Quiet Colonia

The best thing to do is absolutely nothing. After spending time in Buenos Aires, you'll probably need it! The town itself is very small, and the historic district even smaller. The cobblestone streets are lined with sycamore trees, and there's very little auto traffic. I sat in the middle of the street at the tip of the peninsula, and the only traffic I saw was a dog and a little boy on a bike. The ferry trip from B.A. is worth it just for the views from the ferry and the peace and quiet of the town.

Quick Tips:

If you love old cars, you'll love this town. Evidently the cost of owning and maintaining a car in Uruguay is very high, so people take excellent care of their cars and keep them for a long time. I must've seen two dozen cars over thrity years old, most in excellent condition. Bring the Lonely Planet Argentina/Chile/Uruguay guide with you - they have excellent information on the history of the town. Make sure you exchange for some Uruguayan pesos before you come - I couldn't find a bank machine that took U.S. bank cards, and credit cards will be charged a 5-10% service fee.

Best Way To Get Around:

Take the hydrofoil from Buenos Aires to Colonia. From there, you can rent bikes or mopeds as soon as you get into port. The town is so small, though, that you can easily walk everywhere.

Very cheap, reasonably clean, extremely friendly, and well located, the Posada is a good budget accomodation. The rooms are centered around a sunny courtyard, where a light breakfast is served each morning. The rooms were about $20 - $25 for one night, with bathroom. Single rooms will most likely be bunk beds with TV. Double rooms will either be bunks or double beds. The bathrooms are ok - just like other bathrooms in the area, the shower has a flat stone floor and a drain in the middle. My room was very quiet - although there's hardly any traffic in Colonia anyway. If you're traveling light and cheap, this is a great place to stay.

The Posada del Rio is right on the edge of the old city, and a ten to fifteen minute walk from the hydrofoils to Buenos Aires. (The town is very small and compact, so virtually everything is in walking distance). There are regular buses to Montevideo and points beyond as well.

The hyfrofoils leave from downtown Buenos Aires regularly (south of the main train station - it's not a pleasant walk across several major roads with manic B.A. drivers), taking about 45 minutes each way. They're pretty swank, with duty-free shopping (which is nevertheless very expensive), televisions, and food. Slower, cheaper ferries take about two hours. Once you get to Colonia, it's about a 1/4 mile walk to the historic district. The newer section of town is pleasant enough. If you have time, you might want to consider going by bus from Colonia to Montevideo, then taking a hydrofoil from Montevideo back to Buenos Aires.