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
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
One of the town’s most prominent landmarks, Colonia’s 19th-century working lighthouse provides an excellent view of the old town and the Río de la Plata…
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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
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
Houses an eclectic collection of treasures including a whale skeleton, a re-creation of a colonial drawing room, historical timelines and a scale model of…
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Colonia del Sacramento
This teeny colonial home is evocative of Colonia's early days, with period furniture, thick whitewashed walls, wavy glass and original lintels (duck if…
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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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Articles
Latest stories from Colonia del Sacramento
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