Coffee and Classic Cars in Colonia

On our way back to Buenos Aires from Punta del Este, we make the natural stop in Colonia del Sacramento, a little town on the coast just an hour or so by ferry from Buenos Aires.

It's my second visit to Colonia after visiting in 2008, but it's well worth the trip as it breaks up the return from Punta and it's a pretty little place to spend an afternoon. (You don't need more than a few hours in Colonia). 

If Punta del Este was like a step back in time, Colonia is even more so. It's the oldest town in Uruguay, so says Wikipedia, and is renowned for its beautiful, quaint, historic quarter. The place is also full of beat-up classic cars and reminds me a lot of Havana, Cuba - a forgotten, dilapidated old town with so much charm.

Classic cars of Colonia

The good thing is the historic quarter is reachable via a 10-minute walk from the ferry port and you can walk pretty much everywhere in the town. We spend the afternoon wandering around the old town, taking in the views of the River Plate and stopping for coffee and ice-cream in a quiet café. 

A rather 'overgrown' automobile...

Finally we settle into a restaurant with a great riverside view. Unfortunately, because of its location, it's very touristy and the food is terrible, but at least we get to spend our last evening in Uruguay watching the sunset over the River Plate before our 21:30 ferry back to the Argentine capital. 

Rio de la Plata at sunset