Traveling to Colonia from Buenos Aires

Only 50 kilometers of the river separates Colonia de Buenos Aires, which makes the capital of Colombia a favorite destination for Argentine tourists and one of the main access routes to the country. The most common and fastest way to travel from Buenos Aires to Colonia is by boat. The companies Buquebus, Colonia Express, Cacciola and Sea Cat cover the section with numerous daily frequencies and variety of services, including quick trips of less than one hour.
Those who prefer to travel by car should enter Uruguay through the Gualeguaychú-Fray Bentos Bridge, covering 465 kilometers in total.
The great majority of river journeys between Colonia and Buenos Aires are made through Buquebus, the main shipping company of the Rio de la Plata.
Visit Montevideo, Punta del Este Colonia de Sacramento from Buenos Aires departing from Puerto Madero Buenos Aires. It has a wide fleet of ferries of normal and high speed, with capacity of up to 1200 passengers.

Historic helmet

One of the major tourist attractions of Colonia is its historic center, declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco. Here you will find the oldest buildings of the city and you can appreciate the mixture of architectural styles of the Portuguese and Spanish colonial times. some exponents of the first Republican years.
The historical center can be easily traversed by a pedestrian circuit that is signposted and passes through the most characteristic buildings and constructions such as: The Bastion of Carmen, the Street of Sighs, the House of the Viceroy, the Mother Church and the Gate of the Citadel.
In the historic area there are also souvenir shops, handicrafts, regional products and restaurants.
The visit to the Historical Center is recommended both day and night.

The lighthouse

The lighthouse of Cologne rose on the foundations of the old convent of San Francisco Xavier and was inaugurated in 1857. The lighthouse has a height of 26 meters and by means of a staircase you can reach the viewpoint at the top. From there you get magnificent views of Cologne.
Note: Paid income. It is not allowed to climb to children under 8 years.
Address: Calle De San Francisco (between Plaza Mayor and De San Pedro)
Hours: From 13 hours until sunset. Weekends: 11 hours until sunset.

Bullring

In Cologne you can visit the ruins of the old Bullring. It was inaugurated in 1910. There were few runs there, since in 1912 the government banned them throughout Uruguay. At present it is not possible to enter to its interior, but if it is appreciated from the outside the Moorish style of the construction. It is the only bullring that is still standing in Uruguay. It is located 4 kms. from the center of the historical center.

Old Port

Next to the historic center is the small port of yachts and sports boats known as Puerto Viejo. Here come many sailboats that come from Buenos Aires. The visit to the port is an option to approach the river. In the port there are banks to rest and a pedestrian sector.

Rambla de Colonia

Also known as Rambla de las Amércias, this walk runs along the coast of the Río de la Plata, through which you can access different sectors and beaches. It is an ideal walk for walking at sunset.

Estancia Anchorena

This traditional estancia of 1,369 hectares was owned by Aaron de Anchorena who donated it to the Uruguayan State for the construction of a park for recreational and recreational purposes. In addition the hull of the estancia became the residence of rest of the Uruguayan presidents and also like place of protocolary events. The estancia has a beautiful park with trees from different parts of the world, it is also inhabited by several species of birds and a significant amount of deer axis. The stay can be visited in two schedules per day.