Visit to Colonia del Sacramento in Uruguay, a beautiful and quiet city

After living for more than 35 years in Buenos Aires, one day I visited Colonia del Sacramento, the Uruguayan city that is on the other side of the Rio de la Plata. Colonia is only at 50 km. away from my birth city travelling by sea. However, I didn’t go from Buenos Aires because now I live in Montevideo.

Colonia is a beautiful coastal city that breathes history. It’s also one of the main tourist attractions of Uruguay and a great place to chill.

I spent three days in Colonia so, in this blog post I’m going to tell you about the city and what activities can you do there. But first of all, let’s locate ourselves geographically.

Colonia’s location

Colonia del Sacramento is located in the southeast of Uruguay, over the Rio de la Playa. It is at 176 km. away from Montevideo by car, and 50 km. away from Buenos Aires by ferry.

From the coast of Colonia the highest buildings of Buenos Aires can be seen. And from the top of those buildings, the shores of Colonia are visible.

How to arrive at Colonia del Sacramento

Traveling from Montevideo

If you’re traveling from Montevideo the easiest option is to go by car, which it’s going to take you two hours and a half.

If you don’t have a car, several bus companies travel to Colonia from Montevideo and the way around. But be aware that these buses have stops in some cities and towns of Uruguay and because of that the trip is a bit longer.

I departed from Tres Cruces, the main bus station in Montevideo and I arrived at Colonia in less than 2 hours and 45 minutes. I travel with the bus company Turil which has many buses to Colonia every day.

My recommendation is to buy tickets in advance online, but you can also buy them at the counter in the station.

Traveling from Buenos Aires

If you travel from Buenos Aires, the best option are Buquebus or Colonia Express. Both are ferry companies that cross the Rio de la Plata. They have a daily frequency from and to Colonia. You’ll be on the other side of the river in around forty minutes.

Don’t forget that you’re traveling from one country to another, so you need to pass through migrations and customs. Anyway, don’t worry, because security is not as tedious as they are in airports. The process is easy to follow and quick but you have to be at the river station two hours before departure.

You can also travel by car but to do that, you need to border the river until reach a bridge to cross to Uruguay. If you do that trip the distance is about 500 km. Unless you enjoy driving or you have an itinerary in Uruguay, I think that travel by car is not a good option.

I hope someday the Argentinean and the Uruguayan governments agree to build the so many times announced bridge Buenos Aires-Colonia. A bridge that unfortunately they’ve never built.

A Brief History of Colonia del Sacramento

Colonia was founded in 1680 under the name of Nova Colônia do Santíssimo Sacramento by the Portuguese. It was field master Manuel Lobo, governor of Rio de Janeiro’s Captaincy, who organized an expedition to establish a city on the shore of Rio de la Plata.

Colonia is settled in a strategic location. Its position in front of Buenos Aires provided the Portuguese a military advantage and also a channel for smuggling.

The Spanish were on the other shore and they found out that they had new neighbors. Were the Portuguese violating the Treaty of Tordesillas? That treaty divided the world in two for Spain and Portugal, but they had differences in interpretation. Besides that, this treaty had no effect at that time because both crowns, Spanish and Portuguese had been united for more than sixty years after the Portuguese succession crisis that started in 1580.

Colonia was founded by the Portuguese in 1680. During two centuries, Spanish and Portuguese alternated their rule over the city. After South American independence wars, Colonia became Uruguayan.

Either way, the Spanish gathered an army and expelled the Portuguese from Colonia.

But times changed everything and Colonia played an important part in the political chess of that time. So, Spain first handed the city over to Portugal, then they reconquered it, and again, they handed it over to the Portuguese. This happened three times until 1777. In that year by command of King Carlos III the Spanish troops took Colonia for good.

Eventually, after the South American independence war, Colonia became part of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay.

All this history of wars, treaties, and occupations is condensed in its walls, cobblestones, and in the air of Colonia. The city is one of the oldest in Uruguay.

The Spanish and Portuguese influences added to the post-colonial evolution mixed together to gave birth to a unique city that is worth discovering. So much so that in 1995 the city was declared a UNESCO Historical Heritage Site.

City appearance

I visited Colonia in January with my wife. At this moment of the year, tourists prefer the oceanic coasts with beaches, sun and heat. Even though Colonia has some beaches, they overlook the river instead of the ocean. So they are not as pretty as the ones in Maldonado and Rocha, also in Uruguay.

The bus left us at the city’s bus station. A quite small station if you compare it with Tres Cruces. From there, we went on foot to the hotel that was away from the historical center.

The first feelings while I was walking by in Colonia were of peace and serenity. Although I was on vacation and that helps to feel relaxed, the slow movement of the city helped even more.

The low density of people, the parsimony of the receptionist at the hotel, the fresh but not cold wind, and the less amount of cars in the street made me feel comfortable and calm, almost sedated.

When we finally arrived at the historical center the cobblestone street appeared, also the old buildings built by the Portuguese. There were gift stores, artisan fairies, a lighthouse, the coast walk, and, of course, the Rio de la Plata, the widest river in the world.

Some of the narrow streets and passages reminded me of something similar that I had seen in Andalucía, Spain. Images of Cádiz, Sevilla, and Córdoba came to my mind. I thought that would be because of the Spanish influence, but it is because the Portuguese stayed there for many years. I couldn’t make any comparison because I’ve never been to Portugal.

The historical center is not so big, but it can take a few hours to go through it completely. Many highlights and details are worth paying attention to, and that’s about I would like to tell you next.

What can you do in Colonia del Sacramento?

You may be thinking about how to spend your time in Colonia. What activities to do and which places are worth to visit? Let’s see that.

Hike by the coast walk

The Colonia coast walk also known as La Rambla is beautiful. It’s one of the main attractions of the city. It’s wide enough to walk or to sit down there and stay for a while.

From the coast walk you’ll see stones, some vegetation, and then, the vast Rio de la Plata. Somedays, when there is enough clarity, a set of rectangular structures can be seen from there. Those vanishing structures are the Buenos Aires’s tallest buildings.

The best of La Rambla comes at the sunset. In the same way that happens with many beaches in Uruguay, to see the sunset on the sea is a great privilege. If you like to take pictures of the sunset with your phone or your camera, every sunny day in Colonia is a new and great opportunity to show off yourself.

Tour the historic center

To walk by the historical center is something pretty obvious but at the same time a great pleasure. No plan here, just walk around without course. Little by little you will discover the lighthouse, the wall gate, the coast walk, and La Calle de los Suspiros (The Street of Sighs).

In every street and every wall, there’s something to be discovered. Buildings, plaques explaining part of the history of Colonia, ruins, and some old cars are just a few of those elements that you’ll find at the historical center.

Besides those amazing details, this part of the city has stores, cafés, bars, and restaurants. So, you can make a pause, have lunch, dine, or have a coffee. If there’s good weather, pick a table outside and enjoy the full Colonia experience.

Parks and public places in Colonia are well maintained. Everything is very clean and that’s beyond the historical center.

Visit The Street of Sighs

La Calle de los Suspiros is the most emblematic street in Colonia. It’s very short, not more than a block. It has a Portuguese style and is plenty of uneven cobblestone. Be careful when you visit this location. It’s very easy to trip. At their sides, there are very old Portuguese rustic houses.

So, why the name of this street? There are two main theories.

The first theory says that in that place, prisoners were taken there to receive capital punishment. In this way, that street was the place they breathed (or sighed) for the last time.

The other theory is related to the activities that took place there. It is said that it was the place where prostitutes ran their businesses. So, it was a place where citizens would hear a lot of sighs (or moans).

Visit the Basilica of the Blessed Sacrament

The Basilica of the Blessed Sacrament is a church that was built in 1810. It’s located in the historic center and you can enter to see what is like inside.

Despite not having anything special visiting the church is another activity to do in Colonia. The style and decoration are very humble, especially if you compare it to churches or cathedrals from Europe. You won’t find organs, colorful windows, gold or silver, but when I visited there was a very nice Christmas exposition.

Visit the lighthouse

This is an activity that I couldn’t do because Colonia’s lighthouse only opens a few days a week.

Anyway, I’m pretty sure that you can go to the top of the lighthouse to have an awesome view of Colonia and the Rio de la Plata. Despite not being so high, It must be one of the tallest buildings in the whole zone.

Visit museums

Being in a city with such a history is recommended to go and visit all the museums that you can.

Colonia has many museums. A set of them is just one museum that has locations along the historical center. In those places, you buy one ticket and with it, you’re allowed to visit all the museums within that day.

Colonia has many museums about its history but some of them consist in just one or two rooms.

The only problem is that not all the museums are open every day of the week. Because of that, I recommend you check the museum schedules. At least, the ones that you’re interested in.

Be aware that many of these museums are very small and they consist of just one or two rooms.

What museums are in Colonia? There are many. Here’s a list of some of them:

• Portuguese space
• Spanish space
• Indigenous museum
• Tile museum
• Municipal museum

Notice that buying just one ticket for all the museums applies only to a set of them. I’m not sure which ones are included, but you can ask that in the same museums.

I visited the city in 2023 and the ticket price was 100 Uruguayan pesos (US$ 2,56).

Visit the Bullring

There is a bullring in Colonia that is called Plaza de Toros Real de San Carlos. Even though there haven’t been bullfights for more than 100 years, the building stands still and it was fully restored in the last years.

Currently, music shows and festivals take place in the bullring. There is also a bullfight museum that tells the very brief history of bullfighting in Uruguay.

The bullring is away from the center of Colonia. You can get there by car or taking a cab which costs around 270 Uruguayan pesos (US$ 6.91). I saw many touristic buses over there, but I’m not sure if you can get there with a regular bus.

The other alternative is to walk. Google Maps says that you need around an hour to get there by foot if you start in the historical center. If you enjoy walking you can go bordering the river by the coast walk. When you arrive at the neighborhood of the bullring, the building it’s just three blocks away from the river.

Beyond the bullfighting museum, the building is an architectural beauty. Inside the bullring there area a gift shop and a restaurant.

You can buy tickets to visit the bullring at the entrance. There are two types of tickets. You can get a regular ticket to enter the bullring and move around freely or you can get a guided tour ticket. If you want a guided tour you need to check the different schedules available.

If you enter the building on your own, without a guide, to visit the museum and the stadium stands will take you no more than 30 minutes, unless you stay to have a meal at the restaurant.

Food, wine, and prices in Colonia del Sacramento

If you’re visiting Colonia from outside of South America, chances are that you are expecting to have great food and wine in every meal. Don’t worry about that, the reality is going to exceed your expectations.

The Uruguayan meat is one of the best in the world. You can have many different meat cuts at restaurants. And if you like seafood, Colonia has a port area with great seafood restaurants.

Food portions are huge. So be aware of that before ordering something.

Don’t leave Colonia without tasting a Chivito, the special meat sandwich of Uruguay. A Chivito has one or two slices of beef, bacon, egg, lettuce, tomato, and sometimes, many other ingredients. It always comes with french fries. You can eat it with cutlery but let me tell you that the real experience is to eat it like a sandwich with bread.

Regarding wines, Uruguay is known for its Tannat variety. A strong wine with a fruit taste.

Uruguay is an expensive country in general. In Colonia you can have lunch in a restaurant for US$ 25 to US$ 40. A fine dinner starts from US$ 40.

Is Colonia a good place for remote working and freelancers?

Do you work and travel? Are you a freelancer looking for a place to stay a few days and work from there?

If your answer is yes, let me tell you that Colonia is a very calm city in which you’ll find peace. But if you need more stimulation as a way of inspiration, then go to Buenos Aires.

If you have the posibility to work remotely, Colonia del Sacramento can be a great destination to stay a few days and work in a quiet environment.

Regarding mobile and wi-fi connectivity Uruguay has a good infrastructure in general. I had some problems with the mobile network but nothing serious.

The only advice I can give you related to connectivity is that you should find a hotel with good wi-fi.

I didn’t see co-working areas but if you search online there is at least one and is not far away from the historical center. Unfortunately, I can’t tell you if it’s good or bad.

The not-so-good about Colonia del Sacramento

Colonia del Sacramento is a touristic highlight in Uruguay but sometimes it seems that is not fully prepared to accomplish its mission.

If you’re an English speaker you will need to learn some Spanish to communicate with hotel staff, restaurant waiters, and other people. This doesn’t mean that no one speaks English, but the city is best prepared to receive people from Argentina and Brazil.

Another issue related to tourist attractions is the schedules including museums and the bullring. They are not open every day of the week. So, don’t forget to check if they are open before going.

My feeling is that Colonia, with its history, beauty, and great potential, could be a destination much more attractive to tourism than it really is.

The last downside of Colonia is related to the expensiveness of Uruguay. I’m currently living in Uruguay so I didn’t notice how expensive Colonia it can be for a tourist. But I’ve lived in expensive countries in Europe and I can’t grasp that a dinner in The Netherlands could have the same price as in Uruguay. (Well, I have to be fair, food portions in Uruguay are bigger)

Anyway, these downsides don’t overshadow the great experience I had in Colonia del Sacramento.

A beautiful city full of history

Colonia del Sacramento is a beautiful and quiet city. If you are traveling to Buenos Aires, save a day to visit Colonia. It’s nice, it’s peaceful and it’s different from the big city. You won’t regret it.

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