Five places to walk around in Punta Del Este this summer season 2015.
Summer Season 2015 is on its highest peak with surprising new places to discover in every corner of Punta Del Este.
Punta Del Este
is in fact a walk in itself. It is a garden city with beautiful houses and neat gardens with plants brought from all over the world to be seen, wide avenues and boulevards and a unique architecture hard to find in other South American cities.
January is the time of the year when most tourists visit the coastline of Maldonado and multiple offers for tourists can be found everywhere. Whenever there is some rain, there are many places and amazing sites for tourists to stroll along when they want to take a break from the beach. If planning to go somewhere, we suggest some interesting sightseeing rides or walks.
Peninsula
Endless activities take place in the heart of the Peninsula of Punta Del Este, from walking along the traditional Gorlero Avenue, a commercial center that is part of the history of the Peninsula, visiting the different art galleries, craft fairs or just take a break at the typical cafes to watch the movement and sights.
Another option is to walk along the colorful marina and enjoy the morning activities at the roundabout of the Peninsula stopping at the port of Punta Del Este to watch the fishermen arriving with the daily catch or the sea lions swimming in between the piers, while seeing the magnificent views of Gorriti and Lobos islands.
A stroll in the quiet oldest part of Punta Del Este where no high buildings are allowed stop by the light house, the Candelaria’s church, the school and the old traditional summer homes facing the 4 corners of Ocean front. This enchanted area has remained frozen in time and has a lot to discover.
Garden City
The parks have become one of the major attractions of the resort area. The Mancebo Park, located on the way to Laguna Del Diario and minutes from Punta Del Este has thatched roof barbecues in a setting of lush vegetation inviting visitors to spend the evening under the trees and venture into the woods and clean streams. The Indigenous Park, located in Aparicio Saravia near the Barra de Maldonado, is a native forest reserve and now includes bird watching treks on the protected wetlands of the Maldonado River. The walk to the Aguada, located on Rambla William C. on the 23rd stop, once the scene of sailors who came to our shores to fetch fresh water, has now become a wonderful walk along a stream full of ancient trees and sounds of birds. The Lussich Arboretum, located in Punta Ballena is the extraordinary result of early last century´s forestation by the visionary Antonio Lussich having transformed Punta Ballena into a unique spectacle of nature and considered the seventh forest reserve in the world and the largest in South America.
Punta Ballena
Looking at Punta Ballena from the distance it is possible to understand its name. The hill on which it is located has a similar body of a sleeping whale. Punta Ballena, though on the other far end of Punta, is nowadays a close part of Punta Del Este’s urban development and a key tourist attraction as it is one of the most unique and beautiful places of the Uruguayan coast. The incomparable view of the Bay of Maldonado and Portezuelo that can be seen from the Panoramic Route above the cliff and hills turns it in one of the few places in the world to enjoy a slow and magical sunset. Its cliffs give a Mediterranean feel to the place and the mystical Casa Pueblo lies on the west side near a small natural harbor and clubs. Sailboats and yachts offer a unique view. Further from the cliff lie the beaches of Portezuelo and Solanas with calm waters and its large sandy beaches.
Maldonado
Maldonado is a picturesque town that keeps the features of the colonial era with historic museums, cultural centers, libraries and institutions of public and private education. It is the residence of many of the people working in the area of Punta Del Este and its surroundings. It has a great potential as a commercial center, which fits the needs of the steady population of the region and tourists who visit. The promenade of Florida Street has plenty of convenient stores and cafés and health stores. The Cathedral in the main plaza offers concerts during the high season and several craft fairs are also being held during this time.
La Barra
Located a few kilometers to the east from Punta Del Este, La Barra has become a favorite destination for tourists of all ages. La Barra has its own style with its colorful houses, antique shops and flea markets. The seascape to the beautiful beaches like Montoya, Bikini, Manantiales, El Chorro and Punta Piedras takes place and the after beach time at six has a cheerful dynamic with visitors chilling out and waiting for the sunset. More than 50 innovative art galleries light up after this creating a movement of cultural intake and diversity. La Barra is called the town that never sleeps, youngsters fill the streets after midnight in search for fun in the pubs and discos nearby.
Mary Ann Thompson