Punta del Este

Cruise ships anchor here, taking guests ashore by ship's tenders. Reaching street level from the pier involves a flight of steps. The town centre is about a 10-block walk from the pier area, and taxis may be available in limited numbers.

A printable map is available to take with you.

Punte del Este is best described as modern, clean and French Riviera.

Known for international conferences and film festivals, Punta del Este is one of South America's finest beach resorts. Wealthy Uruguayans, Argentines and Brazilians have built spectacular mansions along its magnificent coastline. Celebrities and jet-setters from around the world come for the beaches, fresh air and nightlife. This fashionable resort is a popular weekend getaway for many Montevideo residents. Its alternating skyline of high-rise towers and million-dollar mansions supports a sophisticated culture and a swinging social scene. During the day locals and visitors…

Famous beaches include "La playa de los Dedos" (The finger beach"), near Punta del Este's main street and a surf spot, where a giant hand emerges from the sand. In La Barra, Bikini Beach is famous for the models and famous people who go there.

This peninsula's perimeter is easily covered on foot.

Along the tree-lined coast in San Rafael District, you can see numerous posh estates. Barra de Maldonado is a quaint village with an unusual hanging bridge, brightly coloured colonial buildings and antique shops.

For Casa-Pueblo, ask at Punta del Este bus terminal for a bus to Punta Ballena and tell the driver you are getting out at this destination. Casa-Pueblo is a beautiful resort-museum near Punta del Este, created by Uruguayan artist Paez-Vilaró in a kind of mediterranean surrealistic architecture that makes the whole place look like a giant sculpture. He is the father of one survivor of the infamous plane crash on the Andes.

A 10-minute walk from the pier, Gorlero Avenue is the main shopping area, with shops for leather goods, semi-precious jewelry featuring agates and amethysts, and knitwear. Store hours are 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The new Punta Shopping Mall opens daily from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Uruguay's currency is the peso. Prices often use the U$ symbol, which can easily be confused with the US$ (US dollar) symbol. 1 U$ (peso) = US$ 0.050 (five cents); 1 U$ (peso) = Euro 0,033 (three cents).

European or US credit cards may be rejected by ATMs. The cards most commonly used are American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa.

Spanish is spoken throughout; outside Montevideo and Punta del Este, few people speak English.

Shopping trades Mon-Fri 0900-1200 and 1400-1900, and Sat 0900-1230.