One good day for two in Punta del Este has a shape: a long lunch inland, an afternoon by the sea and the sun going down at Casapueblo. The stops below follow that order. Lunch at the winery Bodega Garzón sits on Camino Arco del Sol in Garzón, around an hour from the peninsula. The chef Francis Mallmann is the winery’s ambassador and culinary director. The first seating is at 12:30, and tables are reserved a day ahead.

Punta del Este rewards walkers more than it rewards tour buses. These four routes are self-guided, and the first two start within a short stroll of each other. Route one: the port to the Faro Start where the boats tie up. Wild sea lions often rest near the fish-cleaning area at the port, so pause and watch from a distance, without feeding them. Continue to the Faro, the lighthouse, then follow the Rambla along the water.

Children can have an easy, happy trip here if the choices go the right way. This list sets out what to do and what to skip. Do: swim at Playa Mansa Playa Mansa, the bay beach opposite Isla Gorriti, has shallow, sheltered water. It is the standard family choice, calm enough for paddling and for building sandcastles. Skip: swimming at Playa Brava Brava faces the open Atlantic, with waves and rip currents (corrientes de resaca).

Three days cover the essentials of Punta del Este, and two more let you slow down or add a boat trip. The plan below keeps each day on one side of the coast. Reaching Punta del Este Carrasco International Airport (MVD), at Montevideo, is the year-round gateway, about 130 km west of the resort. Seasonal flights use Laguna del Sauce (PDP). Coaches of COT and Copsa leave Montevideo’s Tres Cruces terminal for the Punta del Este terminal every 20 to 60 minutes and take roughly 2 hours 15 minutes; see cot.

The headline sights around Punta del Este are easiest to plan from a table of costs and opening times. The notes under it add what each place is like. At a glance Sight Entry Opening Casapueblo, Punta Ballena UYU 600; UYU 500 for residents and over-65s; under-12s free Daily, 10:00 until sunset MACA, Manantiales Free Wednesday to Monday, 10:00 to 18:00 Museo Ralli, Beverly Hills Free Varies by month, see below La Mano, Playa Brava Free Always accessible Casapueblo Casapueblo is the creation of the artist Carlos Páez Vilaró, who began it in 1958 at Punta Ballena, about 13 km from the peninsula.

This page puts the details that shape a day first, then walks through the activities themselves. Quick facts Location: the southern tip of Maldonado Department, roughly 130 km east of Montevideo. Currency: Uruguayan pesos (UYU). Peak months: December to February, busiest in the first half of January. Gateway: Carrasco International Airport (MVD) in Montevideo, then a coach or a car. The Montevideo guide covers the capital. Swim safety before you choose a beach The peninsula divides two kinds of water.

Every day trip from the peninsula heads west along the coast, east over the La Barra bridge, or inland toward Garzón. This page sorts the options by direction so you can see which stops combine. West: Punta Ballena Casapueblo is the destination, about 13 km from the peninsula. Carlos Páez Vilaró began the building in 1958, and today it contains a museum, a gallery, a cafe and a hotel. Doors are open daily from 10:00 until sunset.

Organised attractions near Punta del Este come down to a short list. There is no wide field of guided city tours, and most of the sights are free or have their own ticket. What follows is the full list of outings you can book or buy a ticket for. The list at a glance Outing Where it goes Good to know Isla de Lobos boat 8 km southeast of the peninsula Viewing from the water only Isla Gorriti boat About 2.