Tourists who visit the town of Colonia de Sacramento usually end up there after visiting Buenos Aires. Colonia is only fifty minutes away by ferry. People travel to Colonia to get away from the hustle and bustle from the bigger city. Once tourists cross over to the town of Colonia they find it hard to leave. The small town may not be a major hub like Buenos Aires, but it has its wonderful attributes that bring a lasting memory to all travelers who visit it. As in Haiti there are some places you really must have visited before you leave again. What people love most about Colonia are the historical landmarks and historical buildings that have been around for centuries. Colonia also has some of the best weather all year round. The oldest structures in Colonia are a gate, a drawbridge, two churches and a lighthouse. The first introduction to Colonia is the gate called Door of the Citadel. The gate and the drawbridge serve as the gateway into another time and era. Also, named Porton de Campo, the gate and the drawbridge were built as a fortress that protects the town from the outside world. The drawbridge was named the Puerta de la Ciudadela, and once it is crossed, travelers will find original cobble streets that have stayed the same over four centuries. The Barrio Historico is the oldest part of the city where there are many relics to show that the passage of time has no bearing when it comes to this place.
The Basilica of the Holy Sacrament, also called Basilica del Sanctisimo Sacramento, is a church that was built in 1808. The Portuguese built the church from stones. As travelers walk along the cobbled streets they will come upon a museum that holds many treasures, such as Portuguese maps of naval excursions, old furnishings that the Portuguese once used, old Portuguese uniforms, and jewelry. The museum was built during the 18th century. The next point of curiosity is the Convento de San Francisco. It is an old ruin that was once a convent built in the 17th century. Travelers will also find a breathtaking lighthouse right near to the convent. The lighthouse is located in Punta de San Pedro and it is called The El Faro. It looks just as majestic as it sounds. It was built from the stones that were used for the Convento de San Francisco. When travelers climb up to the atop the lighthouse they will see many wonders below, such as an actual artists who sit around all day drawing pictures of the lighthouse using charcoal, and then selling it to the visitors of the historical place.
The oldest house in Colonia is the Casa de Nacarello, which was built in the 18th century. The next point of curiosity is another museum called the Casa del Almirante Brown, which was reconstructed in 1835 after the Spanish took over. It is a municipal museum that holds documents and artifacts of the many cultures throughout history that Colonia has experienced. Next to the museum are two historical streets named De las Misiones de los Tapes and Del Comercio, which is the location of a called The Viceroy House which carries a wall built out of arch stones. The oldest church in Colonia and Uruguay was built in 1695 called the Iglesia Matriz. The origins of the Iglesia Matriz started out as a ranch for poor farmers. It has been reconstructed several times due to the many battles fought during the Spanish and Portuguese war. It is the only church that still has all of the original furnishings during the 16th century.
Other sightseeing tours through Colonia are the Yacht ports on the bay and the different beaches, which are called El Alamo, Real de San Carlos, Oreja de Negro. There is also the Colonia National Park called National Anchorena Park and the De La Plata River which draws thousands of tourists a year.