Punta del Este is often described as the “Miami of Uruguay”. It’s sleek. It’s modern. It’s expensive. And it’s a popular vacation destination — and not just for Uruguayans. Located right along the coast and just two hours from Montevideo, Punta del Este can be a great place to spend a day (or even longer).
During my trip to Uruguay, I spent a lot of time debating about whether or not to include Punta del Este. In the end, I took a day trip to Punta del Este from Montevideo. Here’s what that is like.
A Day Trip to Punta del Este
When I visited Punta del Este, it was as a day trip from Montevideo. In addition, I booked a guided tour, simply for the convenience. Later on, I’ll give some advice for those who want the freedom to do the trip themselves and not go with a large group.
Pick Up Around Montevideo
Like with any guided tour, the first step is actually meeting your group. When I book tours, one of the things I look at is pick ups. If possible, I’ll choose a tour that only offers one or two (maybe three at most) pick up locations. I just find it speeds things up dramatically if we’re not driving all over the city to pick up from all of the different hotels.
When I booked my day trip to Punta del Este, I couldn’t find this option and the tour company I booked with picked up at 36 hotels across Montevideo. To make matters even worse, my hotel was not on the list (though there was a hotel that was less than a five minute walk away on my list).
Pick up isn’t bad, but if you’re staying in Ciudad Vieja (or Montevideo’s Old City), you’ll be picked up first and will spend the next 30 to 60 minutes driving around Montevideo for pick up. In my case, it was about 40 minutes from when I got picked up in Plaza de Independencia to when we picked up our last passengers.
Then, we were finally able to get on the highway and get this day trip to Punta del Este started.
A Brief Stop at Piriapolis
My main motivation for booking a guided tour, rather than just taking the bus to Punta del Este myself, was because we’d be able to make some stops along the way. These stops are not long, but it’s nice to get out of the bus for just a little bit. Plus, I got a chance to see something I wouldn’t have been able to otherwise.
The first of these two stops was an overlook of Piriapolis. This city was founded by Francisco Piria who bought much of the land that eventually became the city of Piriapolis (yes, the city is named after the man). At one point, Piriapolis was home to the largest hotel in South America, helping to make this a vacation city. However, nearby cities like Punta del Este are now more popular.
Our stop in Piriapolis wasn’t long, lasting only about 20 minutes. It was enough time for everyone to get a picture of that beautiful view overlooking the city.
Casapueblo
Just down the road from Piriapolis is Casapueblo, which is considered one of the top sights of Uruguay. Again, this tour makes visiting Casapueblo so much easier. That’s not to say that you couldn’t visit Casapueblo on your own, but rather you’d either need your own car or you’d need to take an expensive taxi from Punta del Este. The tour just makes it easier.
So what is Casapubelo? It’s a building and art museum that was constructed by Uruguayan artist Carlos Páez Vilaró. It’s a whitewashed building with incredibly unique designs. The best I could compare it to is the curvy, modernista architecture that you’d find in Barcelona. I don’t think it’s that outlandish of a comparison considering he took inspiration from the whitewashed buildings of Santorini and studied art in Spain.
Entrance to Casapueblo costs $15 USD and can be prepurchased online. It’s a nice stop, and one of the most popular buildings in Uruguay, but I felt that the entrance fee was a bit steep for what you get.
A Driving Tour of Punta del Este
When we reached Punta del Este, we were given a driving tour of the city. At first I was worried that this was going to be our only time spent in Punta del Este (aside from lunch) and if that was the case, I would have been incredibly disappointed. Thankfully we did get time in Punta del Este, but it wasn’t a lot.
There was a benefit from this mini driving tour though in that we got to see the highlights of the city. Our guide pointed out the unique features and I was able to make mental notes of where I wanted to prioritize my time when we did get our free time. The driving tour is short but it helps to put the city into context.
Time in Punta del Este
In total, we had about three hours in Punta del Este, which is just barely enough time to see the highlights of the city. Even then, you’ll have to move pretty quickly.
When we got dropped off, it was at a restaurant that was recommended. I think most of my tour group ate there, but I moved on. I’m sure it was a fine restaurant, but I had a lot I wanted to see and not a lot of time to do it. Going to a restaurant at the exact same time as 30+ other people didn’t instill confidence that I’d be able to have a quick meal. So I went and did a little sightseeing and found an emptier restaurant where I could get served faster. After lunch, I had just enough time to squeeze in my last few sights.
So what do you see in Punta del Este? Here’s my top picks if you’re short on time.
Punta del Este Yacht Club – Sure you can walk along the piers to see the yachts, but the real reason to visit Punta del Este’s yacht club is to look for the sea lions. You’ll want to enter the club (it’s free to do so) and walk down the piers where you’re almost certain to see the sea lions looking for scraps of food and hanging out.
Ajax Anchor – At the edge of the water, you can find the original anchor from a World War II ship that was retrieved in Uruguay. It marks Uruguay’s only participation in the war and the only bit of war that took place in South America. So photograph the anchor, but I think what’s more fascinating is what is happening in the water. This is the point where the Rio de la Plata and Atlantic Ocean meet and you can see the difference. On one side of the peninsula, you have calm waters (from the river) while the other side (the Atlantic Ocean) is more rough.
Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria – This small blue church is cute and worthy of a stop. The hours are short and if you’re here on a day trip, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to go in, but it’s still worth a stop nonetheless. Honestly, it reminded me of the Blue Church in Bratislava, Slovakia, another small, blue church with limited hours and is mostly just a cute photo stop.
La Mano de Punta del Este – This sculpture is the furthest away from all of the rest of the sites, so if you have to cut anything, I’d cut this and focus on the historic area of Punta del Este (since it’s more picturesque). This sculpture is the winning sculpture from a 1982 contest. It symbolizes man’s relationship with nature and is a popular symbol of the city.
The Four Points – From this point in the road, you can see water in all four cardinal directions. Honestly, this is the least important stop, but if you’re heading to the Blue Church or the Anchor, you’ll pass by this anyway, so stop and snap a photo.
And of course throughout all of that sightseeing, don’t forget to make a stop and get some lunch. It’s a long day and you’ll want to eat at some point. If you still manage to have time (which is unlikely), find a spot and enjoy the beach.
Back to Montevideo
Once you meet your group again, it’s back on the bus for a two hour drive back to Montevideo. You’ll be dropped off at your hotel and your day trip is over.
Should You Take a Day Trip to Punta del Este?
I have mixed feelings about my Punta del Este day trip. On the one hand, I’m glad I did it. There’s very few travel experiences that I regret. Instead, I choose to look at everything through the lens of “I no longer have to think about whether I should have done it”. That said, I will say that Punta del Este isn’t my favorite place in Uruguay.
It was good for a day, but in general, I just don’t think Punta del Este is my kind of city. Throughout Uruguay, I’ve enjoyed more of the smaller beach towns and Punta del Este just feels very built up. So while it’s not my top city, there are plenty of people who do love it. I think it really comes down to the traveler.
If you like bigger, touristy cities, Punta del Este is right for you. For those who like smaller towns, Punta del Este is nice for a few hours, but not much more than that. There are so many other places in Uruguay that you’ll probably like more. I liked both Punta del Diablo and Cabo Polonio as beach destinations more than Punta del Este.
Can You Do a Day Trip to Punta del Este On Your Own?
Technically yes, but it will look different than this. Most notably, if you do a day trip on your own, you’ll skip the viewpoint at Piriapolis. You’ll also either have to skip Casapueblo or need to use an expensive taxi to get from Punta del Este to Punta Ballena (the actual city where Casapueblo is located).
Buses run frequently between Montevideo and Punta del Este, so it shouldn’t be hard to find a series of buses that works in your travel schedule.
Final Thoughts
Punta del Este is a popular beach destination that’s only gaining in popularity as time goes on. It’s modern, but has a few areas that retain a more classic charm. It is possible to take a day trip to Punta del Este, but if you have the time, I’d recommend spending the night so you don’t feel as rushed.
Continue Your Adventure
More in Uruguay: Start with the capital city of Montevideo, but don’t skip the historical town of Colonia del Sacramento. For beach towns, I loved Punta del Diablo (with nearby Santa Teresa National Park) or the off-grid Cabo Polonio.
