The Portuguese, who needed a port along the Rio de la Plata, founded Colonia in 1680. Nowadays it is an essential stop to everyone visiting Uruguay. The capture of the city in 1762 by the Spaniards lead to its hybrid look: the streets are not arranged in the typical grid of most cities along the river, but follow the irregular shape typical of the Portuguese towns, despite that most of the whitewashed houses in the old quarter are built in the typical Spaniard Colonial style.
The old quarter highlights include the Puerta de Campo, which is the original Portuguese gate to the city, built in 1745; the Portuguese Museum by the Plaza Mayor; and the Spaniard Museum on San Jose Road, just next to the old pier. The museums are open from noon until 6pm. Nevertheless, the true highlights are the streets themselves, which take you effortlessly a couple of centuries back into an era long forgotten elsewhere. The fact that there are no cars in the narrow cobbled streets of the Old Quarter strongly contribute to that magical feeling.
To see the famous perfectly preserved vintage cars of the Uruguayans, you must exit its limits for the sake of the nearby commercial quarter and the pier leading to Argentina. The small modern town spans for a few kilometers along the coast to the north. The main point of interest of the new town is the Real de San Carlos, a huge quasi-destroyed bullring that was never used. By the new pier there are many motorcycles for rent; a day rental costs $4. In the same place there are many touts offering rooms in guesthouses next to the Old Quarter. Most rooms cost $5 per night, and there is no extra cost for the tout's work: the same price will be offered if you arrive without them. A typical basic room costs $5 per night. As with all Uruguayan coasts, Colonia is quite a windy place, so you should bring adequate clothing.
Colonia can be reached as a day trip from Montevideo or approached as a stop on the way out of the country towards Buenos Aires. A bus to Montevideo costs some 140URP and the way is almost 3 hours. The buses leave at 5:00 (Mo), 06:20, 09:30, 12:00 (except Su), 14:00 (except Su), 16:00, 18:00, and 20:00. In the opposite direction, the timetable is similar with departures half an hour later. The Buquebus Hydrofoil fast line to Buenos Aires costs 720URP and leaves at 9:15, 17:30, and 21:00; the trip takes about 1 hour. The slow line costs 420URP, takes almost 3 hours, and leaves at 04:30 and at 19:30. The Buquebus has a good cafeteria, which helps to comfortably pass the trip. Therefore, eating a heavy meal before the departure is not recommended; the prices aboard are only slightly higher than those on the coast. At the same counter where the Buquebus tickets are sold, by the pier, you can buy tickets for the Lancha Carmelo. Using this option, you travel first 85km to the north by bus and then cross the narrower Uruguay River with a speed boat to Tigre in Argentina. From there you can continue to Buenos Aires by bus or train (this is the only public train still in use in Argentina). This option is cheaper with a 261URP one-way ticket, or 437URP for a return ticket. It leaves daily at 2:30pm, and the only drawback is the landing place in Argentina, which is considered somewhat dangerous. Very conveniently, the Uruguayan and Argentinean immigration are placed on the Buquebus departing hall; thus you get both stamps on the same spot.