3-day itinerary in Southwest Uruguay
Where exactly is Uruguay and why go there for 3 days? When I thought about some of my not yet explored bucket list destinations in South America over a 3 week trip, I didn’t have Uruguay top of mind initially. But once I got my map out and started looking at routes and options, it struck me that a long weekend in Uruguay from Buenos Aires would easily be possible. Here’s our fabulous 3-day itinerary in southwest Uruguay including Colonia del Sacramento and Carmelo.
Gettting to Uruguay from Buenos Aires
It’s very straightforward. There are 2 main ferry operators who compete on this 1 hour 15 mins crossing. We went with Colonia Express which I booked on-line with Direct Ferries before we left home. The ferry itself was modern, similar to ferries I have used elsewhere around the world. The other company is Buquebus also bookable via Direct Ferries.
The ferry terminals are in the Puerto Madeira part of Buenos Aires – just get a taxi from down-town. From Palermo where we were staying it was about 20 mins.
You go through Argentinian customs and then Uruguay customs before you get on the ferry. It takes a little bit of time if you go at a weekend when hundreds of locals and tourists flood the small town, keen for a break from the ever busy mega city Buenos Aires. Therefore, I’d strongly recommend coming here during the week (we left on a Wednesday) around 1pm and returned on a Saturday morning. You must check in 2 hours before the departure time.
If the weather is decent, get on deck as you leave the port. You’ll pass by some odd but interesting sights, like the Buenos Aires Casino (an old paddle boat), derelict tankers before reaching the mouth of the harbour with more on an industrial feel.
Crossing the Rio de La Plata
In Spanish, this means the River of Silver. There is apparently quite a debate about what this is: some call it a tapering of the Atlantic Ocean, others view it as a marginal sea and then others describe it an an estuary of the Parana and Uruguay rivers. Regardless, it is big!
At its widest it is 180 miles (290 km). In fact those who call this a river, view it as the widest in the world, as it covers more than 13,000 square miles! However, the crossing from Buenos Aires is only 31 miles (50km) so much more appealing for a short hop over. It’s perfect for a 3-day itinerary in Southwest Uruguay!
On arrival in Uruguay, the authorities will pass all luggage through an x-ray machine and then you’re free to go!
Colonia del Sacramento, Southwest Uruguay
As soon as we stepped off the ferry, it felt like we’d gone back in time and in a good way! Cobbled curved avenues lined with leafy trees. Small colorful cafes on outdoor pavements.
Views from the streets shone onto blue waters in all directions. Sea-front promenades burst with bright bougainvilleas.
The town is literally off the ferry jetty/terminal area, so if you’re staying in the historical town, it’s no more than 15 mins walk to your hotel.
If you walk, you’ll likely pass by the old train station with a sign proudly announcing you’ve made it to Colonia. Not operational any more, but a cute reminder of by-gone era of train travel here.
This city was founded originally by the Portuguese in the 1600s and in 1995 it became a UNESCO Heritage site.
We decided to spend a night of our 3-day itinerary in Southwest Uruguay here to check it out. Then we would go further north west to the wine country the next day.
Where To Stay in Colonia, Uruguay
We booked a small boutique hotel via Booking.com called Don Antonio Posada which was perfect in location and quality.
The staff were very friendly (although spoke little English).
Breakfast was a lavish affair – all home baked goods with strong coffee. We didn’t use the pool but it was very inviting and the rooms were comfortable, good sized with a seating room patio areas next to them.
Two minutes walk from the hotel and we were on the main thoroughfare which is small but interesting to browse for some souvenirs, traditional foods.
10 things to do in Colonia del Sacramento
- Have a leisurely lunch at a street cafe in historic center – we liked Parrilla Santa Rita but there are many options. This family run restaurant is also perfect for watching sunsets!
- Climb the lighthouse for great views – its about 100 steps, so just a light work out!
- Discover the old town: San Francisco convent ruins, old lighthouses, small museums. Two showcase Spanish, Portuguese history while others are more specific like the Tile museum.
- Have a seat in the shade in Plaza de Armas next to Basilica del Santisimo. It’s the oldest church in Uruguay.
- Stroll down the ‘street of sights’ – Calle de los Suspiros. The paving is original from the Portuguese days. It’s framed with colonial homes.
Colonia Bucket List Activities!
6. Walk the coastal promenade round to the marina where small boats bob casually in the harbour.
7. Have an Uruguayan ice-cream or if you prefer check out traditional barbecues for a meat feast.
8. Try mate – this is a team effort. This Yerba Mate based hot or cold drink is made for sharing and you will often see people across South America carrying a flask with their mate.
Traditionally it was served in cured squash gourd vessels like in the photos below but today ceramic ones are more practical and popular.
9.Soak in what’s going on in daily life – we came across a film shoot !
10. Take lots of photos and video. This town is so incredibly picturesque and perfect for putting our tips on how to take awesome photographs into practice!
Drive North West to Carmelo
After a delicious breakfast and a couple of hours of more strolling in the gorgeous morning light, it was off to our next destination. Our next stop on our 3-day itinerary in Southwest Uruguay was Carmelo. On the spur of the moment we decided to rent a car (vs the bus) and drive ourselves.
There are buses every few hours but it seemed a better use of our limited time to drive ourselves. We rented from a company called Cheap Car Rental in Colonia, near to the ferry terminal.
We just showed up and hired a small SUV on the spot. It was easy and it cost around $150 for 3 days hire including insurance. It was a new car with low mileage. Here I am waiting to load up!
Driving in Uruguay is Easy
We followed route 21 out of Colonia del Sacramento and inland the landscape became more rural with rolling hills and small farms. Soon patches of vineyards started to appear which were very different from the valleys of non-stop vines in other wine growing areas. Cattle and horses grazed luscious looking green grass contentedly, some of them playing a key role in keeping this from growing too tall between the rows of vines.
If you drive non-stop between Colonia and Carmelo it’s around 1.5 hours. It’s easy, well signed posted and a quiet road. We were quite perplexed to see sign posts for Fray Bentos. Wasn’t that a brand of corn beef from the UK?
Well, thanks to Google, we discovered that there is a town called Fray Bentos. And there’s more. This town was where corn beef (meat shipped from Argentina) was processed and exported. Today, there is no more production of corned beef, but UNESCO stepped in to protect the site and you can visit the museum.
It was a little further north than we wanted to go, but it seems a cool unique thing to see if you have the time and love corn beef!
Carmelo, Uruguay
On the coast, Carmelo is a town without any fancy tourist accessories but it’s jewel is a micro-climate that suits wine growing! As we drove through the narrow streets, people were winding down for their afternoon siestas (typically 2-5pm). Shutters were closing, ‘abierto’ changed to ‘cerrado’ on shop front doors.
We stopped to buy some water at the one supermarket we found still open. Honestly, there was no clue we were heading towards a burgeoning wine growing area. It was quite the adventure.
On the surface Carmelo is not a classic pretty postcard town, like Colonia. On first sight it feels more functional and the vibe I got is that it can be a tough life for some here.
We kept driving, passing through large central tree-lined squares, with the odd fountain, old trees for shade with more dogs than people making use of them.
We then came across a gigantic bottle of wine at the end of a dirt road proudly announcing we’d arrived in the bodega area of town (the vineyards)!
Six wineries to Visit in Carmelo Uruguay
In fact, Carmelo is the largest wine producing area in Uruquay after the area near Montevideo and Canelones in the more central part of the country. There are currently (2023) 6 bodegas around Carmelo. Zubizareeta, Campotinto, Almaden de la Capilla, El Legado, Narbona and Finca Buena Vista. Some have accommodation but it’s limited, so book early to get your perfect lodge. Interestingly, there is a small Four Seasons Hotel in Carmelo too for a touch of added luxury during your 3-day itinerary in southwest Uruguay
We had originally booked a room at Campotinto wine lodge but they cancelled on us a couple of months before we travelled. We did cycle by here during our visit and found out they are renovating the place. Sadly, then it will only be available for group tours!
However, things happen for a reason and so we re-booked ourselves into another wine lodge called Bodega El Legado. It was absolutely wonderful.
The History of Bodega El Legado
Bodega El Legado is a special spot. Maria and her sons welcomed us with open arms and clearly work hard to have guests feel like part of their family. Her story is also one of great perservance.
Back in 1968 her father-in-law bought the land with a dream (el legado in Spanish) to be a wine-maker. However he ran into financial challenges and had no choice but to abandon his dream.
But, Maria’s husband held onto the dream as the next generation of this incredible family. And in 2007 he bought the land back and slowly brick by brick, vine by vine, this humble hardworking family, made their long held dream a reality. Sadly he died in 2022 and despite suffering another loss, Maria and her sons made a promise to keep this achievement going.
They plan to add 2 more rooms in their next phase of development. Friendly and fun, Maria is a role model for entrepreneurship as well as being a wonderful host. She oversees the production of around 3000 bottles a year.
The rooms at El Legado were large, modern with all the facilities you’d expect in a 4 star quality of wine lodge.
Breakfasts were served the night before, brought in a large wooden box. Fresh and delicious.
A fridge in each room makes it easy to store anything perishable overnight.
Go Cycling Through Vineyards of Carmelo
The resort provides bikes for guests. Off we went with a very basic map which we discarded pretty quickly. We had a wonderful cycle around the bodegas, passing local crofts, schools, churches.
We stopped to talk with an older farmer patiently sitting under the shade of an old tree, as his cows munched on road-side grass. He was quiet, friendly, a man of hard work and tradition. With his ‘farmers bonnet’ on his head, he reminded me a lot of our Dad. A moment that only really happens when we slow down on our travels.
It was quite warm but so pleasant as the roads were quiet (many unpaved) and butterflies, birds and bees were our main company. It’s easy to do an hour or two cycle to burn off a few calories before getting down to business and tasting some of the young wine varieties of South Western Uruguay.
Wine tasting in Uruguay
Bodega El Legado
We have tasted wines in many places and sure a lot of you have too! Quite often the sample is the size of a ‘wee nip’ as we Scots like to say. Ample to taste but wait – perhaps not quite enough to savour and linger over a fine wine with friends.
The tasting at Bodega El Legado was outstanding. First, a charcuterie board arrive overflowing with local meats, cheeses, fruits. This was followed by fresh from the oven empanadas as the wines were poured.
We enjoyed 5 different young wines from the Uruguay, including Tannat – a new taste to us. Others were Cab Franc, Merlot, Syrah, blends. Tannat wines are produced from old French vines originally and the wine is quite distinctive. But you have to visit to taste it – most of these wines are not exported.
And when you’re done eating and tasting at the table in the original farm-house building which is so atmospheric, guests are invited to draw a glass (or two!) from the barrel in the adjoining room. That was so much fun and a wonderful finale to an exceptional tasting experience.
They also offer Uruguayan barbecue (with advance notice) and you can also be a guest and help out with harvesting their grapes!
Bodega Almacen de la Capilla
We dropped by another winery for a late lunchtime tasting and were welcomed by members of the Cordano family who descend from Italian immigrants back in the 1870s.
Again, the enthusiasm of our host was infectious. We even got invited to head into the small cellar where their wine ages and wander around their production site – so casual it was like visiting a friend!
We had a delicious lunch and tasting experience. The gazebo and deck area is situated to look out on their vines and it is so tranquil. They have a very well stocked shop with local produce like jams, the famous ‘Dulce de Leche’ caramel sauce.
It’s impossible to leave Bodega Almacen de la Capilla without buying something delicious: in my case a bottler of their organic olive oil.
The Chardonnay here was excellent and I am not a Chardonnay fan usually! That bottle didn’t last too long though 🙂
Bodega La Narbona
We stopped by this vine-yard although didn’t do a tasting. It is a beautiful spot and the gardens were stunning and I imagine a beautiful spot for a wedding. They also have a farm type shop laden with wines, cheeses, crackers and so much more. This was a dairy farm as long ago as 1909. They have a wine museum and each room is named after a wine – love that!
The only comment I would make is it’s location. It’s a bit further away from the cluster of others and so not as central for cycling around wineries. But equally it struck us as a wonderful lodge, full of history and fine wines to keep you very happy in a stay in Carmelo.
One interesting thing we learned is that there is no glass bottle production in Uruguay currently and this severely limits their ability to export. But for us tourists and the locals, it’s a bonus to taste the best of what is lovingly cultivated in these small, family run businesses.
Beaches and Sunsets of Carmelo
It’s possible to take a sun-set trip on the river; they leave from the marina Club del Faro. We decided to enjoy a simpler sunset and headed to the local beach one evening.
We were not disappointed with the sunset – it was beautiful. I would repeat that without a hire car getting around could be quite difficult as these distances are not walkable from the bodegas. There was little in the way of Uber services here!
Carmelo beach is sandy and small but seems popular with locals and the odd tourist. There is an area that juts out a little and makes for a pleasant walk as the sun sinks. Then, it’s time to head back and perhaps go into Carmelo itself for dinner. We ate at a local restaurant just off the main square.
Again, eating dinner is typically a 9pm affair here, so if you’re here earlier it will feel empty. The food was good, the wine excellent and it was full of locals, enjoying a Friday night on the town!
3-day itinerary in Southwest Uruguay
If you fly into Uruguay then you can build out our 3-day itinerary in southwest Uruguay into a full country tour!
Start in the capital city Montevideo or maybe make your way east to the beautiful beaches of Punta del Este region. This is without a doubt where the better beach life is.
But if you’re looking for a short stay a 3-day itinerary in Southwest Uruguay will give you time to explore, relax, stuff yourself with the freshest of local food and delicious wine, and make new friends.
If Uruguay is now on your list, we found an excellent website by Uruguay resident Karen Higgs (originally from theUK) with excellent detailed information for anyone planning a trip here.
Why Uruguay is a Great Destination
After successfully completing our 3-day itinerary in Southwest Uruguay, we left here with a real affection for the way of life. We met down to earth people, saw real farmers at work and overall loved the authenticity of Southwestern Uruguay. The wines here are unique! They showcase the dedication of winemakers to create fresh young wines, knowing how tough it is to export as small artisans.
Carmelo and Southwestern Uruguay may not be as flashy or bold as many other places on our planet, but for me, that’s precisely what makes it so special. I can’t wait to return and discover more of this understated South American country!