One hour by boat from Buenos Aires, and on the opposite side of the Rio de la Plata (plata =silver in Spanish), the historical town of Colonial del Sacramento is located. We are now in Uruguay, but in the colonial past this town belonged both to Portugal and Spain. The city was founded in 1680 by the Governor of Rio de Janeiro and its importance has always been related to its port and the export of valuable goods to Europe and especially the export of silver from the Peruvian Andes. The city has been disputed and passed from Portuguese to Spanish rule and back again, several times but since the independence of Uruguay in 1828, the city has always been under the Uruguayan flag. Due to its history you find a mixture of both typical Portuguese and Spanish architecture and city-planning. Some streets with cobbled stone pavements and houses made of big stones as typical in some areas of Portugal and other streets and houses in a Spanish colonial style. The historical centre of Colonial was declared World Patrimony by UNESCO in 1995 and this is a very cosy area with several highlight such as the lighthouse from 1857, several small museums showcasing the rich colonial history and cafés and restaurants.
Well worth a day tour!
