I'm back!!!!! Had a baby! So now the family is complete! A girl and a little baby boy!
I'm back!!!!! Had a baby! So now the family is complete! A girl and a little baby boy!
Member since:27.06.2001
Reviews:15
Members who trust:19
If you visit Argentina, I think that it worth crossing the Rio de la Plata (River Plate) to visit Uruguay. And colonia is a good option.
It takes an hour or two, depending on the ferry you choose to cross the river. Buquebus is the name of the company that organizes this travels that can also include a lunch in a farm, or in a restaurant inside the old city, or even a night in a hotel. The price for a whole day including the meal and the tour is about 40 pounds, depending on the menu for the lunch (the farm option is more expensive).
Colonia used to be the old capital of the country. The complete name is colonia Del Sacramento, a catholic name for one of the eldest spanish/portuguese colony in South America. How old are we talking about? The portuguese Manoel Lobo founded it in 1680 and then although Portugal and Spain agreed over the cession of Colonia round 1750, the Jesuit missionaries started education the locals in there and by 1777, it was one of the most important ports because of contraband to Buenos Aires, in Argentina.
Some years ago was declared as one of the jewels of humanity. Why? Let me tell you...
if you visit the town you will probably get in there trough the puerta de campo, this is the entrance to the old city.
Once in there the Plaza Mayor 25 de Mayo makes their presence (main park 25 May), if you walk straight from the entrance you'll find a narrow alley called “Calle the los Suspiros” (the sights street) and there are two explanation for the name: 1- it was the place where a lover was killed and the ghost of his girlfriend still waits for him to go back. or... and this seems to be the favourite of everyone in the area... 2- it was the street where the prostitutes used to live and fulfilled their clients with pleasure. Actually, it was confirmed that in there were some "massage" spas!
There are lots of museums inside this fortified city, such as the Portuguese Museum with exhibits of their time, the Municipal Museum, the Museo de los Azulejos (Tiles Museum), the Spanish Museum with their own collection and also the Archivo Regional that contains their little museum where you can see birth certificates of the time signed and stamp buy the Spanish Crown.
There is also a 19th century lighthouse, a 17th century Convent (St Francis), a theatre called Bastion del Carmen, a Viceroy's House and Jesuit Chapel that worth the whole visit to the city. Although I have to confess that, my favourite part is walking along the Calle the las Misiones de los Tapes up to the river... always a great view!
If you go there remember to walk down and back the Calle de los Suspiros is guaranteed to bring to your life your true love!
The old city is open in order to the season or historic events so check properly before going there.
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