Colonia Sacramento Uruguay

Our stay in Buenos Aires is coming to an end in two days so I better catch up on more of our adventures.

Last Friday we went to Colonia Sacramento, Uruguay, the oldest city in the country. (Old City Gate above). The historic quarter is a World Heritage site designated by UNESCO. The city was founded by the Portuguese in 1680 and the city has changed between the Spanish and Portuguese 9 times between then and 1821. Colonia was under Brazil from 1821 to 1828 when Uruguay became independent. As a result, the city is a mixture of architectural styles. It is a very charming place!

Our trip to Colonia from Buenos Aires was on a hydrofoil that took about an hour to cross the Rio de Plata. The River has the widest estuary in the world – ranging from 30 to 130 miles in width. The river is only 180 miles long – it is formed by two rivers – the Parana and the Uruguay River. The Parana drains 1/5 of South America. In Spanish, it means River of Silver but it is more like the River of Brown! Actually, the word Plata was not used to describe the river’s color but the riches of silver thought to be upstream. There is so much silt in the Rio de Plata that there is constant dredging to keep the port of Buenos Aires open.

The hydrofoil was very comfortable and included snacks like being on an airplane with flight attendants. We had first class seats since the tourist class was sold out – and since it was only a few dollars more – why not?

When we arrived in Colonia we found an open air shuttle to take us out of the port (more like an overgrown golf cart). From here we walked to the Tourist Office. Our friends from Poway, Bob and Linda Thomas, had been here earlier this year. They recommended going to the Tourist Office and finding a guide. What a good recommendation! We ended up with the same guide they had. As Linda said, “The guide was a spitfire!” Excellent description! We were taken on a walking tour of the old quarter before going by van to sites outside the City.

The old quarter is fabulous. There are many shops, restaurants, and hotels along with quiet squares, old houses, the Church of the Holy Sacrament, etc. When walking through the city, we found residents sitting in front of their houses sipping their mate, dogs sleeping in the shade, and charm around every corner.

Our guide recommended we eat at El Mesón de la Plaza – and it turned out to be a wonderful choice. (See pictures below.) We sat in the garden and had a great meal while listening to a guitarist/singer. We even bought his CD – something we rarely do! This leisurely lunch lasted until mid-afternoon just in time for shopping and going back to the hydrofoil. Our guide even came back to pick us up and take us to the port.

This is a great one day excursion for anyone staying in Buenos Aires. Highly recommended!