Punta Del Este, The St Tropez Of Uruguay

Punta Del Este, The St Tropez Of Uruguay Photo #1 of 2 Photo copyright ShoreTrips.com.

Overview

Now THIS is the tropical getaway of your dreams!

Punta del Este is, in this case, a drive from Montevideo. It is also a cruise port in many cases. Either way, it is a lovely resort town full of activity and worth the experience.

Right off the bat we want you to know that the ride is 83 miles which will take about 2 hours. You will be comfortable in your vehicle as you leave Montevideo through its downtown, past the Old City and Independence Square, Parque Batile with the monument of the ox-cart, the obelisk and Estadio Centenario. So you will have seen some of the highlights of the city and will get a sense of it before taking off for the place where the jet set gather.

Heading out, your first stop will be about 30 minutes into your ride. Both Portezuelo and Punta Ballena will allow you to stretch your legs while taking in the sweeping views up and down the coast. If you fancy yourself as a photographer take this challenge of securing a memento of the view. Soon after you will catch a glimpse of what is known as the Santorini of Uruguay - Casapueblo. Is it a huge sculpture or a home? Casapueblo is a building constructed by the Uruguayan artist Carlos Páez Vilaró. It is located in Punta Ballena, just 8 miles from Punta del Este. It was originally a summer house and workshop of the artist, and it includes in its facilities a museum, an art gallery, a cafeteria and a hotel. It has a magic to it and if you have been to the Greek island of Santorini, this nickname makes sense. And the best news is you are just 8 miles away from heaven.

Complete your roadtrip and arrive in Punta del Este. Your itinerary for the day is not set in stone if you want to veer off to something that catches your eye, but it is designed to take you to the highlights and most talked about places in this city. First a visit to the residential areas with its elegant homes of the most sophisticated architecture such as San Rafael, Cantegril, Parque Golf and Beverly Hills. Clearly you can understand the level of wealth here from the sophisticated vacation homes.

A visit will be made to Fundación Ralli. This private museum of Contemporary Latin American Art houses an impressive collection of sculptures and paintings, including works by Salvador Dali (Mondays closed). The focus of this museum is on drawing attention to the works of living Latin-American Artists. Additionally, it exhibits works by European 15th through 18th. It sits on a beautiful piece of land and expresses the sculptural architecture seen elsewhere in this area. The courtyard is full of mezmerizing pieces of sculpture and arranged so you can walk around the perimeter.

For now you have been part of the intellectual side of Punta del Este and we will work our way across the hanging bridges at La Barra. Gorgeous sandy beaches such as Playa Brava, San Rafael, El Emir - line one side of the road that brings you into the downtown area. The main avenue, Avenida Gorlero, is eye-candy with shops and restaurants and beach clubs as you move to the port.

The area is beautiful and there are some options that can be pre-arranged depending on your time schedule.
Beach clubs, special exclusive wine tastings, a special lunch reservation, shopping - all of these can fill the remainder of the time you have before returning to Montevideo.

- Please dress comfortably.
- Admissions are included for the sights included in this itinerary.
- Additional beverages are not included in this tour.
- If you would like us to arrange a special activity, such as wine tasting or lunch in the countryside, please notify us in advance so we can make arrangements.
- If you need to shorten this service, we can modify the stops.

- The ride from Montevideo to Punta del Este is about 2 hours. Stops are made along the way.
- The Fundación Ralli is closed on Mondays.
- There are some steps along with moderate walking on this tour.
- If you wish to visit a winery or a stop for lunch, please contact us in advance.
- The order of this itinerary may be changed.

Days offered: 7 days a week

Departures:

• 09:00 AM, duration: 8.5 hours Departure time can be changed to accommodate your needs.