Overview
Uruguay's capital Montevideo is a vibrant, eclectic place with a rich cultural life, from its industrial port to the exclusive residential suburbs, a relaxed city with 12 miles of white-sand beaches and a Mediterranean climate. Restaurants serve delicious meat and the city boasts a well-preserved culture and architecture that fittingly reflects Uruguay's Italian and Spanish roots.
Punta del Este is one of the world's most sophisticated destinations. The "Monaco of South America", a resort area with miles of beautiful beaches, natural attractions, luxury hotels and restaurants, glittering nightlife casinos and an upscale population.
Trip Code: URTSMPEF
Location: Uruguay
ITINERARY INSPIRATION
On arrival into Montevideo Airport, you will pick up your rental car from the airport and drive to your chosen hotel in Punta del Este, located approximately 1.5 hours from Montevideo Airport.
Montevideo is the historic yet cosmopolitan capital of Uruguay. Situated on the east bank of the Rio de la Plata it is home to half of Uruguay’s population. The city has much to offer including the historic Old City with the Plaza Independencia at its heart and its Citadel Gate used up until 1829 to protect the city from invasion. The plaza separates the Ciudad Vieja (Old Town) with its art deco buildings, colonial homes and landmarks such as the towering Palacio Salvo, from the city's downtown. Exploring the covered market of Mercado del Puerto and the Centenario Football Stadium where the first World Cup was played in 1930 are both worthwhile, as is a stroll along La Rambla that hugs Montevideo’s scenic waterfront.
Punta del Este, the “Monaco of South America”, is one of the most glamorous and popular beach resorts in Uruguay. It is set mainly on a peninsula and is famous for its miles of beautiful beaches, natural attractions, luxury hotels and restaurants, glittering nightlife, surf and picturesque sunsets. It is home to Casapueblo, the extraordinary hotel and art gallery of Uruguayan artist Carlos Páez Vilaró and the famous “Hand on the Sand” sculpture.
Spend the next 2 days exploring Punta del Este and it’s surrounds at your leisure. You may like to spend time at the beach, shop along the city’s most famous streets, visit the casino, explore art galleries and other cultural venues or take a boat trip to Isla de los Lobos (Sea Wolves Island) to see the fur seal and sea lion colonies.
The Hand Sculpture was created in 1982 by Chilean artist Mario Irrazábal as part of the 1st International Meeting of Modern Sculpture in the Open Air. It is now one of Uruguay’s most recognizable landmarks and a symbol for Punta del Este. Casapueblo was a project that was started in 1958 and took 36 years to complete.
Today you drive to Montevideo where you will spend the next 2 nights, giving you time to explore Uruguay’s capital.
Montevideo is the historic yet cosmopolitan capital of Uruguay. Situated on the east bank of the Rio de la Plata it is home to half of Uruguay’s population. The city has much to offer including the historic Old City with the Plaza Independencia at its heart and its Citadel Gate used up until 1829 to protect the city from invasion. The plaza separates the Ciudad Vieja (Old Town) with its art deco buildings, colonial homes and landmarks such as the towering Palacio Salvo, from the city's downtown. Exploring the covered market of Mercado del Puerto and the Centenario Football Stadium where the first World Cup was played in 1930 are both worthwhile, as is a stroll along La Rambla that hugs Montevideo’s scenic waterfront.
Visit Montevideo’s most famous flea market (Sundays), watch artisans work on the street, taste the classic Montevideo drink “medio y medio” (a blend of sparkling and dry white wine) at the port market or enjoy a Tango & Candombe dinner show.
After spending two nights in Montevideo, check out of your hotel and drive to Montevideo Airport, where you will be able to drop off your car before checking in for your flight out of Montevideo.
WHY TAILOR-MADE?
- Personalise your itinerary
- Access to great flight deals
- Choose your accomodation
- Tailored travel insurance options
- Choose your preferred dates
- Cater to your travel needs
Pricing & date
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Important Information
Car rental for 5 days, unlimited mileage, drop off and taxes included. Insurance deductible is detailed below
(double amount in case of robbery and overturning). Upon request: Additional driver and GPS.
03 nights accommodation in Punta del Este. Breakfast included (from Sunday to Thursday).
02 nights accommodation in Montevideo. Breakfast included (from Friday to Sunday).
- 1 (easy)
Available upon request
Contact us for more details
Season and availability
Accommodation
We believe that appropriate accommodation should add to the authentic travel experience, as well as providing utmost enjoyment. For that reason our accommodation is scrutinised by our staff on the ground frequently, ensuring the properties adhere to our high standards. This key will help you understand the levels of accommodation available on this tour.
SPEAK TO A SPECIALIST
Sustainability
Chimu Adventures undertakes a number of sustainability measures within its operations including:
1) Only using local guides and office staff to both maximise local employment opportunities and minimise carbon footprints. Local guides also ensure you benefit from the intimate knowledge, passion and culture of the country you’re visiting.
2) Where possible, using locally owned and operated boutique hotels to maximise the return to the local community.
3) Chimu’s “Pass it on” programme has provided funding to hundreds of local community projects in Latin America. Our aim is to empower local communities, helping them to develop their own infrastructure for the future. Since 2006, we have been working with Kiva (a well-known Non-Governmental Organisation), providing hundreds of loans to local businesses all over South America.
4) In our pre tour information we provide a range of tips and advice on how to minimise your impact on both local environments and communities.
5) Chimu Adventures’ offices also take a number of sustainability measures including carbon offsets for company vehicles and most staff travel. Chimu Adventure’s internal processes are also structures to create a paperless office and to reduce waste. There are also internal programmes to help staff minimise their carbon footprint such as our staff bike purchase assistance plan which encourages office staff to commute to work via bicycle. Currently almost half of our office based staff commute to work via bicycle.