Colonia del Sacramento Day Trip
Buenos Aires to Colonia del Sacramento Day Trip
Colonia del Sacramento may be in a different city entirely – not to mention in a whole other country – but it is such a popular day trip for people visiting Buenos Aires, that it must be considered as an option. Situated in Uruguay, a short hop across the Rio de la Plata, Colonia is a tranquil beach town that provides an often necessary break from the chaotic city of Buenos Aires. It may sound strange that in guide books, websites, forums etc, a regular answer to the common question “what can I do in Buenos Aires, Argentina?” is “visit Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay.” However, if you are visiting Buenos Aires for a fairly long period, or are an expat living here (perhaps in need of a 3 monthly tourist visa renewal), then a trip to sleepy old Colonia del Sacramento does indeed make for a nice day trip, to get away from the craziness of the city and to remind yourself of what the horizon actually looks like.
How to: Buenos Aires to Colonia by Buquebus Ferry
A trip across the Rio de la Plata from Buenos Aires to Colonia del Sacramento is simple, and there is really only one sensible option: Buquebus. They run quite a few ferries back and forth between Argentina and Uruguay, seven days a week.
You can choose a fast or a slow ferry to get there, and there are usually special offers for both types to be found on their website. There is a fast ferry (“buque rapido”) return crossing (approx. 50 minutes each way) as well as a slow ferry return crossing (approx. 3 hours each way), which is slightly less expensive. Here is a link to the latest offers on their site – you can switch this web page to English, but try to keep the site in Spanish, because upon changing language the prices often seem to rise, although only a little. Still, very tricky.
For peace of mind, and an easy life, it is recommended that you book online with a credit card at least a week before you want to make the trip, especially if going on a weekend, when the ferries can get booked up quickly. Then you just have to turn up at the Buquebus ferry terminal (Darsena Norte, in Puerto Madero) about an hour before your journey to pick up your tickets (at the desk immediately on your right as you enter the terminal), check in, and get in the passport control line.
The small city of Colonia only really warrants a single day of exploration, so try to book an early morning crossing going, and a late afternoon/early evening crossing coming back to Buenos Aires.
It is generally best to get a taxi to and from the Darsena Norte ferry terminal in Buenos Aires, because it is not the easiest or safest place to get to for tourists – it is literally “the other side of the (train) tracks”, which are not nice to cross on foot, in addition to some dangerous roads around that area with potentially confusing crossings.
About the City of Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay
Colonia del Sacramento was the only Portuguese settlement along the Rio de la Plata when the Spanish were colonizing this area. It was founded in 1680 with the name Nova Colonia do Sacramento by Manuel de Lobo. Colonia’s founding kick-started a struggle between the Spanish and the Portuguese over control of this area.
For years Colonia was a smuggling port, evading the strict trade measures imposed in the Americas by the Spanish. Due to this situation, the city changed hands many times between the Portuguese and the Spanish. Even Brazil controlled it for a short while, until the new country of Uruguay declared independence in 1825.
An interesting thing about Colonia is that its colonial center (Barrío Historico), offers an idea of what buildings in Buenos Aires might have looked like back in colonial times, before the city was successively modernized down the years. Colonia was recently made a UNESCO heritage site, so it should remain a time capsule of the Rio de la Plata’s colonial past for many years.
A couple of interesting historical sights in Colonia de Sacramento are the Calle de los Suspiros (street of the sighs), a beautiful little cobblestone street lined with colorful houses and Colonia’s trademark yellow lamps (see photo) – and the historical city gate and walls.
Five Tips for Enjoying a Day in Colonia
1. Take the chance to relax a little…
Colonia del Sacramento is a world apart from the hustle and bustle of Buenos Aires city, instead offering you an opportunity to relax in its peaceful, idyllic, old-world environs. Take that chance while you can, because at the end of the day you’ll be back in Argentina’s big smoke, dodging the taxi drivers on the streets once more (in Uruguay most drivers actually stop when you cross the road, rather than speeding up, what a novelty)
2. Cough up for the fast ferry…
With such a small pesos price difference between the 3 hour buquebus ferry and the 50 minutes one, paying that little extra for the faster boat when taking a day trip to Colonia de Sacramento is well worth it. Otherwise, over 7 hours of your day will be spent either traveling in the ferry, or getting on and off it, and that sure is a large portion of the day to waste, meaning less time for relaxing in Colonia.
3. Hire some nifty transport…
A popular Colonia pastime, hiring a scooter and whizzing around the almost deserted coastal and country roads of Uruguay for the best part of a day can be invigorating, fun, and ever so slightly dangerous – what more could you ask for on a holiday? The best place to hire scooters in Colonia, and indeed other forms of transport, from bikes to golf carts to cars, is at Thrifty car rentals, whose office you will find as you walk out of the ferry terminal in Colonia (see photo above). Prices are reasonable and blocks of time are flexible (JUST REMEMBER: you will need your driving license and a credit card). Hiring transport will also give you easier access to parts of Colonia that you otherwise might not get to see, like the more secluded beaches pictured below.
4. Go to the beach…
Now you have that scooter (or golf cart for group travel!), you’ll be wondering where to go. Head out to Playa Ferrando, a very scenic beach in a small bay about 15 minutes scooter ride out from the city center. Make sure you get a map from Thrifty Rentals when you go, as the way to Playa Ferrando is marked clearly on there, in addition to other places to visit in and around Colonia. It’s the perfect place to lie down and take in a little sun, if there in summer (and even spring or fall), or go for a nice walk if visiting during winter. And yes, if you fancy a paddle, the water is safe to enter on this side of the Rio de la Plata – that murky tinge to the water is just sediment from the bottom of the riverbed.
5. Eat some cheap and cheerful junk food…
If the beach-front restaurants don’t tempt you, there is a great little hole in the wall place along Colonia’s main avenue (Av. General Flores), a couple of blocks or so away from the old city center, that does simply amazing hamburgers with everything (egg, ham, cheese, pickled vegetables, and all kinds of interesting and/or spicy toppings and sauces). It’s called Los Farolitos (see the last photo below), and it certainly won’t be reading about in any of the guide books. The problem with the traditional restaurants in Colonia del Sacramento is that none of them come even close to impressing, so this small purveyor of unhealthy comfort food remains an excellent choice – so pull up one of the eight or so dodgy plastic chairs outside it on the sidewalk and dig in.
More Pictures of Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay
And finally, here are a few more sufficiently random photos from trips to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay.
If you are interested in seeing some more conventional travel photos of Colonia del Sacramento, go see this entry on day trips to Colonia, by the Argentina Travel Guide, which also contains some useful information on taking a day trip to this beautiful little Uruguayan city.
Buenos Aires > General Advice and Info > Getting Around > Colonia del Sacramento Day Trip
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Written by Alan Seabright - Thanks for reading! 27 Comments »
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Thanks for all the great tips! I can’t wait to go!
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I don’t know if I am allowed to ask questions here – but… Iam trying to assist a client who wishes to visit colonia in January 2009. It appears that it is too early to do anything about it on the Buque site. Do you have any idea how far in advance they open up their reservations????
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Alan Patrick Seabright Reply:
July 3rd, 2012 at 4:41 pm
It appears that Buquebus open up reservations about 4 months in advance.
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Ole, Alan Patrick, pues voy a Argentina el medio de augusto y voy a Rosario y Buenos aires. Business and Pleasure. And then seven days of my own. Your info is so good, so helpful, amable.
Thanks.
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[...] This is roughly what we’re planning on doing in Colonia, Uruguay one day in the next few weeks… [...]
Do you know if a visa is required to take a ferry into Colonia? Or is that part ok without a visa(kind of like the Foz de Iguazu area)?
[Reply]
Alan Patrick Seabright Reply:
July 3rd, 2012 at 4:10 pm
No advance VISA is needed for entry into Uruguay for most nationalities (for example the US, Canada, EU countries). You get a 3 month tourist VISA stamp on entry into Uruguay.
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Stuart Reply:
March 9th, 2013 at 2:14 pm
Hi Alan,
Quick question – How much does it cost roughly to hire a moped for a day in Colonia?
Thanks in advance for your help
Stu
[Reply]
Alan Patrick Seabright Reply:
March 10th, 2013 at 3:10 pm
Hi Stuart,
It’s been a while since I hired a moped/scooter in Colonia, but checking online it seems that at the moment it costs around US$25 per day (i.e. morning to evening) or US$30 for 24 hours.
Hope that helps!
Alan
[...] to be horrible, Buquebus let me exchange my ticket for a different day without any extra charge.) This site also recommended that if possible you keep the Buquebus site in Spanish because the prices may rise [...]
Hi Alan, thanks for all the info. I’ll be visiting Buenos Aires this coming January and planning a day trip to Colonia del Sacramento. I absolutely loathe driving especially in foreign places. Is Colonia accessible by foot or are there any bus tours available?
Thanks
Erik
[Reply]
Alan Patrick Seabright Reply:
August 29th, 2012 at 5:59 pm
Hi Erik,
You’re welcome! Colonia is totally accessible by foot, it’s a very small town and easy to get around, you’ll be able to pick up a map in the ferry terminal or the tourist office by the entrance gates to the old city, and see the town in less than one day on foot. No need for a bus tour.
Let me know if you have any other questions!
Alan
[Reply]
Thanks for the tips. We’re going there today!
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Thanks so much for the helpful advice — much appreciated. I have to scoot across to renew my 90-day visa.
Best,
Jody Hanson
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I’m looking at reservations for mid-January on the Buque Rapido between Buenos Aires and Colonia on the home site of Buquebus. It’s showing me that a round trip, for one adult, leaving in the morning and coming back that same evening….is $624. That sounds really expensive….is that really what it costs for the round trip boat?
[Reply]
Alan Patrick Seabright Reply:
October 29th, 2012 at 7:49 pm
Thanks for your question Jeff. That does sound a little expensive! Prices go up and down, depending on demand for travel on each date, and January is busy for tourism here, so perhaps that explains it. I would recommend looking for ferry prices with Seacat (http://www.seacatcolonia.com) and Colonia Express (http://coloniaexpress.com) too, they are often cheaper than Buquebus. Enjoy Argentina/Uruguay, and best of luck!
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Hi! To Jeff C: The prices in Buquebus website are in argentine pesos, not US dollars, and taxes are included. I checked the site today (I’m going there in dec) and the buque-rápido roundtrip is $523 pesos, about US$ 110. I don’t know if they have different prices for each country (I live in Peru), but I don’t think so. Anyway, there’s a difference with the 3 hour trip, which is only US$75.
To Allan: The Playa Ferrando pic looks amazing!! According to the map, it’s not that far away from the Buquebus port, and even in walking distance from the city center, it that right?
Thanks for your comments.
[Reply]
Alan Patrick Seabright Reply:
November 8th, 2012 at 3:06 pm
Hi Rolando,
Thanks for your comment and the helpful advice. Yes, it is good for everyone reading to note that in Argentina the $ sign signifies Argentine Pesos, NOT US Dollars. A price is only in US Dollars when it is displayed as US$ or $US.
Personally I would recommend to anyone visiting Buenos Aires for a short time that they pay the extra with Buquebus to do the rapido (1 hour) crossing rather than the 3 hour slow ferry crossing, which makes for a long day of unnecessary travel if doing a day trip.
Rolando, in regards to Playa Ferrando, it is fairly close to the old city, perhaps 30 minutes to an hour walking, depending on how fast you go. But in my opinion it’s more fun to hire bicycles or mopeds to get there
Each to their own, of course!
All the best!
Alan
[Reply]
Hi
This has been great so far! Was wondering if you had three days in Uruguay- where would you go?
Thanks
Sarah
[Reply]
Alan Patrick Seabright Reply:
November 18th, 2012 at 6:24 pm
Hi Sarah,
If I had 3 full days in Uruguay I would go to Colonia and Montevideo. If you like snazzy beach resorts, perhaps substitute one of those for Punta del Este.
But ideally I would try to have 4/5 days in Uruguay and go straight up the Atlantic coast (past Punta del Este) to places like La Pedrera, Valizas, Cabo Polonio and Punta del Diablo, which are all beautiful and off the usual tourist track.
Good luck planning!
Alan
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Im planning to go there in December, 24 till January first.
do you think that Ill have a problem finding a ticket if I go there on the 25th to buy it for for the 29th ???. I want to buy it in person. But Im worry about not finding anything during the Christmas holiday.
thank you very much.
I love all of the info you provided here….you are a nice guy
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Alan Patrick Seabright Reply:
December 10th, 2012 at 4:53 pm
That does sound very tight Mike, I would guess that might not have availability at such short notice and at one of the busiest times of the year for tourism. You could try to book online before then? If not with Buquebus, then try Colonia Express and Seacat.
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Hi Alan! What is your opinion about going in June? Would the weather be too cool? At this point in my trip, I will have been traveling for about a month (including one week in BA) and some relaxation sounds nice. Or do you think somewhere else would be better?
[Reply]
Alan Patrick Seabright Reply:
January 6th, 2013 at 10:14 pm
Hi Brenna,
Having visited Colonia year round myself, I enjoy it in all conditions. It is beautiful whatever the weather. Have fun!
Alan
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Hi Alan,
In 2 weeks we do a 1-day visit to Colonia (fast ferry!) from BA.
My question concerns the currency: can we pay in Arg pesos or should we buy Ur pesos (ATM in Colonia?).
What is your advice?
[Reply]
Alan Patrick Seabright Reply:
February 9th, 2013 at 5:56 pm
Hi Dolf,
I would say to get Uruguayan pesos out of an ATM in Colonia, if you have time. The Argentine peso is accepted in Uruguay, but like all places abroad, at a very bad exchange rate.
Or if you have US Dollars, take those, they will accept them in Colonia at a good exchange rate.
Have fun!
Alan
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Hi Alan,
I believe you are missing two important points here.
1) To TRULY enjoy the beauty of Colonia… stay at least ONE night !! You will then enjoye a beatiful night out .. and next day … the beatiful an quiet morning Colonia has to offer !
2) The SLOW boat … is actually a much nicer trip ! ( yes.. it takes 3 times as long .. BUT … it has a gorgeous outside deck, where you can have a drink whilst enjoying the river’s breeze !! AND it is cheaper !
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