Impressions of... Punta del Este

Punta del Este is a mass of high-rise buildings directly alongside the arc of a golden beach, mirrored on two sides of a peninsula. The town is known as a holiday destination for wealthy Latin Americans and this is evident by the gleaming yachts moored in the harbour and the seafood restaurants with views across the bay.

High rise buildings directly next to a golden beach

On a more ordinary level, downtown Punta del Este is enjoyed by groups of teenagers and young families assembling deckchairs beneath the stocky palm trees on the grassy verge of the beach, enjoying picnics whilst watching the white sailing boats traversing the bay at an angle against the strong sea wind.

La Glorieta viewpoint across the sea

Our general impression of Punta del Este was that it is very similar to any harbour town on the Mediterranean and felt rather characterless and indistinctive as a result. Perhaps at high season it feels more lively, with sunbathers and sea-swimmers all around – in fairness to Punta del Este, we are only in the first days of a tentative spring.

Boats in the harbour at Punta del Este

The sunset over the sea, though, was a delight – the sky a soft golden, blending into pale orange, then turning midnight blue before dissolving into darkness.