Colonia del Sacramento Small-Group Day Trip
Description
Embark on a captivating walking tour of Colonia del Sacramento, where history and charm meet on every corner. Begin your exploration in the enchanting Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, where cobblestone streets lead you through a tapestry of colonial architecture. Wander down Calle de los Suspiros, a narrow street steeped in legends, and visit the iconic Plaza Mayor, a vibrant hub surrounded by museums, quaint cafes, and art galleries. Marvel at the well-preserved city walls and climb the historic lighthouse for panoramic views of the Rio de la Plata. The tour also includes visits to the Basilica del Santísimo Sacramento and the evocative ruins of the Convent of San Francisco, each a testament to Colonia's rich past.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Your full-day tour starts with hotel pickup in Buenos Aires. Meet your guide and drive to the station catch a ferry to the city of Colonia. The ride is one hour long and you can admire the views as you travel. Once you get to the city of Colonia, you will enjoy a 2-hour guided tour of the city. This quaint town in Uruguay lies just on the opposite side of the River Plate. You will visit the historic center and be taken back in time. Founded in 1680 by the Portuguese, the town is famous for its cobbled, windy streets and colorful houses. Today, it is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. Learn from your guide about the city's layout and how it differs from the majority of Uruguayan cities. Admire its streets and houses as well as small bars, restaurants. After your tour, you will have three more hours in Colonia to explore on your own. You can head to one of its lovely plazas and small flower-filled parks. You can enjoy lunch and visit some art and craft shops, museums and a large yacht harbour. After a nice day in Colonia, you will board the ferry back to Buenos Aires, where you will be taken back to your hotel.
It is born in the Plaza Mayor and continues on a slope to the Río de la Plata. It is a narrow street with Portuguese characteristics, cobbled with a wedge and without sidewalks. The sides are tilted towards the center to form a drainage channel. The houses, built in the first half of the 18th century, have stone walls, tile roofs and ceramic floors. The doors and windows are small and made of wood, although only houses with a gabled roof are preserved.
It was built in the year 1745 by order of the Portuguese governor Vasconcellos who at that time was leading these lands. In its origins the Door was the portico of entrance to Colony, protected at that time by a strong military of thick walls that were frequent target of pirate attacks, Spanish and English.
It was built in January 1857. It has two red flashes every nine seconds. It is a circular tower of white masonry with a dome with white and red radial stripes. It has a unique structure with a square base and a cylindrical tower that reaches the lantern. It was built on one of the old towers of the Convent of San Francisco, whose ruins are at the foot of the lighthouse. Its height is 26 meters and has a luminous range of 7.8 nautical miles.
The Basilica has the most unusual altar feature for its time and even now; a back lit semi-circular alcove that features a very large monstrance (receptacle for displaying the Sacred Host or Blessed Sacrament). The outside brickwork shows the Portuguese influence of its builders.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Pick up at centrally located hotels in Buenos Aires (Palermo, Recoleta, Downtown areas)
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- NOTE: At the time of reservation the following information is needed in order to buy the ferry tickets: full names, date of birth, passport numbers and nationalities
- A current valid passport is required on the day of travel
- This is a kid-friendly tour
Reviews(170)
Helped with all the logistics along with information about the town. I also like the free time it provided to explore.
We had a wonderful time! Ruth! She really knew the history and different architectural styles of Spain Vs. Portugal. She was so kind answering all our questions and her recommendation for lunch was amazing. We appreciated having her show us around. We would not have been able to truly experience Colonia without her. The place is amazing and the history visible to still see! This was a calm trip where you can move around at your own speed. We enjoyed the calming day with so much history to soak in.
We flew into Buenos Aires a day early because we wanted to take the opportunity to visit Uruguay and this tour was how we did it! We knew we’d be a bit jet lagged so doing something easy seemed a good idea and Signature Tours made it easy. Our driver picked us up at 7am and ensued we had our tickets on our phone. He explained what to do in the ferry terminal. We had to queue to get through passport control but it wasn’t too bad (and we were on a public holiday). The Argentine and Uruguayan controls were right next to each other and unlike Argentina, Uruguay does stamp your passport! We had a smooth crossing and bought some hot drinks to have with our takeaway breakfast. At the other side we were met by our delightful guide Alejandra. We learned a lot of interesting stuff about Uruguay and had a good tour of the town. We could see BA in the distance across the River Plate estuary. We then had time to ourselves and chose to eat at the restaurant in the square by the church. It was good. We then walked some more around the town and stopped at a bakery for coffee and cake. Alejandra then took us back to the ferry terminal. We went through passports and got another stamp! At BA we were met by our same driver and we were back in our hotel by 18.30. Some reviews say there’s not a lot to Colonia. Yes, it’s certainly not as exciting as BA and there’s nothing really amazing there. But if you’re looking for an easy relaxing day, visiting and learning about a new country, having a friendly guide and a nice lunch, then this tour is a good way to do it.
Jesus the driver was incredible. Very prompt and professional and great communication. Mayra our guide in Uruguay was outstanding. She gave us some much incredible information. Highly recommend this!
All went as it should, I think it could be a little bit shorter in duration, but overall a good experience
Our visit included early morning pick-up and early evening drop-off, with driver assisting to obtain our boat ticket. Customs and trip over and back was uneventful and our guide was waiting for us in Colonia. Alejandra was enthusiastic about her country and provided a leisurely tour. Very informative and enjoyable.
Beautiful city tour, very friendly your guides, very friendly your people. Lindisima city
I booked this after my Antarctica cruise on my last day in Buenos Aires before heading home the day after. No issues with booking the tours. Signature sent me a message on what's app when they would pick me up and the van was there on time and took the 5 of us to the Ferry. Some notes about the ferry. The line to get on is long and takes a while. You have to go thru both Uruguayan and Argentine customs going over and coming back. It took45 minutes or so each time, maybe a little shorter in the morning since the ferry wasn't as full and longer in the afternoon. We did go on a Saturday during the summer, a lot of the Argentines go over for the day to go to the beach, so that may have affected the line a bit. We had someone drop us off at the ferry, get our tickets and put us in line, at the other side we were supposed to be met by the guide. When we got their no one was there they showed up later as they had been told we were on the ferry after ours. Onto the tour. Once you are on the ferry it is a nice ride across the Rio Plate. The city of Colonia is nice but I would say hour and half is enough time to walk around. There is a lighthouse, a church, city walls and the port to visit along with some other buildings. We got quite a bit of free time. I ate lunch and walked around the town twice and still had time before we headed back to the ferry, I don't shop. The guide in Colonia was very knowledgeable and gave us a lot of information on Uruguay and the city. It is a nice day just be prepared for the lines at the ferry terminal.
Well organized from end to end. From pick up to return everything was well organized with a knowledgeable guide. Definitely worth the experience if you have a few days in Buenos Aires. The small group experience is well with it.
While the weather was tricky, we had a great time on this quick visit. Our Uruguayan guide Alejandra was the highlight - she was fabulous. The ferry check-in can be a little overwhelming but the guides helped us up until immigration. There was a problem with no driver waiting for us when we returned to Buenos Aires but it was quickly resolved after a WhatsApp msg to the tour service
