Punta del Este: A City Beyond the Beaches

The city of Punta del Este is located on the coast of Uruguay and has tourism focused on its beautiful beaches. For this reason, during the summer the daily rates in hotels are very expensive and the city is full. As we decided to visit Punta del Este in the winter, we discovered that the city has some tourist attractions besides its beaches.

How to get to Punta del Este

Punta del Este is located 130km from the capital Montevideo and there are several ways to get there.

If you intend to stay a few days in Punta del Este it is possible to arrive directly by plane through the city's airport, but you will find better prices arriving at  Montevideo Airport. From there, there are several bus companies that make this journey. One of them is the COT and through the official website, it is possible to check the schedules leaving Montevideo for Punta del Este.

The option for those who want to visit Punta del Este for just one day is to make a round trip from Montevideo. The easiest and most practical way to get there is by car. We rented a car in Montevideo and left early for Punta del Este via the Ruta Interbalnearia (IB), which starts near  Montevideo Airport in the city of Carrasco. There are two tolls each way and two tolls that cost 50 Uruguayan pesos (approximately R $ 5.00) each.

There is also the option of taking a City Tour that departs from Montevideo. We also visited the place through this option and you can read our experience through this link.

Punta del Este Peninsula

At the southern end of the city of Punta del Este is a unique place in Uruguay: the point where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Rio de la Plata. As we visited the city during the winter, this place was very empty, which helped us to better see all its beauty.

 Punta del Este Lighthouse

Just a few blocks from the southern tip of the peninsula is the city's lighthouse, which is located in a square. It was built in 1860 with the aim of orienting vessels from the Atlantic Ocean and the Rio de la Plata. The Punta del Este Lighthouse is 44 meters high and its lighting system was brought from France.

Candelária Church

In the same square where the Punta del Este Lighthouse is located, you will find the Church of Candelária or Parish of Santa Maria da Candelária. This is the most important Catholic temple in the city and stands out for its blue color. Inside is the image of the Virgin of Candelaria that was brought from Spain.

 Los Dedos

In Playa Brava you will find the famous work Los Dedos (also known as Monumento ao Afogado) that was built by Mario Irarrázabal during a sculpture meeting that took place there. A pity that the work has already suffered acts of vandalism, but it is still worth visiting.

 La Barra

La Barra is a neighborhood a little away from the center of Punta del Este, but it is worth visiting. While Punta del Este is very modern, La Barra is a simpler place, but it has a special charm. We had the chance to visit a craft store with several interesting items. In addition, to get to La Barra you will have to cross the famous bridge that connects the center of Punta del Este to this neighborhood.

Piriápolis

The city of Piriápolis is 30 minutes from Punta del Este and is a great way to get away from the main tourist attractions in Punta del Este. Its main tourist spot is Cerro San Antonio which is an ideal place to have a beautiful overview of the city of Piriápolis and its surroundings. You can read in this link all our experience of visiting Piriápolis and Cerro San Antonio.

 Punta Ballena

The city of Punta Ballena is located 20 minutes from Punta del Este and, like Piriápolis, it is a great way to escape the main tourist spots in Punta del Este. Its main attraction is Casapueblo, which is an old summer house by artist Carlos Paéz Vilaró, which today works as a museum, hotel, restaurant and art gallery open to visitors. You can read in this link our whole experience of visiting Punta Ballena and Casapueblo.

Getting to know Punta del Este is a must for anyone traveling to Uruguay. If you like beaches a lot, going in the summer is practically mandatory. However, the city keeps other beauties besides its beaches that are worth visiting, especially if you go during the winter.