What to see in Uruguay: 10 must-sees

Discover Cabo Polonio, the corner of Rocha that you can only reach in 4x4 trucks crossing white sand dunes. Walk to the lighthouse and watch one of the largest sea lion colonies in South America on the rocks. Explore the three beaches on foot and climb the shifting dunes that the wind reshapes every season. Camp under the stars, with no power grid or paved streets, with the sound of the Atlantic in the background. Rent a wooden cabin and try the fresh fish at the pulperías along the coast.

Stroll around the Salto hot springs and step into the warm water that rises from beneath northern Uruguay. Immerse yourself in the thermal pools of Daymán or Arapey, surrounded by low woodland and open grassland, as steam rises at dusk. Walk the nearby trails, watch birds of the Salto countryside and take in the rock formations that frame the area. End the day with another soak under the stars, far from the urban noise.

Visit Santa Teresa National Park, in Rocha, and follow its trails through forests, dunes and beaches open to the Atlantic. Walk to the ruins of the eighteenth-century Portuguese fortress, watch birds among the coastal vegetation and breathe the air of eastern Uruguay. Here sand, history and protected nature coexist in a space made for unhurried walking, gazing at the horizon and understanding why this corner of Rocha is one of the country's great lungs.

Stop in Colonia del Sacramento, the old town founded by the Portuguese that UNESCO declared a World Heritage Site. Stroll along the Calle de los Suspiros among colorful houses and whitewashed walls, climb the lighthouse for views of the Río de la Plata, and walk the cobbled streets of the Historic Quarter. Discover 300 years of history in this city, an exceptional testimony to a vanished cultural tradition, with museums, walls, and lighthouses preserving its original colonial layout.

Follow the Rambla of Montevideo, about 22 kilometers of waterfront along the Río de la Plata, and reach the Mercado del Puerto, where the grills fire up their coals at midday among craft stalls. Wander the Ciudad Vieja with its art déco and neoclassical buildings, cross Plaza Independencia to the Teatro Solís, and end the afternoon sipping mate by the water, as Montevideans do every day.

Walk to La Mano, the monument of fingers emerging from the sand that became the symbol of Punta del Este, then stroll the Rambla General Artigas as yachts enter the harbor. At Mansa beach the sea rolls in calm, ideal for swimming and watching the sunset; at Brava the waves draw surfers. When night falls, have fresh fish for dinner at the port or try the bars on Gorlero Avenue, the heart of the nightlife of this seaside resort in Maldonado.

Step through the gates of the former Anglo meatpacking plant in Fray Bentos and walk through the sheds where the Liebig Extract of Meat Company produced the meat extract and canned beef that reached Europe. Wander among boilers, original machinery and loading tunnels as the museum explains how this plant transformed Uruguayan industry and working life. The complex, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, preserves offices, tools and a documentary archive that show the salted-meat boom of the twentieth century and a legacy passed down through generations.

Cycle through the vineyards of Carmelo, in the department of Colonia, and stop at family-run wineries where tannat is served alongside local cheeses and cold cuts. After the tasting, head down to the port and take in the calm of the Río de la Plata at sunset. Round off your visit by exploring the nearby villages, trying the local cuisine and chatting with the producers who keep the region's winemaking traditions alive.