Colonia del Sacramento

   URUGUAY

 

 

One cannot resist to the charm of Colonia del Sacramento. The colorful Barrio Histórico (historic quarter) with gorgeous cobbled streets flanked with robust centuries-old trees, the colonial-style houses and their picturesque gardens in a peninsula overlooking the Río de la Plata enchants even the most skeptical. 

 

 

 

 As we arrived to Colonia, we were puzzled to find Calle de Portugal and, in Plaza Mayor 25 de Mayo, both the Museo Portugués(Portuguese Museum) and the Museo Casa de Nacarello (Nacarello House-Museum), the latter consisting of a genuine representative of a typical Portuguese house.

 

We learned then that it was originally called Colónia do Sacramento for it was founded by the Portuguese in 1680 so that the former could smuggle goods across Río de la Plata into Buenos Aires. This colony was the first city of Uruguay and was disputed for a relevant period of time by the Portuguese and the Spanish until eventually it remained under the control of the latter.

 

Portugal Street	Ruins of the 17th-century Convento de San Francisco and the restored 19th-centrury lighthouse

 

History is so present still that the intriguing feeling that time has stopped some three hundred years ago may be quite convincing… We rented a scooter and wandered in the streets of Colonia for hours, enjoying the timeless peace of this place.

   

View over the Rio de la Plata

 

Iglesia Matriz, Uruguay’s oldest church

 

It was a hot day of summer. The burning sun dismayed a timid breeze and only the trees would provide a soothing shelter. We left the historical quarter and drove eastwards along the river shore. It was a lovely ride.  After passing several small beaches, we found the one where we would swim and refresh ourselves.

 

 

In the late afternoon we took the a ferryboat heading to Buenos Aires (Argentina). There were mostly porteños (name of the people from Buenos Aires) returning home and Uruguayans starting their holidays in the neighbor city. It was a journey of 3 hours that presented us a spectacular sunset on the extensive Río de la Plata. A good augury for the coming destination...

 

On our way to Buenos Aires