Colonia del Sacramento is a 1.5 hour ferry away from Buenos Aires or a 2 hour bus from Montevideo. Because of how close it is to these two locations, it is very possible to do a day trip to this colonial town. However, I do recommend spending a night or two. The empty town in the morning is truly peaceful and it is nice to spend a full day there. You can read more about transit to and from Colonia del Sacramento here.
Where to Stay
If you are coming to stay overnight, there is no wrong place to stay, as long as you are near the old town. The town is so small and walkable. (The walk from the ferry/bus station to the old town is 10-15 minutes.)
There are a number of hostels and boutique hotels to choose from. We stayed at two locations but the one that really surprised us was the Don Antonio Posada. The hotel is in a Spanish colonial style with rooms surrounding a courtyard with a pool. The value of the hotel truly blew us away.
Your Day in Colonia del Sacramento
Start your day by walking through the old town. Visit the old city gate, the streets throughout the town, ruins, the different vistas, the dock, and the Basilica. You can follow the map below to take you through the main points. Make sure to take in all the flowers and plants throughout the streets. The beautiful bougainvillea everywhere offer protection to people’s homes and add beauty and whimsy to the streets.
The town also provides guided tours through the old town. These start just outside of the Old Gate at 11 AM and 3 PM. You can ask the tourism office there which tours are in English and which are in Spanish.
When walking around the town, take in the old architecture of both Spanish and Portuguese settlers. If you want a bird’s eye view of the town, you can climb to the top of the lighthouse for a few pesos. You will need cash to do this activity and climb a few flights of stairs.
After walking through the town and taking a tour of the area, take a long walk along the river to the Colonia letters and continue on to the Plaza de Toros. This is a former bullfighting ring that actually held a few fights before being closed. It is now an entertainment venue and you can take tours of the interior. From here, you can take a taxi to return to the town and continue to enjoy the Old Town of Colonia del Sacramento.
If you are leaving to head back to Buenos Aires or Montevideo, head to the boat or bus stations at the end of your day.
Food Options in Colonia del Sacramento
There are a number of different restaurants to try in the town. Uruguay, similarly to Argentina, is known for its beef and parrilla (barbeque). There are two restaurants that stood out to us when we were interested in trying, and they happen to be connected.
Parrillada El Porton
This traditional parrillada has been around for over 40 years and is the best place to get a traditional Uruguayan feast. We opted for the sampler which includes a variety of cuts of meat, including blood sausage and intestines. You can always change out these interesting cuts if you don’t want to sample them but it is a great opportunity to try!
El Otro Porton
This is the second restaurant by this family and is a newer take on the parrillada. It is a small plates style restaurant that allows you to mix different cuts of meat, vegetables, salads, and other small dishes. This is the place to go for a contemporary Uruguayan meal.
We hope you are able to step back in time and enjoy everything that this small colonial town has to offer.