Uruguay is a small, but beautiful country with gorgeous beaches, cowboy ranches and a very laid-back vibe. Sadly, it is quite underrated and often gets overlooked by travellers who prioritise the nearby destinations such as Brazil and Argentina. A lot of the country is unexplored and therefore, is not super crowded and touristy, giving it a much more authentic feel.

Only a short ferry ride from Buenos Aires, Uruguay is the perfect destination to add that extra stamp in your passport! Many people will also make the journey to Uruguay for a visa run before returning to Argentina.

How to get to Uruguay

So, there are a few ways you can get from Argentina to Uruguay.

Ferry

I would recommend to take the ferry as it is one of the fastest and cheapest ways. Depending on where you plan to head first, you need to choose where to take the ferry to. The cheapest route is to take the direct ferry from Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires to Colonia del Sacramento.

There are 3 main companies that cover the route- Buquebus, Colonia Express and Seacat.  For more information on prices and times, take a look at this website- https://www.directferries.com/ferries_from_argentina_to_uruguay.htm

I took the ferry from Buenos Aires to Colonia and choose to take Buquebus as it was the cheapest option at the time. The journey took around 1 hour and 15 minutes the price was around £40.00 one way. You can book return tickets for a better price if you know exactly when you are going/returning. There is no assigned seating on board so you can sit wherever you like. You can book tickets online and show your booking when you arrive at the port. Make sure you arrive 1 hour before departure to clear immigration and find exactly which ferry you are going on.

If you plan to travel to Montevideo, you can either take the direct ferry or the cheaper option, take the ferry to Colonia and then catch a connecting bus which will take around 2/3 hours. This is a great option if you want to explore Colonia for half a day before heading to Montevideo. If you plan to do this book the ferry and the bus separately. You are also able to leave your luggage in the bus station in the lockers so you don’t have to carry them around whilst exploring Colonia del Sacramento. The bus from Colonia to Montevideo is around £10.00 one way.

Plane or bus

You could also drive or take the bus; however, it will take significantly longer than the ferry. There is also the option of flying direct from Buenos Aires airport to Montevideo airport, although the airport is over 40 minutes from the centre and plane tickets are much more expensive.

I would totally recommend taking the ferry, it is very simple and can even be done easily as a day trip.  

Destinations to visit whilst in Uruguay

• Colonia del Sacramento
• Montevideo
• Punta del Este
• Punta del Diablo
• Carmelo
• Cabo Polonio

Best time to visit Uruguay

The best time to visit Uruguay is during the summer. I visited in the winter and although it was still beautiful, it was freezing and most of the beaches and resorts were closed. The summer months are between November and February.

Every year around Easter time (February/March) Montevideo holds a huge carnival. During this time, temperatures are warm and dry making it the perfect time to explore and enjoy the country.

Important things to know when visiting Uruguay

• Uruguay is very expensive in comparison to other South American countries and the ATMS charge extortionate prices to take money out. Pay with debit or credit card in restaurants and you will receive a 22% off discount since they don’t charge taxes to tourists.
• English is not widely spoken here, so try and learn some survival Spanish- one day I ended up eating at a restaurant and attempting to order a side dish of fries. I ended up receiving a couple of plates of chips and a full plate of jacket potatoes. When the food came, the look on my face suggested I had not understood what I was being asked. #carbs
• Bus travel is fairly cheap and easy to do.
• Marijuana is legal. (I was surprised at the amount of people smoking it everywhere until someone told me this). As a foreigner you cannot buy it, but it can be given to you if you wish.
• Uruguay has excellent wines- make sure to try some or visit a vineyard.
• The country is very progressive, providing free compulsory education from childhood to University.

My 5-day itinerary for Uruguay

During my South American trip, I visited Uruguay for a short period of 5 days as I already had future plans to head down to Patagonia. If I had the chance and the weather was better, I would have visited for longer and explored other cities.

Here is my day by day itinerary.

Day 1/2 – Colonia del Sacramento

I took the morning ferry from Buenos Aires to Colonia del Sacramento. I arrived in Colonia around midday and checked into my hostel – Viajero Colonia hostel. I spent the afternoon and the following day wandering through the cobbled streets, exploring the historical quarter, enjoying the local restaurants, visiting the marina and enjoying the views from the lighthouse. Read my blog ‘A day or two days in Colonia del Sacramento’ for more information about Colonia.  As I mentioned in the article, I would recommend only half a day/ a day maximum in Colonia.

Where to next?

The following day I took the bus from the bus station to Montevideo. The journey took around 3 hours and cost approximately £10.00. I booked the bus upon arriving at the bus station and it was a comfortable and pleasant journey. There are several buses throughout the day going to Montevideo.

Day 3,4 and 5- Montevideo

The most popular place to visit in Uruguay is Montevideo, the capital city and home to more than half of Uruguay’s population. I arrived in Montevideo late afternoon and choose to stay again in El Viajero hostel. The hostel has a great atmosphere, with an outside terrace area and live music. The location is right in the centre of the city and therefore easy walking distance to all the main areas/things to see. Explore the historic downtown, take a stroll down La Rambla, visit the shopping malls or take a tour of the football ground where the first ever FIFA world cup final was held between Argentina and Uruguay. The free walking tour is also a great way of exploring the city and learning about the culture and history of Montevideo.

Where to next?

From Montevideo, I took the bus back to Colonia del Sacramento to board the ferry back to Buenos Aires. I booked the ferry ticket online the day before and again it was a similar price around £40.00.

If you plan to visit Uruguay or have already visited, let me know your thoughts in the comments below 😊