Colonia del Sacramento, or Colonia as the locals call it, is Uruguay’s oldest city. Best of all, travelling from Buenos Aires to Colonia del Sacramento is both an easy and interesting day trip. It’s a long day, but a good one.
A beachfront town founded by the Portuguese in 1680, it sits across the Río de la Plata from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Colonia’s distinctive character is defined by winding cobblestone roads and the colourful architecture of its historic old town.
However, there is more to this city than just the historic district. Situated at the convergence of the Parana and Uruguay rivers on the Río de la Plata estuary, Colonia was frequently invaded, changing between Portuguese and Spanish hands seven times before becoming Uruguay. Colonia makes for an interesting and long day trip from Buenos Aires.
Getting from Buenos Aires to Colonia del Sacramento
If you are planning a day trip from Buenos Aires to Colonia, the ferry is the way to go. While three companies offer similar transit, Colonia Express and Buquebus are more popular than Seacat.
We took Colonia Express from Buenos Aires to Colonia and Buquebus back from Uruguay to Argentina at the end of the day.
Choosing a ferry from Buenos Aires to Colonia del Sacramento
Top row: Buquebus
Bottom row: Colonia Express
Colonia Express vs Buquebus
In many ways, the two services are very comparable and therefore either is a good choice. While there were a few notable differences, the similarities included:
- Either ferry takes about an hour, although the published time is 75 minutes.
- Prices and sailing times are comparable between the competitors, with prices increasing based on demand (similar to airlines). Booking early is a good idea. Buquebus sold out on our travel day.
- Once onboard, seats are not assigned.
- Both ferries we took offer an overpriced snack shop featuring ham sandwiches, beverages, and sweets.
- Onboard duty-free shopping is quite popular amongst the locals, who stock up. The shops are open only when the boat is away from the port.
And a few differences we noticed
Colonia Express
- Most of the seating is one open space.
- Colonia Express terminal is at the southern end of the Rio Dique. Some call the neighbourhood Puerto Medero others say it is La Boca. It was much farther from Recoleta, where we stayed.
Buquebus
- The seats themselves are roomier and more comfortable.
- The seats along the back wall go quickly, as they have access to an electrical outlet.
- It leave from the North Dársena terminal, near Recoleta, where we stayed.
Things to know before you take a Buenos Aires to Colonia ferry
- Don’t forget to bring your passport.
- If you are doing a day trip from Buenos Aires to Colonia, take the early morning ferry to allow yourself time to visit the museums, many of which close early.
- Arrive at the ferry terminal about an hour in advance, as you need to clear immigration and customs. It is a quick process once you get to the front of the queue. Right after you are stamped out of Argentina, you move to another queue and are stamped into Uruguay.
- You can book online directly at Buquebus or Colonia Express, or if you prefer an English language site that usually saves you money over the direct booking and has the option of a tour, you can reserve your ferry and optional tour here.
Top things to do in Colonia (mostly in the historic quarter)
- Old City Wall and gate
- Lighthouse and ruins of Saint Francis Convent
- Municipal museums
- Hit the beach
- Watch the sunset
- Enjoy a meal in or out of the old city
Exploring Colonia’s historic quarter
As we emerged from the ferry and cleared customs, we had one question in the back of our minds; should we have hired a guide? Armed with a teen who is fluent in Spanish, we opted to be on our own.
And to be honest, it was easy.
There is one road leading from the ferry terminal to the walled historic quarter, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1995. Keeping the sea to our left, we strolled to the old city in under 10 minutes.
Old City Wall
The old city gate and wall are one of the key historic monuments in the city.
The wooden draw bridge and city wall were rebuilt in the 1960s, although passing through into the historic quarter still feels like a time warp.
A row of bronze nails in the wall marks the height of the ruins before renovations began.
Calle de los Suspriros – a 16th-century Portuguese street
Quaint and colourful, the 16th-century houses stand shoulder to shoulder along the original cobblestone road named Calle de los Suspriros. They represent a mix of Portuguese and Spanish styles.
Lighthouse and ruins of Saint Francis Convent
First turned on in 1857, the lighthouse is still operational today.
It was built on the ruins of the Saint Francis Convent, which had been destroyed by fire in 1704.
Lovely views reward visitors who climb the 111 stairs to the top of the lighthouse. It is worth the nominal entrance fee and the effort.
Bastión de San Pedro – swimming, fishing, and sunset
Normally, Bastión de San Pedro is a spot to swim during the day, fish off the nearby rocks, or relax and wait for a stunning sunset.
Not so for us. A storm was brewing, and we could see it coming. As the wind picked up, we knew it was going to be bad, but the locals didn’t seem to be phased by it.
That is until the first flash of lightning cracked in the sky. Suddenly, locals bolted off the beach, except for a few determined fishermen. We looked out towards the sea and decided to follow the crowds.
And they were all correct, it wasn’t long before the sky opened, and it rained and rained.
Municipal and other museums
Bottom Row: Casa de Nacarello (original Portuguese furniture from this 18th-century home that is now a museum) and items recovered from a shipwreck in the Navel Museum (not on the museum pass).
If any of the town’s eight museums are on your radar, the Municipal Museum should be your first stop. Here you can purchase a daily museum pass for $50 UYU ($1.50 USD or $2.20 NZD) that gets you into most of Colonia’s museums, however, they are not all open on the same days.
The included museums are Archivo Histórico Regional, Espacio del Azulejo, Vivienda Portuguesa, Espacio Español, Espacio Dr. Bautista Rebuffo, Espacio Paleontológico “Armando Calcaterra”, Espacio Indígena, Espacio Portugués. Roughly translated they ae: Cologne Museum Administration, Regional Historical Archive, tile space, Portuguese Housing, Spanish Space, Dr. Bautista Rebuffo Space, Paleontological Space “Armando Calcaterra”, indigenous space, Portuguese Space.
Most of the museums close by 4.30 pm.
And then it rained…
Luckily, when the sky dumped buckets, the Naval Museum took pity on us and allowed us shelter even after they closed.
The winds were so strong that all ferry services were cancelled. We wondered where we would spend the night but didn’t stress about it.
And then, as suddenly as it had started, it stopped. No more rain, no more wind, ferry services resumed.
Basilica del Santísimo Sacramento
The basilica was built of stone and brick by the Portuguese in 1808 and maintains its original design of a single nave.
Ruins of the old Governor’s House
In 1680, Casa de los Gobernadores was the most prestigious house in the city, with a watchtower to keep a lookout for invaders. It was built for Portuguese Captain Manuel Lobo, who founded Colonia and was governor of Rio de Janeiro.
Dinner at Mercosur
Mercosur is where the locals go for a casual dinner. It’s a 5-6 block walk from the old town (located at Av. Gral. Flores 252). I couldn’t resist the parrilla (slow-cooked meats like asado in Argentina).
It is well outside of the historic district but worth the energy to take the short walk to get there.
More tips to make your Buenos Aires to Colonia del Sacramento easier
- Spanish is the official language of Uruguay.
- A 10% tip in restaurants is customary.
- Currency is the Uruguayan peso, however, everywhere we went in Colonia displayed three prices: Uruguayan pesos, Argentinean pesos, and US dollars. And if you pay with a foreign credit card, you can often get a VAT tax (22%) refund.
PRO TIP: This discount should be automatically applied at restaurants, car rentals, and hotels if paying with a foreign card. See our Uruguay travel guide for more details. - Bring your passport.
- If you return to Buenos Aires on Buquebus or Seacat, the taxis at the port charge very high prices. Specifically, they wanted $450 ARS to take us to our nearby hotel. Instead, we followed a large crowd out the door, walked a few blocks, and then hailed a taxi. We paid the metered amount of $101 ARS. However, I would not have felt safe walking just outside of the Colonia Express Argentina terminal in the dark.
- The weather is unpredictable, especially in the summer, so bring a rain jacket.
Check out the rest of our South American itinerary or see our South American travel safety tips.
More on the cities in Uruguay we visited
We hit the big three of Uruguay, each as an independent visit.
- Montevideo (the capital of Uruguay is a two-hour drive from Colonia del Sacramento)
- Punta del Este (a resort town frequently visited by Argentineans).
- Colonia del Sacramento (this page).
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- Flights: we use Expedia for the best and cheapest flight options.
- Accommodations: we use Booking.com (hotels) or VRBO (self-contained).
- Cars (gas or electric): we use RentalCars to search for deals and dealer ratings.
- Campervans or Motorhomes: we use Campstar where Albom Adventures readers get a 3% discount
- Private guides: we love the private guides at Tours by Locals
- Travel Insurance: we start at InsureMyTrip as they are the best option to compare plans and find the right coverage for you.
Check out our travel resources page for more companies that we use when you travel.
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Priscila Foletto
What a great article! I was there just 4 months ago and really believe Colonia del Sacramento is the most beautiful and charming city in Uruguay! I wish I could have spent more time there. I only stayed half day and then took the ferry to Buenos Aires, which is also a marvellous city.
Stephanie (1AdventureTraveler)
Colonia del Sacramento looks like a very interesting town loaded with history. Great tips on how to get there plus other important tips. Love your photos which gave me an insight into Uraguay a place I have only heard briefly about. Thanks for sharing.
Sharon
I love exploring ruins like this. The lighthouse with the ruins of the convent caught my attention. And the old gate. The 16th century street is just beautiful. I would enjoy a visit to Colonia Del Sacramento for sure!
Jill
I have to admit that my knowledge of South American geography isn’t quite as strong as other areas of the world. I’ve always wanted to go to Buenos Aires and I’m happy to now know about day trips from there such as Colonia. I’m hoping to make a South American visit someday.
beatravelling
Just what I needed! I put it on my to-do list for the fall 🙂
Elizabeth
What a beautiful place to visit, even in the rain! I love the old buildings and all the history.
Paul Pietrangelo
Wow! What a storm. I’m glad that you were allowed to get in out of it. The place looks very interesting in this area Rhonda. See ya.
Cruisin Paul
Jackline A
Great pictures! Looks like it was a good trip.
K
Wow look at all of this historical beauty. So vintage feels like you are in another era.
Kelly Anne Rothaermel
Looks like a great place to explore, minus the rain. I just discovered Chili and these incredible mountains in patagonia. They are so on my bucket list. Have a great weekend.
Lyn aka The Travelling Lindfields
I can’t imagine why you would need to hire a guide to see Colonia – it is such an easy, compact place, although you seem to have discovered this quite quickly. David and I spent a few days there – we hired a car at the ferry terminal and had no trouble driving outside the old town area. It allowed us to see sights further out like the old bull-ring. One tip for the Buquebus Ferry is to pay for Especiale Classe – it is very little more and a first class world of its own. You might want to dress up a bit though – we felt like the Beverley Hillbillies in our usual tourist shorts and shirts.
Brianna Watson
Beautiful land! I can only imagine the history that is here!!
Alex Vitte
Wow what a trip! I loved all the photos you took, it looks so beautiful.
Lyosha
your report looks wonderful! The photos are so curious, totally gets me the traveling mood. I would so travel there! I’m getting more and more found of day trips lately
Heather
This is so beautiful! Thank you for sharing and letting me see the pics!
Hilary
Hi Rhonda – it must have been a lovely trip … I’d love to follow you around – but great to show us your experiences … I’ll happily live vicariously with you – but now I’m hungry! Cheers and thanks for the tour – Hilary
Johanna Castro
Buenos Aires is definitely somewhere I’d love to travel to see, so thank you for a lovely armchair introduction. History, beauty, old buildings – there’s much for a traveller to discover. We visited a few places in South America on a world cruise, and in particular I loved Cartagena. But Argentina is a whole different story.
Deb Nance
My nephew imports wine from Uruguay. I would love to visit in South America after hearing about it from him and you.
Chelle Dizon
Colonia sounds a really awesome place to visit. Good to hear that the rain stopped and you were safe. Thanks for this trivia and helpful tips.
Photo Cache
This is the kind of day trip that I really really like.
Catherine
What an incredible city to visit and tour through. I’ve never been but it’s so nice to have virtual tours . Thanks for sharing!
Alissa A Apel
I love that really colorful building. All the shots are wonderful! Even the food – yum yum!
Ashlee
I’m totally into the history and stories of the places I visit! I’d love to take a day trip from Buenos Aires to Colonia del Sacramento and immerse myself in the experiences.
Jasmine Hewitt
i’d love to go to Buenos Aires one day. it looks beautiful there
Doreen Pendgracs
I’ve not yet been to Uruguay, but it’s on my list! Thx for this great virtual tour of Colonia.
Sandee
What a wonderful place to explore. I love all things old and to learn about their way of life.
Wow, that was some rainstorm. Reminded me of some of the rains we had in the Caribbean.
Great shots as always.
Have a fabulous day and week, Rhonda. ♥
Becca Wilson
This looks like it would be such an amazing experience. I bet that there is nothing like it to be able to discover new things.
Ana
Haha,hats off to that fisherman! So brave 😀. Absolutely enjoyed reading this post and what a beautiful place 😍 I would love to visit this place.
Kara
What a fascinating visit this looks to be, I would love to visit one day
Nancy
Very interesting series. The lighthouse rising from the ruins is completely unique and striking to see. 111 steps sound rather strenuous my old knees and lungs!
Romeo
Wonderful..Glad you shared this amazing list. I am a travel bug and looking forward to experiencing Buenos Aires later this year this list will help me out.
Cristina Petrini
An interesting itinerary and certainly worth repeating to experience the real South America and be enchanted by a non-mainstrem path
stevebethere
Nice post and very informative that oncoming weather LQQKED frightening heheh!, I enjoyed the tour as always Rhonda 🙂
Have a thunderoustastic week ➡
Anda
I absolutely loved Colonia de Sacramento. After being stuck in Buenos Aires for almost a month (because of the volcanic eruption in Chile) we were desperately looking for some day trips outside the city. This is how we came across this cute little town in Uruguay. I didn’t expect to like it so much. I remember having a wonderful dinner there. There are quite a few nice restaurants in Colonia de Sacramento and for sure many photo opportunities. Very colorful place!