You'll Love Uruguay

Founded in 1680 by the Portuguese, this little town still retains a great deal of European influence. Its cobblestone streets and colonial facades are reminiscent of Lisbon, and the food, while generally lacking in sea food, has Italian, Spanish and Portuguese influences as well.

Quick Tips:

If you are not flying directly in to Montevideo, the best way to get here is by ferry or the faster hydrofoil from Buenos Aires. The trip is longer than you'd think, ranging from 2-4 hours, depending on which vessel you take.

Best Way To Get Around:

Bicycle is the most pleasant way to see the tree-lined streets, quaint houses and rocky beaches, but this place is so small, you could see most of it by foot.

This hotel is simply gorgeous, with luxurious rooms and outdoor activities like swimming, tennis and South American BBQing. Some rooms come with Jacuzzis! There are restaurants and a casino to keep you busy at night.

One great activity here is biking to the old bullfighting ring, the Plaza de Torros. Created in 1910, it is now completely out of use, but its grassy interior and old stone skeleton retain the atmosphere of tragic excitment that it was once graced with by the bloodsports held within. There are also little secret beaches around Colonia that you can find by bike only--explore!

Located in an old, whitewashed house, this museum is full of old colonial relics, basically antique furniture, weapons and clothing left behind by the original colonizers.

This tour operator will take groups of up to 10 on tours of the whole city, explaining the importance of various ancient houses and occasionally entering museums, where talks are given about the various artifacts found within. Tours can be given in English or Spanish, and costs depend on the number of tourists Call 0059852 23547 for more information or to arrange a tour.

Although Uruguay is more renowned for its white, sandy beaches in places like Punta del Este, Colonia has a different, more subtle kind of charm. The tango was invented in this country, contrary to popular belief. Apparently, black slaves brought over by the former Portuguese colonists invented it, along with their prostituting partners, in the brothels here. Indeed, the black population here is higher than it is in neighbouring Argentina and Paraguay. The tiny streets of Colonia are full of artisian's shops selling everything from ceramics to sweaters, and the restaurants range from cheap fast food like salad and pizza, to more traditional Southern Cone fare like beefsteaks. Prices of everything are comparable to those in the U.S.A.; nothing comes too cheap here. That said, the handmade sweaters are unique and a good value, and the open air markets offer many.

The best time to go to Colonia is between November and April, as the weather is warm and the breezes are cool. Two things that are ubiquitious in Uruguay that you must try are big, juicy steaks, similar to the excellent beef found in Argentina, and mate, the grass-like drink found all over the southern cone. Though it is not intially that tasty, (if you put the cuttings from your front lawn in tea bags it would surely taste the same) it is part of an important social ritual: mate is served in hollowed out gourds and is sucked up through metallic straws that filter hot water through the herbs. The gourd is passed around from person to person to be shared amongst friends. Uruguayans are famous for their addiction to the drink, and can actually be seen everywhere with thermoses of hot water under their arms and little bags containing their mate kit!