Day Trips from Punta del Este
Every good day trip from Punta del Este runs along the Maldonado coast or just inland, and none needs more than a few hours on the road. Pick one or two stops per day, because several of these places are slow to enjoy: the sunset at Casapueblo, a long lunch at the winery, an afternoon on a beach.
Casapueblo and Punta Ballena
Punta Ballena is about 13 km west of the peninsula. Casapueblo, built by the artist Carlos Páez Vilaró from 1958, holds a museum, a gallery, a cafe and a hotel. It is open every day from 10:00 until sunset. Admission is UYU 600, UYU 500 for residents and visitors over 65, and free under 12. The sunset ceremony runs every evening, with a recording of the artist’s poem, and the site advises arriving at least 40 minutes early. See the Casapueblo site for current details.
La Barra and Manantiales
East of the peninsula, the wavy La Barra bridge (Puente Leonel Viera, built 1963 to 1965) crosses the Arroyo Maldonado. Past it are La Barra and Manantiales. MACA, the Atchugarry museum of contemporary art, is on Ruta 104 at km 4.5 in Manantiales. It opened on 8 January 2022, is free, and is open Wednesday to Monday, 10:00 to 18:00; it is closed Tuesdays and on 1 May. Details are on the MACA visits page .
José Ignacio
José Ignacio is a fishing village turned resort, east of La Barra. It has a lighthouse, beaches and restaurants such as La Huella. Opening seasons vary, so check before you go, especially outside December to February.
Garzón and Bodega Garzón
The Laguna Garzón bridge, designed by Rafael Viñoly and opened on 22 December 2015, is circular, links Maldonado and Rocha, and is built to slow traffic. Garzón village and Bodega Garzón lie inland. The winery is on Camino Arco del Sol; allow about an hour’s drive from the peninsula. Lunch menus are UYU 3,900 for the Garzón menu and UYU 5,000 per person for the Fire menu, with seatings from 12:30 and booking 24 hours ahead. See the winery restaurant page .
How to get around
A rental car gives the most freedom on this route. Taxis work for single stops. If you arrive by coach from Montevideo, COT and Copsa run to the Punta del Este terminal, about every 20 to 60 minutes, in roughly 2 hours 15 minutes.
Trips that are too far
Colonia del Sacramento, Santa Teresa, Punta del Diablo and Cabo Polonio sit in other departments, far to the east or west. They are separate trips with their own overnight stays, not day trips from here.
Read more: Multi-day trips and Sightseeing . Compare day tours on Viator .