narrow spit of land jutting into the Atlantic, surrounded by beaches. Around its edge is the oceanfront promenade, the Rambla General Artigas, which is lined with cafes, bars and seafood restaurants. You can spend the day at the beach enjoying one of many water sports (yachting, swimming, surfing, deep-sea fishing and waterskiing). Then relax in the afternoon with a traditional British high tea (tea and scones) at one of the tea rooms in town. The wonderfully surreal Casa Pueblo is a good place for a break from the sun: The Moorish-style fortress, once the home of painter Carlos Paez Vilaro, is now an art gallery and hotel. Punta also has great golf courses, tennis courts and a vibrant night life (discos and casinos).
One geographic thing we particularly enjoy in Punta is being able to watch the sun both rise and set over water. The beaches are good, with each having a certain ambience of its own - one stretch of sand may be for families, another for sporty types, one for teenagers and another for supermodels. They change from season to season, so you’ll just have to find where you’re comfortable. Playa Mansa, protected by the peninsula, is calmer than the Playa Brava beaches that face the Atlantic. The Mansa beaches are favored by families and water-sports enthusiasts. Playa Brava’s waves draw surfers, and the activity carries on into the night, with numerous pubs and nightlife options.
Day trips can be taken to Isla Gorriti, a beautiful island just off the coast, which has uncrowded white beaches and the ruins of an 18th-century fort. Another boat trip will take you to Isla de Lobos, an island jammed with sea lions. If you would rather travel by car, drive a short way to the pleasant resort town of Piriapolis, anchored by the grande dame of Uruguayan resorts, the Argentino Hotel. Or drive along the East side of the peninsula past the spectacular mansions to Jose Ignatio, an increasingly popular small resort just outside of town with perhaps the prettiest beaches and best waves in Uruguay.
The season runs from December to March (summertime in the Southern Hemisphere). During peak season, the beaches can be crowded, the traffic horrendous and the prices steep. The best time to visit is early December until mid February. 70 mi/110 km east of Montevideo.
| Montevideo travel information |
|
Montevideo Information
The nation’s capital, Montevideo, is one of South America’s more attractive capitals, even if its once grand colonial architecture could use a little sprucing up. Home to more than a third of the country’s 3.3 million people, it’s a city of beaches, plazas, restaurants, cafes, nightclubs and casinos. The Ciudad Vieja (Old Town) and the newer downtown area hold the most interest for visitors, but keep in mind that you should explore the Ciudad Vieja during daylight hours only. We suggest two nights to visit both the old and new parts of town.
A pleasant way to start your tour is to see the entire city from the 11th-story terrace of the Palacio Municipal, located on the main street, Avenida 18 de Julio. Or you can take in the view from the old Spanish fort. Afterward, go to Ordonez Park to see the rose garden (more than 850 varieties) and La Carreta (a covered-wagon monument - there’s a similar one for stagecoaches in El Prado Park). Other sights include the Palacio Taranco (18th-century European-style mansion), the Casa Garibaldi (once the home of Italian freedom fighter Giuseppe Garibaldi) and the Solis Theater (one of the best theaters in South America, it was undergoing renovations last time we were in town). If you need to take a break for a coffee or beer, both Plaza Entrevero and Plaza Constitucion have pleasant outdoor cafes.
But if it’s lunchtime, head for the Mercado del Puerto in the Ciudad Vieja. Inside this ornate building (it was once a train station), market stalls have been converted into parrillas (grills) and a few bars. Grill after enormous grill is chockablock with various meats. If a space opens up on the grill, another side of ribs is immediately thrown on to rectify the situation. Many of the establishments have proper tables, but we highly recommend sitting on a stool facing the grill for an up-close view of the action.
Also worth seeing are the Plaza Independencia, Museo Torres Garcia (works by Uruguayan artist Joaquin Torres Garcia), National Museum of Fine Arts (Parque Rodo), Museum of Natural History, the Legislative Palace (mosaic floors and stained-glass windows) and the beaches (Ramirez, Malvin or Pocitos). There’s also an interesting gaucho museum in the same building where the Banco de la Republica has a small money museum. Make a point of stopping in, if only to see the building itself - the interior is marvelous. The Rambla, the avenue running along the beach, is good for walking.
Montevideo has several interesting outdoor markets, including the Feria de Villa Biarritz (open on Saturday) and the flea-markety Feria de Tristan Narvaja (Sunday morning). The artisans market, located on San Jose Street, is open every day but Sunday. If time is available, drive around the suburbs and the harbor to see ships coming in (sunset from the pier is beautiful). Festivals include a modest version of Carnival and a rodeo during Easter.
| Places to Visit |
|
Montevideo - Punta del este - Piriápolis - Punta del Diablo - Cabo Polonio - Colonia - Salto - Countryside
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
[ Home - Places - To do - Facts - Food - Drinks - More Pictures - Shopping - Your vacation - Contact us ]
Send us your comments about this site here


























