One Week in Uruguay

Welcome to Montevideo, Uruguay’s relaxed capital. A private transfer brings you to Sofitel Montevideo, a restored Belle Époque landmark where chandeliers and ocean breezes share the same air. Your afternoon is at ease. You’re just across the street from Carrasco Beach’s golden shore, so stroll the Rambla at sunset and sip your first glass of tannat wine. 

Meet your private guide for a tour of Montevideo’s creative heart. Explore the Espacio de Arte Contemporáneo, where bold installations reimagine a former prison space; visit the Contemporary Art Foundation, a hub for experimental thought; and tour the closed-door Engelman-Ost Collection (subject to availability). End the day in the studio of a master percussionist and drum maker, to experience the pulse of Candombe—the Afro-Uruguayan rhythm that fuels Carnival. 

Drive into Uruguay’s pastoral heartland, arriving at Olivos de las Ánimas. Founder Martín Robaina welcomes you for a small-batch olive oil tasting and then lunch in his home—a simple but generous invitation that captures Uruguay’s warm, hospitable heart. Continue onward to Sacramonte Landscape Hotel where you’ll stay in a Refugio—a steel frame and mirrored glass cabin. Savor a slow, seasonal dinner of field-grown ingredients overlooking rows of vines. 

This day is yours to dedicate to Sacramonte’s 250 rambling acres of vineyards, forest, and undulating hills. Wander gentle trails, drive an electric buggy to a wine tasting in the olive grove, or soak in your private plunge pool. Lunch is served convivially at a long table overlooking a small lake and dinner is a romantic, candlelit parade of plates that embody the flavors of rural Uruguay.

Drive to José Ignacio, a fishing village turned haute-boho beach enclave. Make Playa Vik—an art-obsessed design hotel—your ultra-exclusive beachfront hideaway. (The cantilevered infinity pool alone is worth the trip.) Expect chilled rosé by the beach, horizon-swallowing sunsets, starlit dinners, and the freedom to do absolutely nothing—or everything.

For its size, Uruguay overdelivers on creative expression. Spend the day with an art specialist who will walk you through the back doors of local art galleries and studios. Conversations with artists—often cultural critics—is one of our favorite ways to take a culture’s pulse. Your day also includes a special visit to the Museum of Contemporary American Art and the Atchugarry Foundation.

We’ve reserved a private guide and driver so you can pursue any whim or want on your last full day in Uruguay. Gallery-hop, shop, and dine on a rooftop in Punta del Este, visit the off-grid beach hamlet of Cabo Polonio, ride horseback across the pampas with a gaucho guide, or catch a vibe in eclectic Garzón. Prefer a barefoot day all on your own? No problem.

All good things must come to an end. A private driver delivers you back to the VIP lounge at Montevideo’s airport. Toting a souvenir of Uruguayan joie de vivre, continue your South American sojourn or board your international flight home.