DAY 1 • Buenos Aires, Argentina – Colonia Del Sacramento, Uruguay
Travel across the famed Rio de la Plata by ferry from Buenos Aires and step foot into Uruguay. Meet up with your guide at the pier to begin your guided exploration of Colonia, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Walk along the cobbled streets and discover the town’s colonial past and Uruguayan culture. Enjoy a maté tasting, the national drink of Uruguay, and learn how to drink like the locals.
- B – Charco Hotel
DAY 2 • Colonia Del Sacramento
Roam the gorgeous countryside today and visit local farmers and growers to learn more about the country’s agricultural identity and the famous Uruguayan tannat wine. Sample wines and olive oils at Bodega el Quinton before continuing to La Vigna Cheese Farm to discover some of their delicious local and organic cheese varieties, led by their “Cheese Architect.”
- B, wine tastings – Charco Hotel
DAY 3 • Colonia Del Sacramento – Carmelo
This morning you’ll visit La Calera de las Huerfanas National Monument, where Jesuits, slaves, and indigenous people would gather in the past to meet, and which later became the home of wine production in Uruguay. Then travel to Puerto Camacho where you will sail along the Rio de la Plata during sunset, cruising through the islands of the Delta while your guide explains more about the river and its history. Finish the night with a glass of wine at Finca Narbona, a five-bedroom lodge, farm, and winery nestled amongst rolling vineyards that is home to one of the best restaurants in Uruguay.
- B – Finca Narbona
DAY 4 • Carmelo
Today, visit wineries in the beautiful Carmelo region and meet the families that have run them for decades. First, discover Bodega El Legado, a family-owned winery using unique Uruguayan techniques. Learn from the owners themselves about their time-honed traditions through an exploration of their vineyard and cellar, followed by a sampling of their wines. Then, you could return to Finca Narbona, spending the afternoon bicycling through the vineyards or simply lounging by the pool, soaking in the beauty surrounding your lodge. Or, optionally, travel onward to Bodega Cordano, a 5th generation, family-run winery. Enjoy tastings and a delicious homemade lunch made according to the season and climate, along with a visit to their vintage grocery store, which has been selling their wines and products since 1855. Enjoy the sunset over the countryside at your accommodations this evening.
- B, wine tastings and L – Finca Narbona
DAY 5 • Carmelo – Montevideo
After a relaxing morning, travel roughly three hours east to the bustling capital of Uruguay, Montevideo. Explore Old City Montevideo by seeing the impressive Independence Square, Palacio Salvo, and mausoleum of Jose Artigas, the Uruguayan national hero. Stroll down the pedestrian walking street Sarandi where you can watch the local Montevideoans go about their day, and later experience the Mercado Agricola by shopping and eating your way through the century-old historic building. Afterwards, visit two museums focusing on modern Uruguayan art; including The Gurvich Museum, focusing on the titular Jewish-Uruguyan artist, and a museum for the Cubist, Picasso-esque artwork of Joaquín Torres Garcia.
DAY 6 • Montevideo
Today you’ll explore the New City of Montevideo, with wide, tree-lined streets dotted with sculptures, marbled government buildings, parks, and beautiful mansions. You’ll also visit Lobo Nuñez’s studio, an Afro-Uruguayan drum maker and percussionist considered a legend in the Uruguayan Candombe music scene. Learn about this uniquely Uruguayan music scene by listening to one of its masters at work. Later in the afternoon you’ll visit a local winemaker, Manuel Filgueira, where you will try his special varieties and enjoy dinner with him and his family while discovering the secrets of Uruguayan winemaking.
- B, D – Alma Histórica Boutique Hotel
DAY 7 • Montevideo – Jose Ignacio
Transfer two hours east to Jose Ignacio, stopping in at Olivos de la Animas along the way to learn about olive oil production in Uruguay. Afterwards, enjoy an olive oil sampling and local homemade lunch made by one of the owners, Martin. Continue onward to the bohemian beach town of Jose Ignacio, located on a small peninsula sticking into the Atlantic, filled with local shops and restaurants. Optionally, you could also visit Bodega Altos de la Ballena today, a family-run winery on top of the rocky outcrop of Punta Ballena. Meet the family and learn about the Atlantic climate’s effect on their products before retiring to your beachside hotel near Jose Ignacio.
- B – Hotel Anastasio
DAY 8 • Jose Ignacio
Travel through the vibrant town of Punta del Este today, crossing the famous undulating bridge heading towards Brava Beach. Discover the yacht port, bustling Juan Gorlero Avenue, and the bizarre but fascinating Casapueblo. Continue onward to the Atchugarry Foundation and Sculpture Park, which features dozens of works set on 100 acres of land that include a natural amphitheater and a beautiful series of trails. Later, partake in an evening cooking class with a professional local chef, learning some fantastic recipes and techniques to bring home with you.
- B, D – Hotel Anastasio
DAY 9 • Jose Ignacio
Meet your guide this morning and visit the sleepy country town of Garzon, known as the Uruguayan Tuscany, where you can visit the main square and local chapel. Afterwards, head to Garzon Winery, built overlooking the rolling hills of rural Uruguay, where you’ll get amazing views of the countryside and enjoy delicious Uruguayan wine and lunch. Afterwards, return to your accommodations where you can spend the rest of the day soaking in the Atlantic surf at your hotel, relaxing at the beach, shopping at the local boutiques, and enjoying a glass of tannat as the sun sets.
- B, L – Hotel Anastasio
DAY 10 • Jose Ignacio – Onward
After breakfast, you’ll be transferred roughly two hours west to the Montevideo airport for your flight onwards out of Uruguay.
- B
