Buenos Aires is a big city. Full of noise and people. This historical town in Uruguay is the complete opposite of Buenos Aires. A sleepy town with quiet cafes and wine bars, beaches lining the river, and cobble streets to explore.
Sound good? Colonia Del Sacramento dates back to Portugal won and it is the only Portuguese town in the country. However, you can still see the Spanish influence in some of the architecture across the town. The Spanish buildings are larger brick buildings with flat rooftops and balconies. The Portuguese buildings are smaller, made of stone and have tile rooftops. The combination of the two types of architecture makes for a really unique town that is fun to photograph and explore. Only about people live here, many of which are actually Argentinians who came looking for a quieter and more relaxed lifestyle.
Getting to Colonia Del Sacramento is super easy. They are regular ferries that run back and forth between Buenos Aires and Colonia Del Sacramento and the journey takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Ferry tickets can be easily booked online in advance. I booked this tour which gives you a number of options ranging from just the ferry ticket to the ferry ticket and wine tour.
Browse through the options to see what you are most interested in. I personally chose the walking tour option which was short and gave me a bit of history then allowed me my own time to explore. There is no assignment seating on the ferry, you can sit wherever you like. There are also toilets on board and snacks available for purchase. What you do need to remember is that you are going to another country. So, you will need your passport and to allow extra time for customs.
From Buenos Aires over to Colonia Del Sacramento, you will do all the customs paperwork before you board the ferry. Then just walk off and get ready to explore on the other side.
