Colonia del Sacramento

Colonia del Sacramento was founded by the Portuguese in 1680, facing Buenos Aires across the river, and changed hands between Spain and Portugal several times before it became Uruguayan. Its historic quarter, a World Heritage Site, keeps the cobbled streets, the old city gate, the lighthouse and the low houses under the sycamores. The most famous street, the Calle de los Suspiros, runs down to the water.

The ferry from Buenos Aires takes about an hour. A day is enough to walk the old town, or to ride a bike around it and along the coast, where the white sand meets the brown water of the river; a night lets you see it quiet, after the day boats leave. From Colonia, the road continues east to Montevideo and the Atlantic coast, or west to the wineries around Carmelo.

The best moment of any day is the sunset over the river, which is why it is worth staying.