Colonia del Sacramento
Located on the eastern banks of the River Plate (Rio de la Plata) is the picturesque town of Colonia del Sacramento. Originally founded as a Portuguese settlement in 1680, its close proximity to Buenos Aires (only 50-km away) made it an important strategic city along the river. Ownership of the city passed hands many times between the Spanish and Portuguese until in 1828 it became part of the newly formed Uruguay. Today the historic quarter (Barrio Historico) is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It is a popular destination for tourists, especially in the summer when residents of Buenos Aires take the short ferry across the water for a visit. We were nearing the end of our 6-week journey across South America and had flights booked out of Montevideo a few days later, so we chose to stop over here for half a day. We left Buenos Aires early in the morning so that we would have enough time to explore the city, and it was a worthwhile experience. The historic town is beautiful, and we got lucky with a sunny day, which helped our photo-taking aspirations.
The modern city was quite peaceful, and it probably would have been worthwhile to spend the night here, but we chose to wander mostly through the old town enjoying the colonial buildings, narrow cobblestone streets and enjoying the laid-back atmosphere. We wandered into a few different cafes, electing to snack throughout the day instead of sitting for a full meal. The highlight of this small town is the massive Lighthouse that stands near the cities center, which seems to find its way into the background of almost every photo.
Uruguay is a country of just under 4 million people, and they stand out as being a very unique population, much more laid back than their Argentine neighbors. Most locals walk around with a cup of mate in one hand and a thermos of hot water under their arms. Colonia is home to under 27,000 people, and this ensures that the city reflects this laid-back vibe the who country gives off. If you are visiting Argentina, it is well worth a day trip visit across the water, and it is a can’t miss if you are planning to travel to Montevideo. We only had a few days total in Uruguay, but it left a lasting impression on us. The following pictures of our short visit are a testament to this small towns beauty.
Colonia del Sacramento:
Colonia del Sacramento. 2017.
Old City Walls. 2017.
Beautiful cobblestone streets in the old city. 2017.
Norma and Rob posing with the cannon. 2017.
Colonia del Sacramento. 2017.
Flowers on the bank of the River Plate. 2017.
The Lighthouse of Colonia del Sacramento. 2017.
The Waterfront of Colonia del Sacramento. 2017.
Old Car. 2017.
The riverbank of the River Plate. 2017.
Sailboats. 2017.
Cannon. 2017.
A street in the old town. 2017.
Houses in the old town of Colonia del Sacramento. 2017.
A cool cafe in the old town of Colonia del Sacramento. 2017.
The Lighthouse. 2017.
City walls of Colonia del Sacramento. 2017.
The Lighthouse. 2017.
Cobblestone streets. 2017.
Sitting in front of the ruins. 2017.
Beautiful city streets in the old city. 2017.
Tree lined streets. 2017.
The old city. 2017.
Norma sitting with the Cannon. 2017.
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Uruguay is often lost in the shadow of it’r large neighbour Argentina but it’s somewhere I’d like to visit. Lovely photos. Sounds like you had quite a good time!
Great photos! It brought back memories of my own overnight stay in Colonia last year.
Uruguay is a very cool country. A little bit Spanish, a little bit Portuguese and uniquely Uruguayan. This was my second time visiting (and Norma’s first) and we enjoyed it a lot.