The best place to visit in Uruguay is Montevideo, the capital, followed by the UNESCO-listed riverside town of Colonia del Sacramento and the beach resort of Punta del Este. This list ranks 10 places across the country by what there is to see, how easy they are to reach and how well they work for a first trip, with 2026 updates on what has opened, changed or closed.
| Rank | Place | Region | Why go |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montevideo | Capital | Ciudad Vieja, the Rambla, Palacio Salvo, Carnival |
| 2 | Colonia del Sacramento | Colonia | UNESCO World Heritage historic quarter |
| 3 | Punta del Este | Maldonado | Beaches, La Mano sculpture, nightlife |
| 4 | Casapueblo | Punta Ballena | Whitewashed house-museum-hotel by Carlos Páez Vilaró |
| 5 | Cabo Polonio | Rocha | A hamlet reached on foot or by 4×4 across the dunes |
| 6 | Punta del Diablo | Rocha | Fishing village with surf beaches |
| 7 | Piriápolis | Maldonado | Resort founded in 1890 |
| 8 | Palacio Salvo | Montevideo | 1928 skyscraper on Plaza Independencia |
| 9 | Feria de Tristán Narvaja | Montevideo | Sunday flea market |
| 10 | Trump Tower Punta del Este | Maldonado | 26-story tower opened in 2022 |
1. Montevideo: the best base for a first trip
Montevideo is the capital and the best place to start. Highlights include the Ciudad Vieja (Old City), the Rambla waterfront promenade, Parque Rodó, Parque Batlle and the Fortaleza del Cerro, among others.
Uruguay’s Carnival is considered the longest in the world and runs from mid-January to late February, with candombe, murga and the Las Llamadas parade.
Verdict: the most to see in one place, and the easiest city to reach.
2. Colonia del Sacramento: a Portuguese-founded river town
Colonia del Sacramento sits on the Río de la Plata, facing Buenos Aires. Portugal began a post here on 28 January 1680, and its historic quarter is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is one of the oldest towns in Uruguay.
The cobbled streets and old buildings are best seen on foot, so wear flat shoes.
Why here: the most atmospheric town in the country.
3. Punta del Este: the country’s beach resort capital
Punta del Este is the main resort of the Maldonado department. The permanent population of the municipality is about 15,000, but it rises sharply in summer. The coast is divided into Brava (fierce) and Mansa (tame) beaches, and every beach on the peninsula has public access.
Sights include the La Mano giant sculpture, Casapueblo and the Puente Garzón bridge designed by Rafael Viñoly.
Our take: the best beach and nightlife for most visitors.
4. Casapueblo, Punta Ballena: a Santorini-style house by the sea
Carlos Páez Vilaró began building Casapueblo in 1958 around a wooden box called La Pionera, and it was his summer home, workshop and permanent residence. It includes a museum, a gallery, a cafeteria and a hotel. The style is comparable to the houses on Santorini.
As of 2020 the hotel had 20 rooms and suites and 50 apartments, so confirm what is available now.
Rating note: the best-known building outside the capital.
5. Cabo Polonio: electricity-free dunes and sea lions
Cabo Polonio is a hamlet in Rocha with a 2023 population of 128 that swells in summer. It has no roads leading to it and is reached by walking through the dunes or in 4×4 vehicles from the highway, about 7 km away. There is no electricity or running water for the few houses.
People have used the area for more than 6,000 years, including for hunting sea lions.
Bottom line: the most off-grid experience in Uruguay.
6. Punta del Diablo: a fishing village that became a surf hangout
Punta del Diablo is in Rocha, 298 km east of Montevideo. It had 823 permanent inhabitants in the 2011 census, mostly fishermen and artisans, and about 25,000 people in peak season, mostly Argentines, Brazilians and Europeans.
Activities include horse riding, dune boarding and surfing.
In short: relaxed, beach-focused, and busy only in summer.
7. Piriápolis: a resort founded in 1890
Piriápolis was founded on 5 November 1890 by businessman Francisco Piria as El Balneario del Porvenir (the Resort of the Future). It predates Punta del Este as a summer resort and has a small permanent population for its size.
Nearby hills include Cerro Pan de Azúcar, and Piria’s Castle, finished in 1897, was his personal residence.
Score logic: the classic family resort.
8. Palacio Salvo, Montevideo: a 1928 skyscraper
Palacio Salvo, finished in 1928 for the Salvo brothers, is 105 m high with 27 stories, and it was the tallest building in South America when completed. The architect Mario Palanti built a similar design, Palacio Barolo, in Buenos Aires.
The building has 370 residential units, plus offices and shops. It was meant to include a hotel, but today it is mostly residential and commercial.
The trade-off: the best-known building downtown.
9. Feria de Tristán Narvaja, Montevideo: a Sunday flea market
The Tristán Narvaja market takes place every Sunday in the Cordón neighborhood, running from 18 de Julio Avenue to La Paz street. It sells antiques, books, pets, furniture, fruit and vegetables.
Many foreigners come looking for rare objects.
Summary: short but fun, and only on Sundays.
10. Trump Tower Punta del Este: a delayed tower that finally opened
The tower was announced in November 2012, and construction began in January 2014, but legal and funding issues delayed completion. Work stopped in October 2019, resumed in November 2020 under a trust formed by its owners, and the building opened in October 2022.
It is a 26-story luxury apartment tower on Playa Brava.
Final note: a fixture of Punta del Este, but a residential building rather than a sight.
Keep reading
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FAQ
What is the best place to visit in Uruguay?
Montevideo, the capital, is the best first stop. Colonia del Sacramento and Punta del Este are the next most popular.
When is the best time to visit Uruguay?
For beaches, December to February. For Montevideo and Carnival, mid-January to late February.
Is Colonia del Sacramento worth a day trip?
Yes. It faces Buenos Aires across the Río de la Plata, and its historic quarter is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Can you visit Cabo Polonio by car?
Not directly. There are no roads, and you walk through the dunes or take a 4×4 from the highway, about 7 km away.
Is Casapueblo a hotel?
Yes, among other things. It also includes a museum and a gallery, and the hotel had 20 rooms and suites and 50 apartments as of 2020.
Is the Trump Tower in Punta del Este open?
Yes. The tower opened in October 2022 after years of delays.
How we put this list together
We checked each place against public records for its history, size and current status. The order is our own scoring of sights, access and fit for a first trip.
Last updated: October 2026.
