Located at just 130 kilometers from Montevideo, on a narrow strip of land that separates the waters of the Rio de la Plata and the Atlantic Ocean, and also establishes two noticeable divisions on its beaches: the Mansa, with calm waters, on the Rio de la Plata side, and the Brava, with large waves and ocean winds, on the Ocean side. It is in the last one, where you can see the famous sculpture “La mano sobre la arena” (The hand on the sand), made from iron and cement in 1982 by Chilean artist Mario Irarrázabal.
 
Its beautiful landscapes of forests and small saws complement the indisputable virtues of its abundant beaches and turn this place into the major resort of South America and the one chosen by the international jet set.
 
Gorlero Avenue is the main street of Punta del Este, plenty of shopping centers, restaurants, casinos, cinemas and an outstanding point at Artigas Square: its craftsmen's picturesque fair where you can find products made from leather, metal, glass, stone, etc.

Some attractions

Punta Ballena is a rocky side of the Sierra de la Ballena that goes into the Rio de la Plata and owes its name to its cetacean shape. While it has not got beaches, due to its rocky shores, its Panoramic Route, at 2500 meters high, with parking lots and a panoramic viewpoint offering an spectacular scene of the peninsula, Gorriti Island and Isla de Lobos, it’s worth a visit. However, its greatest attraction is the sculpture built at the end of this route known as Casa Pueblo: a majestic work of the Uruguayan painter and sculptor Carlos Paez Vilaró, who has achieved this amazing result after 36 years of work. It is considered a citadel-sculpture. It is a museum and an art gallery where you can see numerous exhibitions of paintings, ceramics and sculptures. There is also a hotel called Hotel Casapueblo, which is inside the structure.
 
Isla Gorriti. It is situated 2 Km. away from Punta del Este, in front of the Playa Mansa. You will embark in the port of Punta del Este and after 15 minutes of voyage you will arrive at Puerto Cañon. With two paradisiacal beaches: Puerto Jardín and Playa Honda, it is a chosen point by navigation lovers and to practice aquatic sports.
 

 
In front of the Atlantic Ocean beaches, 12 km from the coast, Isla de Lobos is found. The boat ride also starts at the port of Punta del Este, but in this excursion you will just approach the island. Since it is a question of preserving one of the biggest marine wolves’ reserves of South America, disembarking is not allowed.
 
 
 
 
Crossing the particular "puente ondulado" (wavy bridge) of Punta del Este, you will arrive at La Barra and Jose Ignacio. La Barra was a former fishermen village and today it is an unavoidable reference to know the newest in fashion and trends in Punta del Este. The two-way bridge, work done by the designer Leonel Viera in 1965 at the Maldonado brook mouth, is an attraction by itself. It was built over an old wooden bridge and a cement structure that was corroded by the sea. The discos, bars, inns and great houses have turned the originally calmed character of La Barra into a very inviting plan for travelers.
 
Jose Ignacio is a more distant peninsula of 2 km long on the Atlantic Ocean and an oasis of peace. It is located between two lakes: Laguna Garzon and Jose Ignacio, and due to its incomparable natural landscape it is a favorite place for great personalities to build its magnificent residences.
 
It is the ideal setting for a good rest, if that is what you are looking for on this trip. In its surroundings there is an area of tourist ranches and a series of solitary beaches that complete and even add more beauty to this restful offer.
 
Punta del Este has all possible options for the traveler who prefers an upscale vacation and in style spot: from a hectic nightlife in casinos, pubs, clubs, fine dining restaurants, to the quiet of its natural landscapes, its pristine beaches and evergreen forests.
 
No wonder it has come to be worldwide known as “the Pearl of Uruguay.