Colonia and Carmelo holidays
Colonia and Carmelo holidays at a glance
Colonia Uruguay is often treated as a quick stop between Buenos Aires and Montevideo, but Colonia del Sacramento rewards travellers who slow down. It’s Uruguay’s oldest town, and one of the standout UNESCO World Heritage Uruguay has to offer, prized for a colonial history that saw Spanish and Portuguese powers fight over it for the best part of a century. The fortifications that still ring the old town hint at just how contested those years were.
Inside them, the historic quarter is all terracotta roofs, narrow cobbled streets and sycamore shade, a little reminiscent of old Lisbon, tucked along the banks of the Río de la Plata. Day trippers arrive from Buenos Aires in their hundreds and leave again by evening, but for the rest of the day it settles back into the quiet, unhurried pace that makes Uruguay what it is.
An hour further on, Carmelo Uruguay has become the country’s rising star for food and wine, known for golf, riverside relaxation and boutique wineries producing some of the best tannat around.
Why choose Journey Latin America for your holiday to Colonia and Carmelo
We’ve been planning trips to Central and South America for over 45 years, longer than any other UK specialist. Every holiday is built around you by a Travel Expert who has been to the places they recommend, with support from your first enquiry to the day you fly home.
Colonia captures everything people love about Uruguay: beautiful architecture, great food, welcoming people and a wonderfully relaxed pace of life.
When to visit Colonia and Carmelo
Colonia and Carmelo can be enjoyed throughout the year thanks to their mild climate and year-round cultural appeal.
The summer here is warm with plenty of sunshine and temperatures around 28°C. Both towns can feel busy with visitors on the weekends but are much quieter and laidback during the week.
Although cooler, with temperatures around 15°C from May to September it is still a pleasant time to visit the pretty port town of Colonia and Carmelo.
Top Things to do in Colonia and Carmelo
Colonia and Carmelo combine colonial history, culinary experiences and relaxed exploration. Whether you’re strolling centuries-old streets, enjoying local wine or discovering Uruguay by road, this region rewards travellers who take their time.
Travel through the rolling hills of Uruguay’s countryside.
Explore a UNESCO World Heritage Site where cobbled streets reverberate with history.
If you’ve never tasted Tannat, Uruguay is the best place to start.
Accommodation in Colonia and Carmelo
Accommodation here has real character, from heritage guesthouses inside Colonia’s historic centre to vineyard lodges and countryside stays around Carmelo. Charco and Posada Plaza Mayor sit right in the old town, while Narbona Wine Lodge and Posada Campotinto put you among the vines.
Narbona Wine Lodge offers a gourmet experience at a typically Uruguayan estancia.
A mid-range colonial property with many historical features, which sits close to Colonia’s pretty main square.
A former Journey Latin America tour leader, Sally spent 7 years working, travelling and living throughout Latin America before returning to the UK to help people arrange their own adventures to this wonderful destination.
Holidays to Colonia and Carmelo
Group Colonia and Carmelo Tours
Our group tours follow expertly designed, well-planned routes with an experienced local guide throughout. Prefer to keep it to your own party? Book the same trips privately for four or more.
Jabiru: Wildlife, wine and Jesuit Missions
Places visited: Buenos Aires · Colonia and Carmelo · Montevideo · Asuncion and the heartland · The Jesuit Missions of the south · Ibera wetlands
14 days from £5,249
Tailor-Made Colonia and Carmelo Tours
Prefer to travel on your own terms? We’ll build a trip around your dates, your pace and the things you most want to see – whether that’s a first run at Machu Picchu, a family adventure mixing history and wildlife, or a food-focused journey through Lima and the Sacred Valley. Our Travel Experts can help shape it with you.
Self-drive Uruguay: Classic highlights
Places visited: Buenos Aires · Colonia and Carmelo · Montevideo · Punta del Este beaches and coastline
13 days from £3,175
Signature Uruguay: Land of vintage charm
Places visited: Buenos Aires · Colonia and Carmelo · Montevideo · Punta del Este beaches and coastline
14 days from £4,100
FAQs about visiting Colonia and Carmelo
Colonia and Carmelo is one of the most popular destinations, and there’s plenty to think about before you go. Here, our specialists share their best advice.
- When To Go
Colonia has cool winters (May – Sep), warm summers and unpredictable springs (Oct – Nov); there are numerous thunderstorms but no tropical cyclones. Rainfall is regular and evenly spread throughout the year: it can be a bit wetter Oct – Nov. Summers are hot and humid (annual temperature range 15-28°C). The town can be extremely busy at weekends. Those wanting to visit the museums should plan a visit Tuesday – Thursday.
For more detailed information visit our When To Go section.
- Language
Spanish.
- Getting Local Currency
Uruguayan Peso. Notes can be withdrawn from the ATM in town using a UK credit or debit card. Limits may be lower than your UK bank allows. There are also some exchange houses where you can exchange US dollars cash or Argentine pesos; rates for euros and sterling are frequently poor.
- Time Difference
GMT -3 hours. Usually daylight saving is observed in the summer (GMT -2 hours), from Sep – Oct to early Mar, the date set by presidential decree.
- Combines With
A day or two in the Uruguayan capital, Montevideo, 2.5 – 3 hours by road; beach time at Punta del Este (5 – 6 hours by road); Buenos Aires, Argentina, there are daily direct ferries (45mins and 3 hours).
- Getting There
Colonia is a 2.5 – 3 hours drive from Montevideo. There’s a weekly 15mins flight from Buenos Aires and daily ferries from the Argentine capital (45mins and 3 hours).
Ready to start planning?
Tell us where you want to go, and we’ll take it from there. No obligation, no sales pitch – just a conversation with someone who knows the region inside out.