Colonia Del Sacramento

We returned from Iguazu Falls on Sunday, November 11th. It was another overnight bus ride. The buses are very nice with seats that recline all the way which makes it more comfortable to sleep. We rested from the trip for the most part on Sunday. But, we did walk back down to the Antiques Market at Plaza Dorrego to pick up some souvenirs of our stay.

On Monday, November 12th we took a day trip to Colonia, Uruguay. We took a taxi to Puerto Madero where we got on a high speed ferry across the Rio De La Plata to Colonia. The ride only takes about an hour. There is another ferry available but it takes about 3 hours to cross the river. The weather was perfect for strolling around.

The history of Colonia Del Sacramento is interesting in that originally settled in 1680 by the Portuguese, it changed governments between Spain and Portugal 11 times until 1828 when Uruguay was formed as an independent country.

Colonia has spread out from the original town site and now has a population of over 26,000. The historic quarter (Barrio Histórico) has been designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It is within walking distance of the port and very picturesque. They have done an excellent job in keeping the old time flavor of the town. Many of the streets have the original cobblestones laid down by the Portuguese in the 17th century. It is a popular tourist site but doesn't have a single fast food joint or college student dressed up as a cartoon character.