A good day trip from Punta Del Este is to visit Colonia, which is the main town in Uruguay central to a lot of its colonial history and fight for independence. It takes about 2 to 3 hours by bus from Punta; however, many travelers who are coming or departing Punta via Buquebus will find they are stopping in Colonia on the way to Buenos Aires. Thus, it is not too out of the way or inconvenient, and may offer a nice escape into a laid-back, quiet historic town.

Travelers can easily walk through the streets of Colonia and see the main sites in a day. Travelers can take a taxi from the bus station into the city center. The town has many museums ans well as a beautiful lighthouse. The architecture is very quaint, as the locals have been able to preserve much of the traditional colonial architecture of brick and limestone. There are some fine restaurant choices especially in the city center, where one can lounge and relish a lush salad and grilled meat The streets are cobbled and the locals traipse at ease from place to place during the day. This will be such a departure and welcome escape from the high-energy commotion of Punta del Este.