ophelie

As a tourist just passing through, the recent urban planning changes don't really interest us. This museum might be better suited for the residents of Colonia. Either way, there is only one tiny room to visit.

The museum is really tiny and has very little information. It is a shame, because although Native Americans only make up 5% of the Uruguayan population now, I would have liked to learn more about their history. But I gathered that there is very little research on the subject.

I wanted to walk there from the city center, but I ended up in a neighborhood where I didn't feel comfortable, with poorer houses and people watching me in a strange way. So I turned around before I even reached the beach.

You can bike to the bullring from the old town by following the beach along a designated bike path. The ride is nice. I wasn't able to visit the inside of the arena, but they are impressive to look at from the outside.

The museums in Colonia are spread out across different locations, which you can all access with a single ticket. Some are more interesting than others, but the Spanish Museum is definitely worth the trip. You learn quite a bit about the settler families who came from different regions of Spain.

There are 2 main squares in Colonia: Plaza Mayor and Plaza de Mayo. The old governor's palace used to be here, and only the foundations remain. The square is nicely laid out with its trees and small fountain. Plus, it has the advantage of being closed to vehicle traffic, which gives it a very quiet character.

Today, the port mainly hosts small pleasure boats. You can walk along the docks, but the best view is from the Bastión del Carmen garden at sunset. Don't confuse it with the river port, where the ferries from Buenos Aires arrive.

Founded by the Portuguese, Colonia has kept its cobblestone streets overlooking the river. It was a very strategic location for trade and river route control. The Street of Sighs is generally overrun with tourists taking selfies.

Like most colonial cities, the main church overlooks the Plaza de Armas. The roof is cracking, and in 2025 they are calling for donations for its restoration. Nothing special that I remember, unlike the San Benito Chapel a few kilometers away, which doesn't look like much but houses one of the few black saints in Latin America.

A superb colonial town that is nice and quiet, with its small cobblestone streets, colorful houses, pretty lighthouse right in the center, wall ruins, and banks overlooking the Río de la Plata. In the distance, there are islands. Even further out, you can make out the skyscrapers of Buenos Aires.