Colonia del Sacramento: The Prettiest Day Trip from Buenos Aires

Colonia del Sacramento sits directly across the Río de la Plata from Buenos Aires — so close you can almost see it on a clear day. A one-hour ferry drops you in a small, gorgeous UNESCO World Heritage town that feels about 200 years removed from the capital. If Buenos Aires ever gets too much — too noisy, too busy, too Argentine — Colonia is the antidote.

Getting There

Buquebus: The larger, more established ferry company. Fast catamarans take about 1 hour. Departures from the Buquebus terminal in Puerto Madero (Av. Antártida Argentina 821). Book at buquebus.com.

Colonia Express: Smaller boats, cheaper prices, same route. Departures from a terminal near Retiro. Book at coloniaexpress.com.

Cost: ARS 30,000–80,000 return (£20–53) depending on which ferry, when you book, and what class. Early booking and midweek travel are cheaper. Buquebus is generally more expensive but the boats are newer.

Schedule: Multiple departures daily. The ideal day trip: 8am or 9am ferry out, 6pm or 7pm ferry back. That gives you a full day.

Passport: Required. You're entering Uruguay. Immigration is quick — usually 15–20 minutes on each side. British passports don't need a visa for Uruguay.

The Old Town (Barrio Histórico)

Colonia's old town is tiny — you can walk the whole thing in an hour. But the charm is dense enough that you'll want to spend much longer.

The Calle de los Suspiros (Street of Sighs): A narrow cobblestone lane lined with original Portuguese colonial buildings — low, painted in pastels, draped in flowers. Probably the most photographed spot in Uruguay. Go early before the day-trippers arrive.

The lighthouse (Faro): Climb it for views across the Río de la Plata. On a clear day, you can see Buenos Aires' skyline across the water. Small fee, worth it.

Vintage cars: Colonia is full of them — abandoned classic cars sitting on street corners, in gardens, parked under trees. Nobody knows exactly why there are so many, but they've become part of the town's visual identity. Instagram gold.

The river wall: Walk along the defensive wall on the western edge of the old town at sunset. The light over the Río de la Plata is excellent — wide, golden, the kind of light that makes photographers weep.

Eating

Colonia has a handful of properly good restaurants clustered in and around the old town:

Charco Bistró: The best restaurant in Colonia. Argentine-influenced Uruguayan cooking with river views. Book ahead for lunch.

El Drugstore: Quirky restaurant in a converted pharmacy. Good steaks, local wine, outdoor terrace.

Mercado del Puerto (Colonia's version): Smaller than Montevideo's but good for casual grilled meats and empanadas.

Budget option: Grab a chivito (Uruguay's national sandwich — steak, ham, cheese, egg, lettuce, mayonnaise in a bun) from any corner café. The chivito is Uruguay's great contribution to cuisine and costs about £3–5.

Practical Tips

Currency: Uruguay uses the Uruguayan peso (UYU). Most Colonia restaurants and shops accept Argentine pesos and US dollars at a reasonable (not great) rate. ATMs are available. Credit cards work in most restaurants.

Time zone: Same as Argentina (no change).

Language: Spanish. Uruguayan Spanish is similar to Argentine — voseo, the sh sound — but slightly different rhythm.

Weather: Same as Buenos Aires (they're across a river, not a continent). Bring sunscreen in summer, a jacket in winter.

The extended trip: If you have time, stay overnight. Colonia has lovely small hotels and the town after the day-trippers leave (around 5pm) is peaceful and beautiful. Next day, you could bus to Montevideo (2.5 hours) before ferrying back to BA.

Why Brits Love It

Colonia scratches a very specific itch for British expats in Buenos Aires. The town is quiet, clean, walkable, and beautiful in a way that feels manageable — European village energy with South American light. After the intensity of Buenos Aires, spending a day ambling along cobblestone streets, sitting by the river, and eating a long lunch in a courtyard garden is restorative. Most Brits who try it once go back regularly.