Colonia del Sacramento
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Overview
On the east bank of the Río de la Plata, 112 miles (180km) west of Montevideo, but only 31 miles (50km) from Buenos Aires by ferry, Colonia is an irresistibly picturesque town enshrined as a Unesco World Heritage site. Its Barrio Histórico, an irregular colonial-era nucleus of narrow cobbled streets, occupies a small peninsula jutting into the river. Pretty rows of sycamores offer protection from the summer heat, and the riverfront is a venue for spectacular sunsets (it's a Uruguayan custom to applaud the setting sun). Colonia’s charm and its proximity to Buenos Aires draw thousands of Argentine visitors; on weekends, especially in summer, prices rise and it can be difficult to find a room.
Attractions
Must-see attractions
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Colonia del Sacramento
Uruguay’s oldest church – begun by the Portuguese in 1680, then completely rebuilt twice under Spanish rule – is the centerpiece of pretty Plaza de Armas…
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Centro Cultural Bastión del Carmen
Colonia del Sacramento
Incorporating part of the city’s historic fortifications, this theater and gallery complex adjacent to Colonia's Puerto Viejo hosts rotating art exhibits…
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Colonia del Sacramento
Off the southwest corner of Plaza Mayor 25 de Mayo are the ruins of the 17th-century Convento de San Francisco, within which stands the 19th-century faro…
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Colonia del Sacramento
The most dramatic way to enter the Barrio Histórico is via the reconstructed 1745 city gate. From here, a thick fortified wall runs south along the Paseo…
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Colonia del Sacramento
Houses Roberto Banchero’s personal collection of Charrúa stone tools, exhibits on indigenous history, and an amusing map upstairs showing how many…
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Colonia del Sacramento
In this old house on Colonia's main square you’ll find Portuguese relics including porcelain, furniture, maps, Manuel Lobo’s family tree and the old stone…
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Colonia del Sacramento
On the northwest edge of Plaza Mayor 25 de Mayo, the tiny Archivo Regional contains historical documents along with pottery and glass excavated from the…
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