Elite Traveler November-December 2015

EXPLORE URUGUAY

elite traveler NOV/DEC 2015 ISSUE 6 142

Longer in… José Ignacio, Cabo Polonia, Montevideo and Carmelo

THE DETAILS THE WEEKEND

3 MUNDOS 3mundos.com.uy

BAHIA VIK bahiavik.com

board from which to explore the nearby vineyards and snooze in hammocks between bountiful meals sourced from the organic farm. But save enough energy to stroll through the UNESCO world heritage site of neighboring Colonia del Sacramento, where venerable señores in flat caps play chess under soaring almond trees, horse-drawn carriages clatter along dappled cobblestones and you can sip ruby blends and slip back in time.

Once as famed for its vintage cars as Cuba, Uruguay makes for one of the most evocative road trip destinations, with its deserted landscapes and hardly a traffic jam in sight. So if you’ve fewer time constraints, you can take off on your own mini road trip when you’re done with the party scene. Pick up a car fromMariño Sport, which rents everything from Jeeps to BMWs, then head east from José Ignacio through the rolling pampas of Rocha state. Stop off at the emerging surfing spots of La Paloma and La Pedrera, until you reach Cabo Polonia, a tiny community that sits between golden sand dunes and Atlantic swirl. If you’d like a truly special experience, organize your trip with Lares, who will arrange for you to trek in over the dunes by foot (the views are worth it), to a custom-built cabana on the deserted beach, where seafood paella is served by your private chef. When you arrive in the capital, Montevideo, dabble in blackjack at the Sofitel’s neo-classical casino on the promenade, before the Argentine border beckons. Just a few hours north west through the pampas is Carmelo, a chic weekend retreat for well-to-do porteños . The Carmelo Resort & Spa is a classic escape for winding down, with patios overlooking the Rio de la Plata. Alternatively, head to the turn-of-the century restored farmhouse at Bodega Narbona Wine Lodge, near the border with Argentina, which is where foodies prefer to stay. It’s a perfect jumping

JARDÍN BY SARAVA restobarsarava.com

LA HUELLA paradorlahuella.com

LA SUSANA lasusana.com

MARISMO +598 486 2273

PUNTA DEL ESTE AIRPORT puntadeleste.aero

THE WEEK

AGUA VERDE +598 4266 0110

ALIUM alium.com.uy

BODEGA GARZÓN bodegagarzon.com

EL GARZÓN restaurantegarzon.com

FASANO fasano.com.br

LUCIFER restaurantelucifer.com.uy

VILLA NEPTUNO brazilianbeachhouse.com/ villa-neptuno

LONGER

BODEGA NARBONA narbona.com.uy

CARMELO RESORT & SPA carmelo.hyatt.com

From top: Traditional cars in Colonia del Sacramento; striking colonial architecture of Montevideo

LARES larestours.com

MARIÑO SPORT mariniosport.com

Photos: 4corners, Corbis, Getty Images, Nicole Franzen, Robert Harding