There are lovely beaches in Uruguay which stretch southeastward from Montevideo. Alongside them are “ramblas,” broad promenades for walking, jogging, cycling and enjoying the scenery. After loading our camper with provisions we headed toward the Uruguayan Riviera.

Our itinerary along the Uruguayan coast

Our first stop was Piriápolis, a small but picturesque beach resort along the coast of Rio de la Plata. We liked it because it was low-key, with no highrises. Although we had sunshine, the wind was cool. And despite the fact that there were young women sporting their Brazilian string bikinis on the beach, no one was in the water. We strolled along Rambla de los Argentinos, then moved on.

View from Rambla de los Argentinos, Piriápolis, Uruguay

Continuing along the coast, we soon reached Punta del Este. This is a narrow peninsula that officially divides Rio de la Plata from the Atlantic Ocean. It is considered to be the premier resort city along the Uruguayan Coast; Lonely Planet describes it as the place “to see and be seen.” Wealthy Argentinians and Brazilians flock to the beaches in summer, then stay up most of the night to party in the clubs here. The beaches are stunning, but the highrises? Let’s just say that if you love Miami Beach or Cancun, you’ll feel right at home in Punta del Este! We found the Tourist Office and inquired about campgrounds. That’s when we began to realize the serious lack of such facilities in this area. We finally found Camping San Rafael just outside the city. In order to reach it we had to pass an enclave of less affluent residents, living in what appeared to be the “favelas” or precariously built shacks that exist on the outskirts of Brazilian cities. Our campground was wonderful though, and we stayed there for a few days to rest and recuperate from our virus. Camping San Rafael is old but well maintained, with a lot of shade trees and space. We met some very interesting people there as well, including a young Argentinian couple who were Ayurvedic vegans (vegetarians who eat no animal products and follow the traditional system of medicine in India). We also spoke to a couple from the Netherlands who were on their way to Tierra del Fuego.

Camping San Rafael, La Barra, Uruguay

When we felt well enough we continued east, as there are many more sights along the coastline. We stopped in La Paloma where we had intended to spend the night. The town seemed rather bland, with most of the restaurants not yet open for the tourist season. The wind was cold and the one campground here looked sketchy and appeared to be closed. Fortunately the roads are good in this region, so after dinner we returned to Camping San Rafael and left the next day for the historic town of Colonia del Sacramento on the southwestern coast. After checking the weather we confirmed that this was the only part of Uruguay where there was no wind or rain!

We arrived in this charming colonial city in the late afternoon and with much difficulty found the one and only campground in a green leafy park, next to the soccer field. Camping Nogales did not have pristine facilities though it was quiet and spacious. Dining “al fresco” was a highlight of our stay there!

Dining “al fresco” at Camping Nogales, Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay

In the morning we left for the historic quarter, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was first a colony of Portugal, then Spain and its narrow cobbled streets are full of visual delights. We parked in the Plaza Mayor del 25 de Mayo and had a delicious salmon lunch. Then we visited many of the sights there including its landmark lighthouse and even bought a ticket which would allow us to visit 8 historical museums. Unfortunately some of them weren’t open that day and all but 2 of the others unexpectedly closed early! Perhaps it was the temperature of 30°C that caused the early closures! We did see the Municipal Museum, an eclectic mix of cultures and artifacts along with some prehistoric skeletons found in the region. We also visited a restored 18th c middle class Portuguese home. There seemed to be an abundance of vintage cars in the historic quarter which further added to its charm.

City Gate, Barrio Histórico, Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay

Diagram of the San Francisco Convent ruins, Barrio Histórico, Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay

Having lunch at a restaurant in Plaza Mayor del 25 de Mayo, Barrio Histórico, Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay

Vintage Citroën, Barrio Histórico, Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay

After we’d had our fill of sightseeing in this unexpected heat, we continued northwest to Carmelo, a laid-back town of cobblestone streets and low-set houses. It is mainly a center for yachting and fishing along the Arroyo de las Vacas, a stream that widens into a sheltered harbor just below the Rio Uruguay’s confluence with Rio de la Plata. Our guidebook recommended Camping Náutico Carmelo, which only brought puzzled expressions from the locals when we asked them where it was. Finally, the Naval Police pointed us in the direction of the Yacht Club. There were sailboats docked here, though no signs of a campground. The friendly staff gave us permission to sleep there and although there was a considerable amount of street noise from motorbikes, we had a fairly pleasant night. In the morning we went for a walk and met Pierre from Toulouse, France. He was about Andre’s age and had lived in Carmelo for the past two years, originally sailing from France by himself to New York, then down to South America. Currently he was making the necessary repairs on his sailboat before deciding what to do next. From there we walked along the arroyo to the beach rambla, then went into town. There was not much to see there except that it was good to see that some attention had been paid to the issue of domestic violence. Not only were there signs warning against it, but we also spotted a battered women’s assistance center. We returned to Colonia del Sacramento and the next morning we took the ferry to Buenos Aires, Argentina, one hour away over the Rio de la Plata.

Along the Arroyo de las Vacas, Carmelo, Uruguay

Along the Arroyo de las Vacas, Carmelo, Uruguay

Domestic Violence Assistance, Carmelo, Uruguay