Things to do & places to visit in Maldonado Department, Uruguay

Maldonado Department #2 destination in Uruguay 2023. The average rating score is 4.29 based on 49.4k traveler reviews, of 119 attractions. Timezone: America/Montevideo, current date and time: Saturday, May 11, 2024, 9:14.

Top things to do (21)

Top places to visit (30 attractions) view more »

4.5 Museo – Taller de Casapueblo (10.5k reviews) from $15.00
- Best location to enjoy architecture & art
Saturday: 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours Architectural Buildings • Art Museums

Once the home of celebrated Uruguayan artist Carlos Paez Vilaro, this eye-catching seaside Mediterranean-style structure is today a modern art museum. See more..
4.5 Puerto de Punta del Este (5.131 reviews)
- Loved the Sea Lions
Points of Interest & Landmarks

This city is and was a beach resort in Uruguay. It is a beautiful and modern city with a nice small port. It is a tender port for cruise ships but has a lot of nice yachts. And this is a nice, safe place to stroll. Enjoy it. See more..
4.5 Playa Mansa (3.179 reviews)
- Great beach in Punta del Este
Saturday: 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM Beaches

The beach attracts all the tourists. They even have a little "wave" bridge which everyone seems to love. The bridge is called La Barra Bridge or Maldonado bridge. It is built over the Arroyo Maldonado stream, but it is built as a wave. It feels like a roller coaster when you cross it because you are going up and down when all you need to do is go across. It’s called a stressed ribbon bridge because the support cables are embedded in the concrete. It’s a work of art and functional at the same time. The "hand" is on the beach is quite famous and it attracts plenty of tourists as well. See more..
4.5 Cerro San Antonio (1.294 reviews)
- if you see it once, you wan to come back
Spent < 1 hour Points of Interest & Landmarks

Ascend this hill on foot or cable car for a great view and an up-close look at the terracotta statue of San Antonio at the top. See more..
4.5 Museo Del Mar (1.075 reviews)
- Odd & VERY Interesting Museums!!!
Speciality Museums

4 Museos in 1 ! MUSEUM OF THE SEA, HISTORY OF BEACH RESORTS, MUSEUM COLLECTIBLES, INSECTARIUM Over 5000 specimens you never imagined you would see. History of Punta del Este, hundreds of photos. Pirates and buccaneers room. Collectibles: vintage articles. All this in a permanent exhibition in the year. See more..
4.5 Mirador Punta Ballena (959 reviews)
- Great views
Lookouts

We spent a very nice time enjoying the views. Also some nice street handicrafts vendors. Close to Casa Pueblo. A must see!! See more..
4.5 Puente Leonel Viera (875 reviews)
- Very unusual bridge.
Spent < 1 hour Bridges

This is a very unusual bridge. I've never seen one like this. Be very careful with your speed, if entering very fast you could take off. See more..
4.5 Ralli Museum Punta del Este (801 reviews)
- A Great Experience of a Museum Offering Something Different
Saturday: 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Art Museums

The Ralli Museums is focused on drawing attention to the works of living Latin-American Artists. Additionally, it exhibits works by European 15th through 18th. Century artists, post-impressionism collections as well as paintings and sculptures representing other artistic trends. As a non-profit, private institution we do not accept donations or subsidies fromo either public or private sources. Nor do we engage in any kind of commercial activity; consequently, no dining facilities or museums shops are available in our premises. We hope you will enjoy this proposal as muchs as we have enjoyed preparing it for you. See more..
4.5 Fundacion Pablo Atchugarry (585 reviews)
- Sculptures for your soul and your child inside
Saturday: 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Points of Interest & Landmarks

Beautiful park with sculptures by the uruguayan artist Pablo atchugarry and other international artists. It also has a building with rotative exhibitions and two stages where free events are held. See more..
4.5 Playa de Jose Ignacio (538 reviews)
- Really beautiful spot near Punta del Este!
Beaches

We had the pleasure of being shown around Jose Ignacio by one of our friends who is a local! The lighthouse was really cool, and it gave us a really beautiful view of the beach. It cost us about $30 pesos/person if I am remembering correctly. If you’re planning a trip to Punta del Este, make sure to add this spot to your itinerary! It’s definitely more relaxing and less crowded than Punta. See more..
4.5 Pan De Azucar (483 reviews)
- Nice climb, amazing view
Spent 1-2 hours Mountains

When you see the Cerro from the road it looks quite small. During the walk/climb it looks quite big. I went with my girlfriend and my mother and it took us about 1 hour to climb it and another hour to get back to the base. There are rocks along most of the way, but it's not complicated and there's no need of any kind of equipment. The view from the top is amazing and there is a cross about 30 meters tall in the top of the mountain which you can climb to get even higher (it's nice to go since you are already up there, but the view is basically the same). See more..
4.5 Isla de Lobos (469 reviews)
- The tallest lighthouse in South America
Saturday: 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours Islands

It's the 3rd tallest in the world. Built in 1858, it is 194-feet high, and home to over 200,000 sea lions. It is the second largest colony of sea lions in the world. We could barely make out the sea lions from the playa, but we could hear them! The lighthouse is very visible. We didn’t have a chance to go out to the lighthouse on a tour boat, but our guide said there are tours that will take you there. See more..
4.5 Casapueblo (383 reviews)
- An art museum inside and a work of art outside
Architectural Buildings

It is an art museum with the exterior almost as intriguing as the collections inside. The artist is Carlos Paez Vilaro. It looks like Santorini on steroids. He was somewhat inspired by Gaudi on the exterior and Picasso on his interior art. He wasn’t an architect, but he definitely did not want to see a lot of straight lines or corners. His inspiration was supposedly brick bread ovens. The museum is all curves and spires. His art is for sale and we purchased something to remember the beauty of the place. This place will be crowded and tour buses will be everywhere. It's still worth it. See more..
4.5 Arboretum Lussich (343 reviews)
- 200 exotic species and 80 native species in Uruguay’s main botanical resort
Nature & Wildlife Areas

Arboretum Lussich was created by my great-grandfather’s brother Antonio Lussich in the early 20th century. The museum is his former house and all the history of how this piece of paradise came to be is shown inside. Lose yourself along the forest and enjoy views of the sea from the “glorieta” 350m walk from the main house. A must for young and old alike. See more..
4.5 Isla Gorriti (326 reviews)
- Nice view of Punta del Este from the Island. Very good beaches and walk and a bit of history.
Saturday: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM Islands

The ticket on Jan 2020 is Uruguayan Pesos 350 (about 9.5 USD). We brought food, beverages for a picnic on the beach under the shade of a tree. The views from the island are very nice. There are lots of trees and some trails between them which are nice too. We went to two beaches and finally chose the one protected from the wind. There is a British cemetery and a few very old cannon batteries built by the Spanish to defend the bay. See more..
4.5 Colinas de Garzón (295 reviews)
- Beautiful and informative experience, Certainly a must go-to in Uruguay!
Saturday: 11:30 AM - 6:00 PM Factory Tours

Incredible Experience! Great staff, they explained every step of the process very clearly and in detail. We came out as olive specialists haha. We didn't know they had this big scale level of production in Uruguay! The biodiversity was beautiful, we took pictures of some wild baby "capynchos" that live in the surroundings. One of the most beautiful landscapes in Uruguay for sure! A must for every traveler visiting Punta del Este See more..
4.5 Rambla de Piriapolis (295 reviews)
- Surprise
Piers & Boardwalks

Rambla very clean, nice beach, good restaurants, many souvenirs shops, pacific life and an old and historic hotel casino , big and nice arquitectura, even a little bad conservation See more..
4.5 Rambla General Jose Artigas (283 reviews)
- Rambla in Punta del Este - your every day gym
Spent 1-2 hours Piers & Boardwalks

Rambla in the city is the ideal place for moving, walking with friends, dating for couples, going out for a walk with your pups. The best is to go early morning when it's not so hot and crowded, but it has different atmosphere every time of the day. In the end you'll end up watching waves crashing on the rocks. See more..
4.5 Viña Edén (282 reviews)
- Beautiful venue...
Saturday: 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours Wineries & Vineyards

At Vina Eden we use the latest technology to make natural wines. Visitors are welcome to take guided tours to the vineyard (on electric offroad vehicles or segways) and winery, enjoy wine and tapas tastings at our lounge, lunch and a sunset menu at our restaurant and outside grill and wood oven area. See more..
4.5 Playa Punta Colorada (238 reviews)
- My favorite beach in Uruguay !
Beaches

This beach is an excellent summer destination. Nestled between the actual points of Punta Colorada and Punta Negra, this beach is my absolute favorite. There are life-guards at the beach in the summer, and there is an impressive range of very interesting places to rent for the entire family. See more..
4.5 Bodega Garzon (233 reviews)
- A great experience in a rare beautiful blend of Nature, olives, vineyards and exquisite food.
Saturday: 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM Wineries & Vineyards

An incredible experience. The place is a unique enclave of Nature, a fantastically design set of buildings that blend into the landscape, a combination of hills, olives and vineyards that extend to the very horizon. The experience at the restaurant was nothing short of awesome, the quality of the food, its presentation and the service. Outstanding. It is in the high end of price but the experience is definitely worth it. I recommend it 100%. See more..
4.5 Playa Solanas (218 reviews)
- sand dunes and water galore
Spent < 1 hour Beaches

Beaches in Uruguay are amazing but this one in Solanas is a favorite for me . Fine sand, mild waves, light winds, fantastic sunsets, long long walks, clear blue skies, warm or hot sun depending on time of year. Great family location but also intriguing being next to an international nudist beach which you can choose to acess or not.. See more..
4.5 Playa Hermosa (215 reviews)
- Hermosa for a reason
Beaches

Playa Hermosa (Beautiful Beach) is a lovely long and wide Beach that is close to the city of Pirapolis. Not as busy as some of the better know beaches close by (Pirapolis, San Fransisco) but every bit as nice. A lovely spot to watch the sunset. See more..
4.5 Alto de la Ballena (182 reviews)
- Memorable
Wineries & Vineyards

Very nice experience. The owner Paula attended us. Just perfect setting for my wife and me. Good wine, cheese, quiet place, what else.... See more..
4.5 Playa Punta Ballena (100 reviews)
- Very nice
Spent < 1 hour Beaches

Do not miss out on the food superb. Stay if you can get reservation (must book 6 months in advance) but eat here if you can't. See more..
4.5 Puente De La Barra (97 reviews)
- a fun bridge that the kids will love
Bridges

This landmark bridge was originally just two lanes, but a second span was added to improve traffic flow. Kids love it ! See more..
4.5 Playa Portezuelo (88 reviews)
- Great bar spot for seeing the sunset
Beaches

What a great spot! We love it. We went with our pet around sunset time. The bar has good music, uncrowded, WiFi and very good service. We ordered fried calamari, beers, destornillador (vodka+orange juice) . Inexpensive . The sunset view is amazing! Free parking. We will go back. See more..
4.0 Mano de Punta del Este (8.333 reviews)
- Striking
Spent < 1 hour Points of Interest & Landmarks

One of the most unusual sculptures I’ve seen this one is very well documented and photographed. Indeed it was billed as one of the highlights of our day tour to Punta del Este. It is impressive but very hard to get a good picture as it’s surrounded by tourists all day long. You may be lucky early morning or late evening to secure a quite pic alone. See more..
4.0 Conrad Casino (2.853 reviews)
- Very good Casino.
Casinos

Has a blast while staying at the Enjoy Conrad Hotel, a 5-star hotel with this awesome casino. The place was nice and comfortable. Great service and a bar inside with live music and a big screen. You will enjoy playing or just chilling at the casino’s bar. See more..
4.0 Playa Brava (1.610 reviews)
- The best beach in Punta del Este
Beaches

Punta del Este might not seem like relaxing summer holiday place, but it definitely is. Playa Brava is the best beach in the city. It's huge, long, clean, you have plenty of space there. I loved it. Ad thanks to sand dunes you don't hear cars from the road, just waves. Over all, you can surf there nonstop. See more..