Colonia del Sacramento
A Portuguese outpost of 1680 on a point in the Río de la Plata, its cobbled lanes facing Buenos Aires across the water, an hour and a half away by ferry.
- Arrival
- Carrasco International, Montevideo · MVD
- To the town
- About 180 km from Montevideo by Route 1
- Private jets
- Light aircraft at Colonia; larger jets at MVD
- Best time
- December to March
The city
Cobbles on a point of land.
Manuel Lobo landed here in January 1680 and raised a Portuguese post facing Spanish Buenos Aires. The town he began still holds its peninsula: some sixteen hectares of crooked streets, a few cobbled since the seventeenth century, inscribed by UNESCO in 1995. The ramparts came down in 1777 and 1859, and Calle Ituzaingó now follows their line.
Most visitors arrive by water, on the ferries from Buenos Aires that dock within walking distance of the old quarter. Summer, from December, is the season for the beaches along the river; the winter months are cool and grey, with afternoons around 15 °C.
- Barrio Histórico The UNESCO quarter on the peninsula, with an irregular Portuguese street plan and cobbles three centuries old.
- The old wall line Calle Ituzaingó, which follows the line of the town's vanished fortifications.
- Río de la Plata at dusk Beaches along the Rambla de las Américas, where the sun sets over the river.
Arriving
By river, by road, or a short runway.
Colonia sits about 180 km west of Montevideo by Route 1, and directly across the estuary from Buenos Aires: Buquebus, Colonia Express and Seacat Colonia make the crossing in about an hour and a half.
- Punta del Este 40 min
- Santiago 1 h 55
- São Paulo 2 h 25
- Palm Beach 9 h 35 long-range jet
- Marrakech 11 h 55 long-range jet
When to go
December to March.
Four seasons on the estuary, and rain in every one of them. December to March brings afternoons of 26 to 29 °C, the best time for the river beaches; June to August stays near 15 to 17 °C. From October to April every month brings more than 100 mm.
- 29° J 101
- 28° F 111
- 26° M 126
- 22° A 101
- 19° M 83
- 16° J 69
- 15° J 76
- 17° A 69
- 19° S 78
- 21° O 113
- 25° N 104
- 27° D 116
Where to stay
Golf and spa by the river.
Shown for information. We have no arrangement with any of these hotels.
Where to dine
Where to book in the old town.
No MICHELIN Guide covers Uruguay. Charco Bistró holds a Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice award for 2026 and sits in the top price band there.
- Charco Bistró Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice 2026 Grill and wine $$$$ Beside the Charco Hotel, old town
Flying to Colonia del Sacramento?
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