If you’re visiting Buenos Aires for a few days, you might be considering heading across the Rio de la Plata to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay—I mean, who doesn’t like hitting a UNESCO World Heritage Site, PLUS getting a new passport stamp? During my husband, Justin’s and my recent month-long stay in Buenos Aires, we did just that—and are breaking down everything you need to know about visiting Colonia del Sacramento from Buenos Aires, including how to get there and what to do.
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, we may receive a small commission, for which we are extremely grateful, at no extra cost to you.
What is Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay?
Colonia del Sacramento, located right on the shores of the Rio de la Plata, was originally founded by the Portuguese in 1680, making it one of the oldest cities in the entire country of Uruguay. For the next 100 years, Spain and Portugal fought over which country would rule this land, given its incredibly strategic location. Eventually, these conflicts were resolved in 1828 when Uruguay gained its independence.
The city reflects a unique fusion of these historical Portuguese and Spanish influences in its architecture and culture. Particularly, the city’s Old Town is renowned for its cobblestone streets, well-preserved one story buildings from the 17th century, and even a drawbridge—wandering around its streets seriously feels like you’re being transported into a colonial European city.
Because of these unique characteristics, Colonia del Sacramento became one of the few UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Uruguay in 1995.
Getting to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay from Buenos Aires
From Buenos Aires, there’s two different ways to get to Colonia del Sacramento. Regardless of which way you get there, remember that you’re crossing borders and will therefore need your passport!
By ferry
The most popular and quickest way to get from Buenos Aires to Colonia del Sacramento is by taking an hour and 15 minute ferry across the Rio de la Plata.
There’s two ferry operators that offer passage along this route—Colonia Express and Buquebus.
Colonia Express departs from Buenos Aires at 8:30, 10:30, 12:50, 18:30, and 20:00, and returns to Buenos Aires at 8:30, 10:30, 16:30, 18:00, and 20:30, with roundtrip tickets starting around $97 USD (yeah, it’s definitely not the cheapest!).
Buquebus departs from Buenos Aires at 8:30, 12:15, and 18:45 and returns from Colonia at 10:16, 17:01, and 20:31, with roundtrip tickets starting around $95 USD per person.
One thing to be aware of—book your tickets WAY in advance of your trip. I originally tried to buy tickets for the Colonia Express, given that it has a reputation of being a bit cheaper than Buquebus, about a week ahead—and was shocked to discover that almost all of the tickets were sold out for two weeks!
Once you’ve secured your tickets, I’d also suggest confirming which port you need to head to (the two ferry companies have separate ports that are pretty far from each other) and getting to the port with PLENTY of time to spare—at least two hours or preferably more.
We wound up booking with Buquebus and assumed that getting to the port about an hour early would be a sufficient amount of time to board. However, boarding was pretty chaotic, with HUGE lines and a very confusing immigration process.
Both of the companies have pretty comfortable ferries, with a duty free shop and a currency exchange onboard. Buquebus’ ferry is a bit more luxurious than Colonia Express, with a cafeteria serving basic fare, like empanadas, coffee, and juice, and even a First Class ticket option that comes with more spacious seating and free refreshments.
By car
Alternatively, if you have a rental car, you can theoretically drive to Colonia del Sacramento. However, you’ll need to circumnavigate the Rio de la Plata, meaning the journey will be over six and a half hours long.
Accordingly, unless there’s a compelling reason not to take the ferry, I’d suggest going that route!
Insider tip: Remember that, regardless of how you get to Colonia, you’re crossing a country border like any other. So, in addition to needing your passport, you won’t be able to take certain items, like fruits, vegetables, or live plants, into or out of Uruguay.
Things to do in Colonia del Sacramento
To be honest, there’s not a TON of things to do in Colonia del Sacramento—visiting is more about meandering around its Old Town’s cobblestone streets and soaking up the laidback vibes. Still, there’s plenty to keep you busy for a quick day or overnight trip!
1. Wander around Old Town
The best thing to do in Colonia del Sacramento is simply to just wander around the almost 350 year old cobblestone streets off Old Town. There’s tons of boutiques, selling locally crafted arts and home goods and cafes to grab a mate or a glass of wine at.
Here are a few spots in Old Town that you shouldn’t miss:
- Iglesia Matriz: Dating back to 1680, this is the oldest church in all of Uruguay!
- El Buen Suspiro: A tiny hole-in-the-wall restaurant that dates back over 200 years with killer pizza and a wide array of tannat wine, a varietal that Uruguay is renowned for
- Puerta de la Ciudadela: If you want to feel like you’re in Game of Thrones, don’t miss the drawbridge that serves as the main entrance to the Old City, with a fortified wall that you can walk on in certain parts and old cannons.
- Vista del Atardecer: The best place to watch the sunset over the Rio de la Plata in Colonia
2. Visit the Colonia del Sacramento Lighthouse
This is arguably the most famous structure in Colonia—and for good reason!
The lighthouse itself is well-preserved but the surrounding brick walls are in ruins, which adds a unique historic charm to the structure.
If you happen to be visiting when the lighthouse is open on Thursdays through Sundays from 10 AM–12:50 PM or 2–4:50 PM, you can pay a nominal fee (equivalent to around $1 USD per person) and climb the incredibly steep stairs to the top of the 87 foot tower. At the top, you’ll be rewarded with some of the very best views of the surrounding Old Town and the Rio de la Plata.
There’s a few kind of odd restrictions about visiting the lighthouse—admission is cash only (with only Uruguayan pesos accepted) and children under 8 or travelers wearing sandals are not allowed to climb the tower.
3. Soak up the sun at Playa Ferrando
One thing that I was a bit taken aback by was the color of Rio de la Plata, which is frankly a semi-disconcerting reddish brown color. This isn’t due to pollution, but rather the color of sediments deposited into the Rio de la Plata by the Paraná and Uruguay Rivers.
So imagine my surprise when we discovered there actually was a pretty nice beach in Colonia del Sacramento, Playa Ferrando.
Located about a 45 minute walk east of the Old Town area, Playa Ferrando offers a long stretch of soft golden sand and some shade if you happen to be visiting on a particularly spicy day. I still probably wouldn’t recommend swimming here—unfortunately, it’s not unusual to see a stray plastic bottle here—but it’s a lovely and quiet place that’s perfect for relaxing with a book or just soaking in the views.
4. Join a walking tour around the city
If you want to learn more about this fascinating city, consider joining a walking tour, like this one and a half hour option or this three hour option.
During a walking tour, you’ll learn all about the fascinating history of the city, including how it flipped between being ruled by Spain and Portugal, and how this turmoil shaped the unique traditions and culture here. You’ll, of course, stop at Colonia’s most famous landmarks, including the aforementioned lighthouse and Calle de Los Suspiros, otherwise known as the “Street of Sighs”, which is believed to have once served as the city’s Red Light District.
5. Try Uruguayan food
When in Uruguay, try Uruguayan food!
Uruguay is known for several famous dishes, including empanadas, alfajor (a pastry made from flour, honey, and nuts), puchero (a hearty stew), and milanese (a breaded cutlet).
Justin and I follow a vegan diet and were still able to try some veggie versions of milanesa and chivito (a sandwich that’s traditionally made with steak, ham, mozzarella, tomatoes, mayonnaise, and olives) at Archie’s Pizza and Burgers. Definitely would recommend!
NAPO Pizza Napoletana and Parrillada El Portón are two other spots that are beloved by both locals and tourists alike and have a variety of traditional Uruguayan food to choose from.
6. Go on a wine tour
Argentina and Chile usually get all the attention when it comes to wine production, but Uruguay certainly has its own growing vino scene. In fact, many of the vineyards in Uruguay are actually found in the area surrounding Colonia.
As mentioned above, Uruguay is best known for the tannat grape, which is believed to have gotten its name from the high level of tannins found in its earthy red wine.
You can either try tannat wine for yourself at one of the many wine bars lining the streets of Old Town, like Vinoteca De La Colonia, or if you have a bit more time to play around with, you can join a tour to a GORGEOUS family-owned local winery in Colonia.
7. Take a boat ride
At 140 miles wide, the Rio de la Plata has the impressive title of being the widest river in the world. So, if you’re staying in Colonia for the night, you might as well watch the sunset whilst cruising the waters of the widest river on Earth!
This sunset boat tour will cruise along Colonia’s shoreline, offering a unique perspective of its historical buildings, as well as past several islands in the Rio de la Plata, with their own historical structures that date back more than a century. Definitely a relaxing way to end a busy day of exploring Colonia!
8. Head to Montevideo
Okay, okay, this is cheating a little, but one of the most popular things to do in Colonia del Sacramento is… to immediately leave and head to Montevideo.
Our ferry from Buenos Aires to Colonia was ABSOLUTELY packed to the gills—we were so surprised to see so many folks heading to Colonia for the day. Turns out, 99.9% of these people immediately boarded buses, headed to Montevideo, after disembarking the ferry.
Uruguay’s capital city is known for having some of the best beaches in South America, as well as a buzzing cafe culture, rich arts scene, and excellent shopping, especially for electronics.
If you want to go to Montevideo, there are some packages that you can buy that combine ferry and bus tickets from Buenos Aires, like this option, or even overnight tours, like this one, that include time to explore both Colonia and Montevideo before returning to Buenos Aires.
Tips for visiting Colonia del Sacramento
Uruguay uses the Uruguayan peso
The one not-so-good thing about visiting a country for just a day? It kind of stinks having to fart around with a new currency for such a short period of time.
Truth be told, Justin and I didn’t take out money in Uruguay—and it turned out not to be an issue at all, as every place we stopped at took credit cards.
However, there are a handful of places in town that are notably cash only, like the lighthouse, which was closed the day we visited, or the Museo de Colonia. So, it might be a good idea to exchange a small amount of cash (like 20000 ARS) on the ferry if you want to explore Colonia without any issues.
You can rent a golf cart
I’m not going to lie—the uneven and pointy cobblestone streets in Colonia are basically trying to break your ankles.
So, if you have mobility challenges—or if you just feel like taking it easy for the day, consider renting a golf cart from one of several agencies in town, like Punta Car or Multicar. We met a very sweet elderly gentleman in line for the ferry, who was visiting Colonia with his son, but was worried about getting around, because he had hip problems. They wound up renting a golf cart for the day and we spotted them a few times around town, looking happy as can be as they zoomed by on their cart.
Where to stay in Colonia del Sacramento
A significant portion of travelers, like Justin and me, only visit Colonia for the day. Truth be told, though, I honestly wish we had spent a night here to explore the town a bit more leisurely and check out some of the things we didn’t have time for.
If you want to stay in Colonia, consider:
Charco Hotel
Located right in the heart of the Old Town, Charco has the reputation of being one of the most upscale properties in Colonia (and home to one of its best restaurants!). Guests will enjoy a spacious room, with either a view of the Old Town or the Rio de la Plata, and a stunning property, including a small pool to cool off under the Uruguayan sun and a lush garden with its own bar, where you can wind down with an afternoon glass of wine.
Costa Colonia Riverside
For an excellent bang-for-your-buck option, each room at Costa Colonia Riverside offers air conditioning and a private balcony. Additionally, the hotel offers nice perks, including an outdoor AND indoor pool; onsite restaurant with beautiful views of Rio de la Plata; and continental breakfast every morning.
Don Antonio Posada
This is another good mid-range option in a colonial-style inn located in the Old Town, with modern furnishings that perfectly accentuates the historical nature of the property. Many of the rooms overlook the hotel’s courtyard, complete with a swimming pool and terrace, and the complimentary breakfast is seriously impressive.
Phew—that’s everything you need to know to visit Colonia del Sacramento from Buenos Aires. Do you have any questions about this unique trip? Let us know in the comments below.
