Once I knew Uruguay was only a hour or two ferry ride from downtown Buenos Aires, I knew we had to visit! We pondered different areas such as Punta del Este and Montevideo, but ultimately landed on a day trip to Colonia del Sacramento. The Historic Quarter is a UNESCO site and looked adorable. It was also very accessible as its only a 1:15 ferry ride across the Río de La Plata.
We opted to take Buquebus and splurged on the VIP tickets (for like $5 extra) where we got early boarding, more comfortable seats, first off, and complimentary champagne! We’d heard the immigration lines can take an hour or two, so we arrived with plenty of time. Luckily no one was there and we were able to walk right up to the Argentinian and Uruguay immigration booths.
Our first order of business was walking to the main strip and getting some lunch. I opted for a Milanesa Napolitana that was ginormous. And delicious.
Then we wandered around the little town before strolling to the Barrio Histórico area. It oozed charm. Old fortress walls, cobblestone streets, cool, colorful birds, beautiful trees, and a great view of the Río de La Plata.
After a bit, it was time to head to the ferry terminal to go thru both immigrations and take the ferry back to Buenos Aires.
All in all, it was a great little day trip that actually exceeded my expectations.
