beach
Punta del Este
South America's glamorous beach resort with the iconic La Mano sculpture emerging from the sand, upscale dining, and the Casapueblo art hotel.
3 km · about 5 min drive
Maldonado, Uruguay · South America
Punta del Este is worth a stop: 10 minutes from Maldonado, 3km from Punta del Este.
Punta del Este is a town located in Maldonado, Uruguay. With a population of 9,277, it is an important destination in South America.
On a road trip, Punta del Este sits in Uruguay, where you drive on the right. It's in the America/Montevideo time zone. Below you'll find where to stay, things to do nearby, and everything you need to add Punta del Este to your route.
Punta del Este (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈpunta ðel ˈeste]) is a seaside city and peninsula on the Atlantic Coast in the Maldonado Department of southeastern Uruguay. Starting as a small town, Punta del Este grew to become a resort for the Latin and North American jet set and tourists. The city has been called "TheRead more
Hamptons of South America", as well as "The Monaco of the South", "The Miami Beach of South America", "The Pearl of the Atlantic", and "The St. Tropez of South America". Many famous people have visited, resided, or acquired vacation properties in Punta del Este and its surroundings.
Punta del Este hosted the Whitbread Around the World yacht races from 1985 to 1994 and participated with its own yacht 'Uruguay Natural'. Punta del Este also hosted the 1967 American Summit attended by U.S. President Lyndon Johnson, and the beginning of the Uruguay Round of international trade negotiations in 1986 that led to the creation of the World Trade Organization in 1994. The city hosted the 2014 Formula E Championship and the Gran Premio de Punta del Este receiving national, South American and international competitions.
In addition to international film festivals, gastronomy, and first-class hotels, the region has protected natural reserves such as Isla de Lobos, Gorriti Island, La Barra, or the Arboretum Lussich. Popular landmarks in the area include the La Mano giant sculpture, the Santorini-styled complex Casapueblo, the Rafael Viñoly designed Puente Garzón bridge, and the Museum of the Sea. Although the city has a year-round population of about 18,200 in winter, the number greatly expands during the summer season.
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Punta del Este offers many attractions including tourist sites, museums, parks, and local restaurants. Explore famous landmarks, scenic roads, and natural wonders on our interactive map and plan your visit.
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Punta del Este is located in Maldonado, Uruguay, South America. The coordinates are -34.9475 latitude, -54.9338 longitude.
Punta del Este has a population of approximately 9,277 people, making it a town in Uruguay.
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3 notable places within an hour's drive.
beach
South America's glamorous beach resort with the iconic La Mano sculpture emerging from the sand, upscale dining, and the Casapueblo art hotel.
3 km · about 5 min drive
museum
Carlos Paez Vilaro's whitewashed cliff-side sculpture-building at Punta Ballena, built freehand over decades without plans, part museum, part hotel. Sunset is marked with a recorded ceremony.
11 km · about 20 min drive
bridge
Rafael Viñoly's striking circular lagoon bridge on the coastal Ruta 10 between José Ignacio and Rocha, designed to slow drivers into a scenic loop over the water.
37 km · about 45 min drive
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