A Step back in Time to Uruguay’s Colonia del Sacramento
Private tour
You are invited to step back in time and experience the historic city of Colonia del Sacramento, in Uruguay.
A regular ferry takes over 3 hours to reach Colonia, but with your business class seats on our fast ferry, you’ll be there in just 1 hour and 15 minutes, giving you much more time to explore the beautiful slice of cobblestoned history that is Colonia.
Colonia del Sacramento was founded in 1680 by the Portuguese (although it went back and forth between the Portuguese and Spanish a number of times, before eventually becoming a part of Uruguay) and is renowned for its old cobblestone streets and colorful houses, reminiscent of old Lisbon. It is one of the oldest cities in Uruguay, and its entire historic quarter has been designated Mankind’s Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. The historic quarter is unique in that it’s the only example in the region that does not follow the architectural guidelines of a checkerboard grid imposed by Spain. Instead, Colonia’s streets follow curvy and roundabout paths, especially designed to confuse potential invaders.
Our historic experience will begin as we depart our hotel in the morning, with a private transfer to Buenos Aires’ ferry port. The fast ferry crosses the Rio de la Plata (River Plate), the widest river in the world and natural border between Argentina and Uruguay.
We’ll visit the historic city of Colonia del Sacramento including the Calle de los Suspiros ("Street of Sighs") a narrow street with adobe houses that are decorated with splashes of different colors, visiting the inside of some of the 18th century houses that have been converted into shops or restaurants.
We’ll also visit Colonia’s main highlights including the historic lighthouse built on one of the old towers of the Convent of San Francisco, whose ruins are at the foot of the lighthouse; and also Puerta de la Ciudadela ("Port of the City") which used to be the entrance gate to Colonia.
Your day in Colonia will draw to an end as we are taken back to the port for our return boat to Buenos Aires.
Tour details
- Duration
- full day. Time for lunch is included, but the cost of lunch is not.
- Guide
- private guide in Colonia del Sacramento
- Vehicle
- private port transfers in Buenos Aires and Colonia del Sacramento
- Included
- round-trip fast ferry ride in business class seats (tourist class seats are very small, with limited space)
- Ferry crossing
- 1 hour and 15 minutes on the fast ferry, instead of 3 hours and 15 minutes on the regular ferry
Important: the tour’s exact itinerary, stops, and duration may change subject to decisions of the tour guide to optimize your tour experience.