Planning the Perfect Day Trip to Colonia From Buenos Aires

Having previously spent 2 nights in this scenic small town on the way to Uruguay’s capital Montevideo, myself and my girlfriend took a day trip to Colonia from Buenos Aires in Argentina.

Colonia del Sacramento to use its full name, is a charming little town tucked in the southwestern corner of Uruguay, just across the Rio de la Plata (River Plate) which separates Uruguay from Argentina.

During my first stay, I felt that 2 nights was too long to spend here. However, it’s a perfect day trip spot either from Buenos Aires, from Montevideo, or whilst travelling between the two capital cities.

I will share with you all the information you need to know to make this trip yourself via ferry from Buenos Aires. You can even enjoy a free walking tour when you arrive!

How to Get From Buenos Aires to Colonia by Ferry

There are two companies that operate ferries between Buenos Aires and Colonia del Sacramento: Buquebus and Colonia Express.

Between them, they make 8-11 daily crossings each way. Every crossing takes 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Buquebus tickets are provided in Argentine pesos only. Since the economy in Argentina fluctuates wildly, I will not list the prices here. However they start roughly from £49/US$61 for a one-way ticket (aged 12 and above, under 12s go free), and £81/US$101 for a return ticket.

However, you can buy tickets for a lot less if you exchange money on the black market using the “Dolar Blue” economy. I would advise reading about how to get the best exchange rates in Argentina to learn how this works.

Colonia Express lists prices in the much more stable Uruguayan peso (UYU). They sell one-way tickets from UYU1,954 (£36/US$45). A return ticket can be as low as UYU2,128 (£39/US$49).

We paid £57/US$71 however for return tickets with Colonia Express that also included a “free” walking tour and lunch. You can purchase tickets with just the tour, just the lunch, both the tour and lunch, or neither the tour nor lunch included. The price differences are minimal.

The Buquebus terminal is here in Puerto Madero, whilst the Colonial Express terminal is located here, also in Puerto Madero, but a 10-minute drive or 50-minute walk to the south.

Buquebus ferries leave Buenos Aires 3-5 times per day, every day at the following times (the return times from Colonia to Buenos Aires are in brackets):

Colonia Express ferries leave Buenos Aires at the times listed below. Again, the timings for the return journey from Colonia to Buenos Aires are in brackets:

For a Colonia day trip, I would suggest taking either the 8:15am (Buquebus) or the 8:30am (Colonia Express) ferry.

Even going on the 10:30am boat will only give you the afternoon to explore. Any later and you won’t have time to see everything.

What Documents do You Need to Visit Colonia from Buenos Aires?

Visiting Colonia from Buenos Aires is very easy. There’s no complicated process to get into Uruguay. You just need the following:

• Your passport with at least one blank page
• A visa if you come from countries that require a visa for Uruguay. You do not need a visa if you’re from any country in the mainland Americas (except Suriname), any European country (except Belarus, Bosnia Herzegovina, Moldova, Albania or Kosovo), Australia, New Zealand, Israel, the UAE, South Africa, South Korea and a tiny number of smaller nations
• A ferry ticket with either Buquebus or Colonia Express

Uruguay also prohibits goods that you can’t bring into most countries. For example fruits, meats, narcotics and other standard items that you probably wouldn’t take on holiday

I’m sure you wouldn’t bring this on a day trip unless your name is Elon, but you cannot bring over US$10,000 into Uruguay either, unless you declare it. And no, you can’t bypass this by bringing other currencies in. Your total money cannot exceed US$10,000 in any currency.

What to do in Colonia del Sacramento

Colonia is small but cool, a day tour is easily enough time to see everything here. And if you have a choice over which day to visit, I would recommend choosing a sunny day, due to the beaches which exist here.

Anyway, these are the best things to do here:

Take a Free Walking Tour

We booked our Colonia round trip ticket with Colonia Express. And not only did we get ferry tickets for the £57 (US$71) we each paid, but a walking tour was also included in the price.

Upon arriving in Uruguay, we entered the main hall of the terminal after having our bags scanned, and tucked in the corner to our left was a small stand where we could redeem a voucher the ferry company gave us in order to receive a free tour of the city.

The tour lasts around 2 hours and the guide will take you down the narrow cobblestone streets explaining the history of how the small city was built up by the Spanish and the Portuguese throughout centuries gone by.

I love doing free walking tours when I arrive in a new place. They really help you understand the history, and guides will also show you many of the highlights.

Usually free walking tours are “free” because they are paid in tips. In other words, you choose how much to pay.

The Colonia walking tour however is paid for alongside the cost of the ferry ticket. You are still invited to tip the guide at the end, yet it is not expected here.

Enjoy the UNESCO-Recognised Historic Centre

Who doesn’t love a good UNESCO World Heritage Site?

Okay, there are some boring ones out there, but most of them receive UNESCO recognition because they’re cool. And that’s the case with Colonia’s old town.

After the tour, feel free to just walk around and enjoy the vintage feel of the place with its old-school colonial buildings, retro cars and charming (albeit not practical) cobblestone streets.

It’s a really fun place to chill and just walk around aimlessly. Unlike in Buenos Aires, things move at a much slower pace on this side of the river.

Spend Time on the Beaches

Colonia is really underrated as a beach destination. Admittedly the waters can be a bit murky, but you can visit the beaches here with very few other people around. A far cry from the ultra-packed tourist trap beaches I’ve been to in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro among other places.

Playa Ferrando, Playa Honda and Playa Urbana El Alamo are the three beaches you can find here.

Admittedly, there is an element of luck. Because the water can be brown if you’re unfortunate during your visit. But if you stick to the sand, these are cool spots.

I wouldn’t recommend getting in the water here. But relaxing on the sand as the sun shines down can be enjoyable.

Look Across the River from the Colonia Lighthouse (Faro de Colonia)

Colonia is a sleepy city, with relatively modest buildings and a lack of towering skyscrapers. One building does stand out amongst the others however, and that is the lighthouse.

Faro de Colonia was built in the 1800s, and still stands strong as a tourist attraction and viewpoint today.

It costs UYU35 to enter (£0.64/US$0.80). From here you can see the city from above.

Unfortunately it is only open from Thursday-Sunday at 10am-1pm and 2pm-5pm. You can check the Colonia tourism website with the latest details whilst planning your trip.

Eat Delicious Steak

If you think you will miss ordering amazing Argentine steak, then fear not, because Uruguayan cuisine is very similar to that across the border.

The only downside is that Uruguayan steak is about double the price. But to be honest, who cares when it’s so good?

Unfortunately Colonia lacks dedicated steakhouses. However, any decent restaurant such as Charco Bistro has some good meat on the menu.

Rent a Golf Buggy for a Day

Starting from £17 (US$21) for 6 hours, you can rent a golf buggy to get around.

Colonia is walkable, but if you fancy splurging a bit on your day trip, golf buggies are available to rent.

You will need a valid driving license from your home country to rent one. And supply is limited, therefore I recommend booking in advance to guarantee availability.

Is Colonia Cheap to Visit?

Uruguay is absolutely not one of Latin America’s cheaper countries, and the prices in Colonia reflect that.

Luckily for you, you’re reading this because you’re most likely planning a day trip, which means you won’t have to splash out on accommodation, and that’s one of the bigger expenses here, with Colonia short on decent budget options.

A meal here will set you back around £7-£12 (US$8.75-US$15) for a budget option, although the sky is the limit if you want to eat in style.

Unless you hire a golf buggy for a minimum of £17 (US$21), transport will cost you nothing here. That’s because everything in Colonia is easily walkable, and there’s no need to catch a bus or rent a car at all.

You can purchase a SIM card in Colonia for just over £4 (US$5), although this isn’t really necessary on a day trip, so I wouldn’t bother with this unless you plan a longer trip.

Pretty much all your spending will be on the ferry tickets, and perhaps a meal if you don’t purchase a package where lunch is included.

Is Colonia Safe for Tourists?

The good news for you is that Uruguay is arguably the safest country in Latin America, and Colonia is one of the safest parts of Uruguay.

Crime rates are very low here, and indeed in all parts of Uruguay apart from capital city Montevideo and some beach destinations in the off-season when holiday homes are left abandoned and criminals strike.

Drivers in Uruguay are some of the most competent across South America, meaning you won’t have to deal with crazy road users unless you’re very unfortunate.

Colonia isn’t a place where you are likely to get scammed at all. And the weather is very moderate across the year, therefore you don’t have to fear extreme climates.

The worst that can happen is a bit of strong wind, or sunburn by the beach. It was pretty windy when we last went in September time.

Despite Argentina being safe, Colonia is a level up and I would say only the Patagonia region of Argentina/Chile is safer across the entire continent.

Is Colonia Accessible for People With Disabilities?

Uruguay is one of South America’s leading countries for disability rights and accessibility. However the majority of the benefits are felt in Montevideo and not so much in more rural areas.

Colonia can be tricky for anyone with mobility issues as the cobbled roads are challenging even for someone who doesn’t have these problems.

Elsewhere, Colonia is a pretty reasonable place for a disabled person. You are highly unlikely to face any sorts of discrimination or other challenges that you wouldn’t face elsewhere, outside of the cobbled roads.

My suggestion is to rent a golf buggy, or have a companion do so in order to get around the city with ease.

What Currency do You Need in Colonia?

Since Colonia is in Uruguay, the currency used here is the Uruguayan peso. However you shouldn’t need to exchange money for a day trip. Most places accept card payments, and many will also take Argentine pesos.

US dollars are also widely accepted across the city.

Colonia realises that many people visit just for a day trip from Buenos Aires, and therefore caters to tourists by making it easy to spend money without exchanging for Uruguayan pesos.

Is a Day Trip Long Enough to See Everything?

To be honest… yes. In fact when I first came here, I stayed for 2 nights and realised half a day would’ve been more than enough time.

Colonia is small and you can see everything of interest in little over 4 hours.

I returned here a second time to show the missus around 2 years after first visiting, and didn’t find anything new that I hadn’t spotted on my previous visit.

Is Colonia Worth Visiting?

Yes. Colonia has a certain charm to it that you won’t find in Buenos Aires or any other big city such as Montevideo.

If you’re following my 3-week itinerary for Argentina, there’s no harm in sacrificing a day in the capital to briefly check out Uruguay’s coastal gem.

If you only have a day in Buenos Aires, or even 2 or 3 days, I would recommend staying in Argentina’s capital as it admittedly has far more to do than Colonia. However with 4+ days, you can easily see pretty much everything you want to see, whilst squeezing in a Colonia trip on top.

When is it Best to Visit Colonia?

The end of Spring (October-November) is the best time to go due to warm weather, and the fact the tourist season hasn’t really got going yet.

In tourist season (December-February), which is also Uruguay’s summer, prices generally go up and there are more crowds on the beaches. Also you may have a tougher time finding golf buggies to rent.

Spring generally brings less rainfall than other times of the year. Although in all fairness, Colonia doesn’t experience that much rain regardless. It isn’t like the tropical regions of South America where the weather can be unpredictable.

Personal Thoughts: Would we go Back to Colonia?

I liked Colonia, but to be honest, I’d only consider going back whilst transiting between Buenos Aires and Montevideo (or elsewhere in Uruguay).

The only reason I went a second time is to take my girlfriend to see the city and get a small taste of Uruguay.

It has the appeal of a small retirement spot. But in all honesty, there are better options elsewhere in the world with more to offer.

Despite its positives, this is a “one and done” destination which is best done as a day trip, and doesn’t have much to offer beyond that.

I don’t think I will go back, but I would say you should check it out if you happen to be in Buenos Aires anyway.

A Colonia day trip is still a good investment in my eyes.

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