Colonia Del Sacramento Choice of Unesco
Duration: 8 1/2 hours
Tour Code: MVD-006
This tour presents an alternative to the regular programs offered in Montevideo. The 2 1/2 hour drive each way is long but well worth it for those guests who may have heard or read about this city and its historic significance to Uruguay. One hundred fifteen miles from Montevideo lies the beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Site - the city of Colonia del Sacramento. The drive is through pleasant rural settings offering marvelous views of the countryside of Uruguay.
This charming, lively town has a fascinating historic section jutting into the Rio de la Plata. Founded by Portuguese settlers in 1680, it was an important center for smuggling British goods across the Rio del Plata. The Barrio Historico with its narrow streets, colonial buildings, and reconstructed walls is particularly interesting and now registered as a World Heritage Site (few examples remain in South America). The city was prized by both the Portuguese and the Spanish who fought over it at regular intervals until the treaty of Saint Lldefonso which awarded the city to Spain. The cobblestone streets, the lighthouse, and the beautiful cathedral together with the picturesque setting all blend into an unusual and quaint perspective of this historic continent providing you with an altogether unusual day. After lunch at a typical restaurant, set off on the 2 1/2 hour return drive to Montevideo and the ship.
Please note: Guests participating in this tour will not see Montevideo.