While walking through the historic colonial houses, a Brazilian couple looks at the Rio de la Plata at the end of alleys lit by lamps. He describes the place as something of Tiradentes from Minas Gerais amid the breeze from Rio de Janeiro’s Paraty. For her, the historic Uruguayan city, a Portuguese insertion in a Spanish environment, has its own charm.
The Portuguese brand is printed on the Porta do Campo, from 1745, with its set formed by the bridge, the moat, pillars and walls, which shelter the center of historical interest and its mansions.
Founded by Manuel Lobo, Portuguese governor of Rio de Janeiro, in 1680, the city went through part of its history between captures and reconquests by the Spanish and Portuguese. In 1825, independent, it became Uruguayan.
Geographically, it is in a strategic point. It is almost 180 km from Montevideo, two hours by car, or an hour and a half by ferry from Buenos Aires, which, daily, sends a lot of tourists back and forth to what is the oldest city in Uruguay.
Bathed by the River Plate, Colonia was declared, in 1995, Cultural Heritage of Humanity by Unesco.
Charming, peaceful, with a little over 26,000 inhabitants, the municipality is packed with an atmosphere conducive to enjoying a couple, so much so that it is one of the most sought after places to celebrate marriage and honeymoon.
The invitation to those who arrive is to get lost in its alleys, visiting bars and cafes, looking for the best angle to frame the river in this scenario.
Tree-lined, the streets become a walkway to disconnect from the frenzy of everyday life and connect with history, far from the changing reality of large urban centers.
The ruins of the Convento de São Francisco are an example for this break. In the midst of stone buildings on the streets kept in their original format, cannons, inherited from the colonial period, are now there to decorate the sidewalks.
With its back to the river, what stands out are the twin towers of Igreja da Matriz. Inside, its interior is decorated with arches and columns. The original structure dates back to 1680, although the building was rebuilt on different occasions throughout the 19th century.
Typically a Portuguese street, for sure, the “calle de los Suspiros” is one of the most attractive to visitors, not only for its simplicity, but also because of the legends that orbit the popular imagination.
They say, for example, that the origin of its name comes from the wanderings of sailors who sought sex and pleasure in brothels there before facing the journey back across the Prata — always him.
From there, a tip is to head towards the lighthouse, climb the stairs and enjoy the view from above.
There are people who stick to a single day pass. It’s unfair, Colonia de Sacramento deserves a more flexible schedule. To immerse yourself in the bucolic atmosphere of the past, the ideal is to stay there for at least a couple of days.
Outside the historic center, Colônia also offers pleasant spaces, always shaded, such as Avenida General Flores, with its restaurants, cafes, shops, hotels and inns. Away from the tourist circuit, in the “new” part of Cologne, a house from the 1930s and 1940s remains preserved.
With time, there is a chance for the visitor to explore beaches in the surroundings. Nearby, just 20 km away, is the Santa Ana resort, with white and shady sand. Depending on the tide, even ripples appear, which makes us forget that the water there is from the river, not the sea — cold, however.
Cologne, not the city, but the department, is the base of wine tourism. Family-owned and boutique-hotel-like wineries helped to name the city of Carmelo as the “Tuscany of Latin America.”
For those who like wine, especially the tannat grape, and riding a bike, it is worth stretching the trip there. With a countryside atmosphere by the river, Carmelo is a romantic retreat an hour’s drive from Cologne.
