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Beach Santa Teresa
The Atlantic, The East of Uruguay
Sun & Sea is the first thing that comes to mind. But there is more to be seen then wide sandy beaches and a marvelous ocean. Woods of palm trees, fortresses, nature reserves, whales and an old pirate village are among them. Some of these have been listed below.
Fortress Santa Teresa
Located on a very strategic hill, the Portugese started building the fortress in 1762. Before finishing it, it was captured by the Spanish in 1763. In the following years the fortress was constantly changing hands. In 1828 peace was declared with the creation of Uruguay. Now the fortress is renovated and in use as a museum.
Nacional Parc Santa Teresa
Next to the Fortress the Nacional Parc is located. Within the Parc several kilometers of wide, sandy beaches can be found. On some beach heads towers are installed to watch for whales. Some very nice gardens have been cultivated. With a camping place, houses for rent and a hotel, a several day stay is possible. Apart from the camping, a real quiet and peaceful place.
Forest of Ombúes - Bosque de Ombúes
As mentioned on the flora & fauna page, the Ombú is a strange tree. It's an endangered species and normally grows solitary. In two places in Uruguay large numbers are found together. One of these places is Bosque the Ombúes, with several hundreds of specimen. Visiting can only be done with small boats. During the trip (ca. 20 min.) over the river you can enjoy the beautiful scenery.
Fortress San Miguel
This fortress, together with Santa Teresa, faced numerous battles on the border of Brasil and Uruguay. San Miguel was first build by the Spanish, conquered by the Portugese, rebuild and enlarged. Conquered in 1763 by the Spanish again, it served as border checkpoint until the independence of Uruguay.
Cabo Polonio, an old pirate village
An old pirate village, located on a small peninsula. The village is isolated by sand dunes West of the village, with no roads leading through them to town. There is only limited electricity and (almost) no cars. Cabo Polonio can be reached by 4x4 straight through the dunes. The beaches and dunes are sandy and wide, with impressive sights.
Whale spotting
Whales come to these shores to mate and get their young. From several beaches they can be seen easily. Some beach heads have towers installed, with some background and species information. Also boat trips can be arranged to search for the whales at sea.
Chuy, border city with Brasil
Chuy is a real border village. The border runs straight through town. In the picture the border road can be seen. The left-side is Uruguay, the right side is Brasil. This feature gives the town it's special dynamic, with casinos on the one side and shops on the other.
