CORNERS OF URUGUAY – LOCAL COMMUNITIES

DAY 1 COLONIA DEL SACRAMENTO

Arrival at the port of Colonia del Sacramento, where you will be received by our representative. After checking in at the hotel, they take a walking tour of the preserved historic neighborhood, which transports us to the colonial era despite expressing an intense modern beauty under outdated lines. The memorable walking tour takes you to the Street of Sighs, the Church of the Holy Sacrament, St. Peter’s Bastion, the ammunition dump, the lighthouse, the museums (Portuguese, Spanish, tiles, etc.). The tour finishes in a typical restaurant of the Historic Quarter with a 3-step lunch with a glass of wine. Then visit the Plaza de Toros passing through the promenade of the city, with a beautiful view of the Rio de la Plata. Finally, they return to the hotel to rest. Overnight in Colonia del Sacramento

DAY 2 THE LEGACY / CAMPONTINTO

The next morning, after breakfast, departure to Carmelo, located one hour away. Visit the countryside of Carmelo and LaCalera de Las Huerfanas, Ruins of a Jesuit chapel before stopping at a historic family winery, where they will have a tastingand can have lunch delicious local dishes accompanied by excellent wines. Then continue towards Campotino, a winery andcountry hotel surrounded by nature. After checking in and you will have free time to relax and refresh. Finally, a Creole dinneris held with typical country food and wines from the winery to give you a warm welcome! Overnight in Campotinto

DAY 3 CAMPONTINTO / CASA DEL BOSQUE

The next morning, after breakfast, free time to enjoy the activities offered by the place, such as hiking the trail, bird watching,cycling, or simply lying down to read a good book under the shade of a tree and enjoy the peace of the environment. In theafternoon departure to La Casa del Bosque, a rural enterprise carried out by the group of Rural Women of Uruguay. Welcomein the place, followed by a hike through the area of the stream knowing its history, collection of medicinal herbs and recognitionof the native flora. They continue to the area of the “parideras”, where sheep breeding is done, to know their processes. Return to the facilities for a talk on the life of Rural Women and the empowerment of women in rural areas. The talk will be served with coffee, tea, cold cuts, cheeses, flavored homemade breads, homemade donuts, alfajores, apple pies and homemade liquor for the farewell. Return and overnight in Campotinto.

DAY 4 CAMPONTINTO / LAS MARGARITAS

Country breakfast at the hotel. Free time to continue enjoying your stay in Campotinto. At the indicated time transfer to LasMargaritas for a unique visit. In a natural setting, a painting workshop will be held where visitors will have the possibility in twohours to paint their own work with different techniques. For this you will find a wooden frame of 30 cm x 30 cm with a blankcanvas, brushes, acrylic paints, and table racks. The workshop closes with a snack served in the room. A typical picnic of the countryside, homemade breads and cakes, jams, cheeses, and liqueurs of the area is proposed. At the end they return toCampotinto. Overnight in Campotinto

DAY 5 CAMPOTINTO/ VILLA SORIANO / MERCEDES

After a delicious country breakfast at the hotel, you leave for Villa Soriano, a town founded in 1624 as a reduction of ChanáesIndians. In this site, Santo Domingo Soriano, constitutes the oldest European settlement in Uruguayan territory. Declared aNational Historic Monument, in the small town you can breathe what was the first population center founded by the Spaniardsin the eastern band of the Uruguay River.

Today they will meet a rural enterprise where the knowledge of indigenous pottery is rescued with the techniques used by theChaná Timbú. They will learn to make indigenous ceramics in a pottery workshop in a typical farm of the area accompanied byhomemade country food to the plow disc. At the end of the workshop, we continue towards Mercedes. Overnight in Mercedes

DAY 6 MERCEDES CITY TOUR AND VISIT TO THE FLOATING APIARIES ON THE ISLANDS OF THE PROTECTEDAREA

Breakfast at the hotel. Then, tour the city visiting the rambla, the rose garden, and the murals painted by various local andinternational artists. Then they leave for New Berlin, a small town located just 40 minutes away. Start the adventure with a boatride on the river that gives its name to our country, and you will discover the lush subtropical island mountain that surroundsthe apiaries of the area. The bravest can meet a colony of bees in full work and collaborate with the management of the hiveby the hand of a local beekeeper. They will also be able to delight in a tasting of pure honey on site before returning to theboats. At the end of this experience, they return to Mercedes. Overnight in Mercedes.

DAY 7 MERCEDES / MONTEVIDEO / CANDOMBE WORKSHOP

The next morning, after breakfast, departure to Montevideo. Upon arrival at the hotel check in and free time to cool off and rest. In the afternoon City Tour through the city knowing the main neighborhoods: Pocitos, Punta Carretas, Carrasco, and its mansions with large gardens, the Rambla overlooking the Rio de la Plata and the old city. The Tour culminates with a candombe workshop where they will know first-hand the origin and history of this music so typical of our country, at the same time that they can join a string of drums and be part of the show while tasting grilled meats. Return to the hotel. Overnight in Montevideo.

DÍA 8  MONTEVIDEO WINEMAKER / EXPERIENCIA PRIMUSEUM

Desayuno, y salida hacia Bodega Varela Zarranz, uno de los más antiguos y hermosos establecimientos vitivinícolas del Uruguay. Un camino bordeado de olivos centenarios nos conduce, a través de los viñedos, hasta la bodega, fundada a fines del siglo XIX, siendo hoy, patrimonio de la vitivinicultura uruguaya. Allí espera a los visitantes un integrante de la familia, para guiarlos en un recorrido a través de viñedos y bodega, donde se narra la historia del establecimiento, se explica el proceso de elaboración del vino, así como de los espumosos naturales de la familia, elaborados bajo el método tradicional, Método Champenoise. Se recorre la sala de barricas y la antigua cava donde se atesora la mayor colección de toneles de roble francés en uso en nuestro país, que datan del año 1903. Luego de la visita se lleva a cabo la experiencia Vinícola o Enólogo por un día.  Con esta experiencia, tendrá la oportunidad de crear su propia mezcla.  Se trabaja en equipos pequeños con las siguientes opciones: 3 variedades diferentes de tintos: Tannat, Cabernet Sauvignon, Marselán y Merlot.

En ambos casos, la idea es definir los diferentes porcentajes de cada variedad para crear el La mejor y personalizada mezcla para el equipo. Serás parte de todo este proceso, siendo un enólogo por un día. Cada uno de los miembros del grupo llevará su propia botella, con una etiqueta especial que contiene su nombre y descripción de su mezcla personalizada. La visita culmina en la casa del sótano, redecorada como sala de degustaciones. En un amplio y confortable salón, con paredes de piedra originales.

Luego degustaremos 4 vinos de Varela Zarranz (uno de cada línea de elaboración), acompañados de deliciosos embutidos y queso, una parrillada tradicional armonizará nuestra degustación (Colita de cuadril, Filete de cerdo, mollejas, chinchulines, chorizos) con un acompañamiento de ensaladas mixtas, terminando con un postre.  Al finalizar, regreso hacia Montevideo.

Tiempo libre hasta la noche, para su traslado a la cena- show en Primuseum: una casona de la ciudad vieja que data de 1870, en donde se alberga una colección con más de 3000 antigüedades.

Durante la noche se viste de gala ofreciendo a los visitantes una experiencia única en la localidad, en donde de forma armónica se combinan la gastronomía, cultura y el tango. Disfrutarán de comida típica local, con el maridaje de los mejores vinos Uruguayos, incluido el Tannat, cepa insignia.

Al finalizar, regreso al hotel. Noche Montevideo.

DAY 9 MONTEVIDEO / PUNTA DEL ESTE

After breakfast, Departure from Montevideo along the Rambla Naciones Unidas and the Interbalnearia route until you reach Casapueblo (Entrance included), an architectural work of art residence of the great plastic artist Carlos Paéz Vilaró and currently Museum and Art Gallery. From there you have a majestic view of Punta Ballena and Portezuelo. We continue to the Barra de Maldonado with the crossing of its undulating bridge and return to the peninsula along the waterfront of Brava beach. You can enjoy free time for lunch (included in a typical restaurant) and personal activities in the port area and center of the peninsula. At the end of the tour, check in at the hotel in Punta del Este. Overnight in Punta del Este.

DAY 10 PUNTA DEL ESTE / GAUCHO VILLAGE / GARZON LAGOON

The next morning, after breakfast, departure to Pueblo Gaucho, located a few minutes from the hotel. Two hectares dedicatedto the culture and tradition of the Gaucho and its customs, will place them in the colonial era, with their huts, roads, clothing,tools, customs, and villagers. From the hand of a local guide, you will experience a journey through time that will take you toanother era. Without a doubt an original and unmissable walk to know about one of the most important characters of ourculture. At the end of the tour, typical grill lunch. They continue towards Laguna Garzón, a protected area, ideal for ecotouristswho enjoy living outdoor adventures. Overnight in Laguna Garzón.

DAY 11 LAGUNA GARZON / LAGUNA DE ROCHA

After breakfast on the shores of the lagoon, you will have free time to enjoy this beautiful and unique place. The GarzónLagoon and its coastal area make up the Lake National Park, the Bañados del Este World Biosphere Reserve, is an Area ofinterest for conservation and was declared a National Tourist Reserve. Towards noon they move a few kilometers fromGarzón, to visit the Laguna de Rocha, a large extension of water of more than 70 square kilometers whose particularity is,curiously, its shallow depth, since on average it does not exceed 70 centimeters, having verified a maximum depth of 1.6meters. The lagoon is separated from the sea by a sandy strip of approximately one kilometer wide, although at its southernend the distance is noticeably reduced, occasionally generating the weakening of the bar which causes the connection of thelagoon with the ocean. This lagoon is the natural habitat of a large number of native birds, but it is also home to an importantnumber of migratory species, a fact for which it has the status of “Biosphere Reserve” granted by UNESCO.

You will visit the Community of Artisanal Fishermen of the Laguna de Rocha. This community is composed of approximately20 families, organized in family-productive units characterized by living in and of the lagoon, being the artisanal activity thebasis of its economy. Here you will get to know the cuisine of the bar, a space to enjoy the fishing tradition of the Laguna deRocha, feel its flavors, contemplate the fishing landscape: the fishing village, the lagoon, the boats, the birds, the sound of thesea and the peace of the wind, observing its extensive visuals that show up to the contours of the Sierra de Rocha. Those whowish will be able to embark with the local fishermen and try their luck in the lagoon. At sunset there will be a horseback ridethrough the area, where you can enjoy beautiful landscapes, accompanied by Baqueanos who will teach you about the floraand fauna of the place. Return to Garzón Overnight in Laguna Garzón.

DAY 12 LAGUNA GARZON / AIRPORT

The next morning, after having a delicious breakfast overlooking the lagoon, you can enjoy all the peace and natural surroundings of the place until, at the indicated time, the transport transfers you to the airport for your trip back home. End of our services.