East point
Punta del Este is a peninsular city located in the extreme south of Uruguay, in the department of Maldonado, 5 km away from the capital city of the same name. It is one of the most exclusive resorts in Latin America and the most important in Uruguay, the second largest tourist destination in the country behind Montevideo. It is located on a narrow strip of land that conventionally separates the Río de la Plata from the Atlantic Ocean —although both shores are bathed by already marine waters. The city has been referred to as "the Monaco of the South", "The Pearl of the Atlantic", "the Hamptoms of South America", "the Miami Beach of South America" and "the St. Tropez of South America".
There is an extensive list of personalities who, although diverse, have had one thing in common: they visited, resided in, or purchased vacation properties in and around Punta del Este.
As historical events, Punta del Este has hosted the Whitbread Around The World sailing tour from 1985 to 1994 and participated in the race with the yacht under the name "Uruguay Natural". The city also hosted the 1967 American Summit with the assistance of United States President Lyndon Johnson, and the Uruguay Round held in this city, from where the current World Trade Organization was born. The city also hosted the pre-qualifications for the 2014 Formula E Championship race with the presence of Toro Rosso Formula 1 driver, French driver Jean-Eric Vergne, and the Punta del Este Grand Prix hosting top-ranking competitions. National, South American and international.
In addition to international film festivals, gastronomy and first class hotels, the region has protected nature reserves such as Isla de Lobos, La Isla Gorriti, La Barra, or the Arboretum Lussich. The most popular attractions in the area are the giant sculpture La Mano, the Santorini-style complex: Casapueblo, the Garzón Bridge designed by Rafael Viñoly, and the Museo del Mar.
Punta del Este has a permanent population of 12,400 inhabitants, but reaches up to 450,000 residents and visitors in the high season. It is one of the centers of the Maldonado suburbs, with a population of 135,400 people.
General information
It is located southeast of the department of Maldonado and 130 km from its capital city (Maldonado), forming an urban complex with that city and other nearby towns.
Its area of influence extends northeast to Laguna Garzón; west to Ocean Park; and north to San Carlos.
Its beaches are divided into “Mansa” on the west side, and “Brava” on the east side. The name given to these beaches is due to the fact that the first, on the side of the Río de la Plata (although its waters are salty and green) and being protected from the winds and currents coming from the Atlantic Ocean, almost always presents its waters quite calm; In addition, Gorriti Island protects this beach from the winds; while the "Brava" beach, being already oceanic, has a much more impetuous swell. Each descent, in turn, receives a name according to the hostel that is in it or the number of the stop in which it is located.
In the vicinity of the spa, there are lagoons, such as the Sauce, Diario, Blanca, José Ignacio, and Garzón lagoons. Water sports are practiced there, such as kitesurfing, skiing and wakeboarding.
According to the 1973 Río de la Plata Treaty between Argentina and Uruguay, and for the International Hydrographic Organization, Punta del Este is considered the north (or left) point of the mouth of the Río de la Plata Silver in the Atlantic Ocean.
- ↑ It's called parador to the establishments located on the beach itself, which operate as restaurants, meeting rooms and nightclubs.
- ↑ The ramblas and main avenues of the city are divided into stops; the extension of each varies between 200 and 250 meters. It serves as a guide and reference, similar to the kilometers on the routes.
History
In 1516, the Spanish navigator Juan Díaz de Solís during his expedition to the Río de la Plata named the place Puerto de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria. The first buildings on the peninsula were the guard room and the powder magazine of the San Fernando battery, built between 1765 and 1766. Some time later, in 1829, the cape on which some human settlements already existed was baptized "Villa Ituzaingó". by Francisco Aguilar, in memory of the victory of the Creoles over the Brazilian imperial forces in 1827. Aguilar developed the plans for the future city and carried out different works.
Aguilar, a wealthy man, had arrived in Uruguay in 1810. In 1811, he bought land and turned to agriculture and tile manufacturing. In Punta del Este he installed the first factory of these ceramics. Aguilar was also the first point guard in the country. Likewise, he dedicated himself to livestock and politics.
Punta del Este was founded in 1829, when Francisco Aguilar y Leal, Mayor of Maldonado, wrote to the Government in Montevideo about the need to create a town to honor the patriots who fought in the Battle of Ituzaingó. The letter is dated October 15, 1829, that is the date that Punta del Este was born.
From his position as mayor of the department of Maldonado, he promoted the construction of numerous schools, churches and institutions that are still standing today and are a reflection of those years of struggle and effort. The abundance of whales on the coasts was such that, during the presidency of Fructuoso Rivera, Aguilar was granted the exclusive right to fish and slaughter these animals for 10 years in the Port of Maldonado and state coasts, for the sum of 75 pesos. every six months. He also had the concession to slaughter the sea lions of Isla de Lobos and the department of Rocha.
On June 13, 1843, the peninsula was sold to the brothers Samuel and Alejandro Lafone, who bought it for 4,500 pesos, as well as Gorriti Island, which cost 1,500 pesos. Like Aguilar, the Lafones exploited saladeros.
In 1860 the Lighthouse was inaugurated, and several families settled around its tower, so it can be considered the birth of permanent settlement.[citation required]
In 1889 the first hotel was built, owned by Pedro Risso. At that time there was already a hamlet inhabited by seafarers and by those in charge of customs and the lighthouse, which gradually increased its population in the summer months, with people who began to see Punta del Este as a place of rest and therapy, enjoying at the same time, the natural beauties that the peninsula offered.
In 1906, Punta del Este had 492 inhabitants, 111 houses built, 20 under construction and 300 to be built. Many of its inhabitants already had dreams and many others promoted initiatives to make Punta del Este a seaside resort similar to the European ones of Biarritz and Brighton. In 1907 the first vacationers arrived aboard the steamer "Golondrina", a group of Argentine and Montevidean families invited by the Board of Directors of the "Balneario Punta del Este" Society.
On July 5, 1907, Law No. 3186 officially declared "...with the name of Punta del Este the group of houses located in Punta del Este, Department of Maldonado"'. At that moment in which it was decided to grant the peninsula the category of town, Punta del Este already had a definitive subdivision carried out by the surveyor Francisco Surroca.
In 1909 the fundamental stone of the Church of Punta del Este was laid and, seven years later, in 1916, the spa was illuminated with the first electrical installation. In 1924 Niceto S. de Loizaga and his friends founded the Yacht Club of Punta del Este. The subdivision of the San Rafael neighborhood was carried out by Laureano Alonso Pérez, a Spaniard from Argentina. With Pizzorno and Antonio Lussich they formed the company that built the San Rafael Hotel in Punta del Este.
Punta del Este had a formidable real estate development around 1980; Apartment towers and hotel complexes flourished in the spa. Since then, with ups and downs conditioned by the economic cycles of the country and the region, the real estate activity has become another engine of the economy of Punta del Este. In 2022, real estate market specialists see another exponential growth across the town as it finds itself as a year-round place to live.
Seismicity
The region responds to the «Punta del Este fault», with low seismicity; and its last expression occurred on June 5, 1888 (134 years), with a magnitude of 5.5 on the Richter scale. (Río de la Plata earthquake of 1888).
Areas of Punta del Este
The main commercial area of Punta del Este is the area of Avenida Gorlero, and Calle 20, where multinational brands are located. This area is also a classic spa meeting point, especially for the little ones.
Very close to there is the port of the city. Cruise ships from different parts of the world arrive at the port with a large number of tourists. In recent years, the port has become a very important nightclub with many restaurants serving mainly seafood.
Means of transportation
Punta del Este can be accessed by different means of transportation, be it land, air or sea.
Airway
There are flights from Buenos Aires, San Pablo, Santiago de Chile and Asunción to the Laguna del Sauce International Airport, located 21 km from the resort.
Waterway
Several companies have several daily frequencies that connect Buenos Aires and Montevideo by river, from where there are buses.
Land route
From the Tres Cruces Terminal in Montevideo, as well as from other important cities in neighboring countries or Uruguay, there are direct and indirect regular lines that access the peninsula. The distance from the capital by road is 135 km.
Tourism
Punta del Este is an important seaside resort in South America. It has a boulevard and a port with good infrastructure and mooring capacity. Especially in the summer season, the city receives a large number of tourists, most of them from Argentina and Brazil, who partly also invest in it. In the summer of 2011 there were 1,249,852 Argentines and 312,324 Brazilians along with, among others, 102,275 European visitors and 58,706 Americans.
Film festivals
In 1951, thanks to the impulse of the Argentine businessman Mauricio Litman, the First International Festival of Punta del Este was held at the Cantegril Country Club cinema, located in the Cantegril neighborhood. Numerous international figures were present in the various visiting delegations, including Silvana Mangano, Joan Fontaine and Gérard Philipe, and titles such as Diary of a Rural Priest by Robert Bresson, La ronda by Max Ophüls, and La malvada by Joseph L. Mankiewicz.
A year later Rashomon by Akira Kurosawa was released, Umberto D. by Vittorio de Sica, and Youth, Divine Treasure by Ingmar Bergman. After these two initial editions, the Punta del Este Film Festival ceased to be held for several years. In recent times, the Municipality of Maldonado has once again organized it.
Hotels and gastronomy
Punta del Este has five-star hotels, such as the Enjoy Punta del Este (formerly Conrad) of the Chilean Enjoy chain, located on Playa Mansa. In the decades from 1950 to 1980, the main hotel was the Hotel San Rafael in Punta del Este.
Historically it was an expensive spa for the region. In recent years (and as a consequence of the severe regional economic crisis in 2002) the hotel and gastronomic offer has shown greater care with the quality-price ratio. In addition, among young people the modality of accommodation in hostels is being imposed.
Walks and excursions
One of the strongest points of the city is Avenida Gorlero, the main street of the resort. The tourist life of Punta del Este was born around this avenue and it is home to shopping malls, restaurants, cinemas, a casino, shops and many other attractions. The neuralgic point of Gorlero avenue is Plaza Artigas, where the popular craftsmen's fair takes place; In its many stands you can see and buy handicrafts in leather, stone, metal, glass and other materials. Another place to visit is Gorriti Island, it can be accessed by cruise ships, sailboats and barges that leave at all hours from the port of Punta del Este. You can also hire helicopter rides.
Village House
The construction called "Casa Pueblo", the work of the Uruguayan painter and sculptor Carlos Páez Vilaró, is a symbol of the tourist region of Punta del Este. Its construction was carried out for 36 years. It is actually located in the Punta Ballena area, which is to the west of Punta del Este, a few kilometers from the city.
It is universally regarded as a "livable sculpture." Inside it has several rooms facing the sea, where exhibitions of sculptures, paintings and ceramics are constantly held. The place is also famous for the sunsets that can be seen from its architecture. There is also a lodging complex.
The Lighthouse
The lighthouse, 45 meters high, was built in 1860 by Tomás Libarena with materials from Europe. It was erected with the objective that the navigators of the Río de la Plata and the Atlantic Ocean could orient themselves.
Church of Candelaria
Very close to the lighthouse is this Catholic temple, in a sober neo-Romanesque style, built in 1941. It venerates the image of the Virgen de la Candelaria.
Gorriti Island
The island has an area of 21 ha that can be explored by visitors who disembark on it daily to enjoy unbeatable nature and its two beautiful beaches, Puerto Jardín and Playa Honda. The latter is located with its back to Punta del Este and has a hostel, as well as several scattered stoves for free use by tourists.
It shelters the boats that anchor there like a natural port and is an ideal place to practice water sports. Today the island is populated by thousands of pine trees thanks to the plantations carried out by the engineer Rómulo Rubbo, whose work was continued years later by his daughter, the forestry engineer Selva Rubbo.
The island was known by different names over time: "Islas de las Palmas" and "Maldonado Island". In the middle of the 18th century, Captain Don Francisco Gorriti was sent prisoner to it, an event that gradually imposed its current name of Isla de Gorriti.
Lobos Island
In its 41 ha of rocky surface is the largest colony of sea lions in South America, in front of the oceanic beaches of Punta del Este, 8 km from the coast.
It was discovered by Juan Díaz de Solís in 1516. Legends tell that some crew members disembarked on its beach to supply their fresh water supply and hunt 66 sea lions, which would be their only food on the return trip, also carrying the skins to be sold in the Seville market.
The Maldonado Bar
.jpg)
In the 1940s, La Barra was a fishing village, when the residents of the nearby city of San Carlos began to build their summer residences.
This area near Punta del Este has always been one of the landmarks of the Maldonado department and its popularity has increased in recent years due to a large population growth that resulted in the opening of more businesses, and a new and varied list of tourist attractions. Among its best-known attractions are its beaches, its nightlife (in summer), and the well-known wavy bridge or "Puente de La Barra". This civil work was carried out by Leonel Viera in 1965, and is located at the mouth of Arroyo Maldonado. The stream is ideal for practicing water sports and sport fishing, and is known for its stories of ships and pirates. There are also other places nearby such as the El Tesoro, Montoya, Bikini or Manantiales spas or beaches.
Climate
Punta del Este has a temperate oceanic climate, Cfb according to the Köppen climate classification, with 4 well-defined seasons. As it is a peninsula that divides the Río de la Plata and the Atlantic Ocean, Punta del Este is windier than other Uruguayan cities, especially in the area of the Peninsula, where it usually blows almost every day. This also favors that the daily and annual thermal oscillation is less than in nearby cities such as Montevideo or Buenos Aires, making the conditions smoother both in summer and winter.
Summer is warm, but not excessively hot, this happens thanks to the ocean breeze that softens the temperature and the thermal sensation is more pleasant. The warmest month is January, with highs of 26 °C and lows of 18 °C. Winter is cool, windy, and cloudy. Those winter conditions cause the wind chill to be lower than the actual temperature. The coldest month is July, with highs of 14 °C and lows of 8 °C. Rainfall is spread throughout the year, with a small peak at the end of winter, although this varies from year to year.
 Average climatic parameters of Punta del Este (1961–1990) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Ene. | Feb. | Mar. | Open up. | May. | Jun. | Jul. | Ago. | Sep. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. | Annual |
| Temp. max. abs. (°C) | 37.0 | 34.4 | 34.4 | 30.6 | 29.8 | 26.6 | 28.3 | 27.4 | 31.0 | 31.8 | 32.2 | 37.6 | 37.6 |
| Average temperature (°C) | 25.2 | 25.1 | 24.0 | 21.2 | 18.2 | 14.8 | 14.4 | 14.7 | 16.0 | 18.4 | 21.0 | 23.8 | 19.7 |
| Average temperature (°C) | 21.6 | 21.7 | 20.6 | 17.9 | 15.0 | 12.2 | 11.5 | 11.6 | 12.8 | 15.0 | 17.4 | 20.0 | 16.4 |
| Temp. medium (°C) | 18.1 | 18.4 | 17.6 | 14.9 | 12.1 | 9.5 | 8.7 | 8.8 | 9.9 | 11.4 | 14.1 | 16.4 | 13.3 |
| Temp. min. abs. (°C) | 10.2 | 11.6 | 10.4 | 6.8 | 3.4 | -0.2 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 4.0 | 7.4 | 7.0 | -0.2 |
| Total precipitation (mm) | 75.4 | 84.8 | 79.3 | 84.0 | 91.4 | 80.3 | 90.3 | 93.9 | 93.1 | 85.0 | 86.8 | 66.6 | Bauernmarkt 9 |
| Precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 107 |
| Hours of sun | 263.8 | 212.5 | 243.0 | 181.3 | 147.0 | 103.8 | 118.8 | 157.5 | 169.3 | 234.5 | 217.5 | 289.3 | 2338.3 |
| Source No. 1: World Meteorological Organization | |||||||||||||
| Source No. 2: NOAA (extremes, sun and mean temperature) | |||||||||||||
Punta del Este Beaches
The best known are Playa Mansa and Playa Brava and both live up to their names. “La Mansa”, as it is usually called, is ideal for children and for those who want to take a pleasant sea bath. Its waters bathe Maldonado Bay and Gorriti Island. “La Brava”, from which you can see the Isla de Lobos, is for those who like the choppy waters of the Atlantic Ocean. In winter, its waves are a paradise for those who practice windsurfing.
Entire families gather on these beaches with their children, friends who come together to sunbathe and bathe, and those who like to practice all kinds of water sports. Contemplating the sunrise or sunset is an unforgettable and unforgettable spectacle.
Most of these places offer small restaurants that provide beach service to satisfy the coastal cravings of visitors. While it's true that the beaches near the city can be a bit crowded, you only need to travel a short distance to find an almost unspoiled stretch of coastline. Less than 30 km east of Punta del Este, is José Ignacio.
Characteristics of some beaches
Beaches located in Punta del Este
- Playa Mansa
- Parade 1 Background: fine sand, with blocks. Dynamic: calm. Depth: little slope.
- Stop 7 Background: medium fine sand. Dynamic: wind sea. Depth: gradual.
- Playa Brava
- Chiverta Background: medium to fine sand. Dynamic: sea of wind and background. Depth: gradual slope.
- Dad Background: medium sand. Dynamic: deep sea wind. Depth: gradual slope.
- Gorgorita Background: thick and rocky sand. Dynamics: alternative and rupture currents. Prof.: variable, wells.
- Other beaches
- Punta del Chileno Background: thick sand. Dynamic: flow of return, sea of background. Prof.: strong slope.
- The Emir Fondo: arena media, roquedos. Dynamic: sea of wind and background. Depth: gradual.
- The Placer (Dembocadura del Arroyo Maldonado, estuary salobre) Fund: fine and medium sand. Dynamic: tide current. Depth: very variable, wells.
Nearby beaches
- Beaches west
- The Grottoes (The Chiringo) Background: very thick sand, steep. Dynamic: flow of return, sea of wind and background.Depth: strong slope.
- Punta Ballena It has no beaches, but the only way to access the water is to go down the stones that form the peninsula, the depth of the water on the shores of the rocks is 2 meters.
- Portezuelo (Rinconada) Background: fine sand. Dynamic: wind sea. Deep: deep, double bank.
- Portezuelo (Solanas) Background: fine sand. Dynamic: wind sea. Depth: little slope, double bench.
- Chihuahua Naturist beach enabled since 2000 by the municipality of Maldonado for the practice of nudism.
- Laguna del Sauce Sweet water. Background: very fine sand at medium. Dynamic: small wave. Deep: plain funds.
- Playa Barra de Portezuelo Background: fine sand. Dynamic: wind sea. Depth: little slope. Great fishing.
- Beaches to the East
- Playa Montoya Background: golden sand. Dynamic: sea of wind and background. Depth: gradual.
- Springs (Bikini) Background: medium to thick sand. Dynamic: flow of return and sea of wind and background. Depth: gradual to reflective (deep).
- José Ignacio Background: thick sand at medium. Dynamic: flow of return, sea of wind and background. Depth: gradual to reflective (deep).
- Laguna de José Ignacio Sweet water. Background: thick sand. Dynamic: small wave. Deep: plain funds.
Shopping centers
Punta Shopping is the commercial center of the peninsula, located on Roosevelt Avenue.
In it you will find a varied commercial offer. In addition, the mall has 8 movie theaters, bowling, a casino with slots, and a wide gastronomic offer.
Sporting events
Among various sports activities, and especially automobiles, the 2014 Punta del Este ePrix stands out, the third date of the Formula E championship and the inaugural date of the category within America. The urban circuit, 2.8 kilometers long, was located next to the port of Punta del Este.
The Sevens of Punta del Este is traditional, a rugby 7 competition that has been taking place since 1989.
The Punta del Este Open or Challenger Punta del Este is also held in February. It is a tournament on brick dust that is part of the ATP Challenger Series.
Twinned cities
Mar del Plata, Argentina.
San Francisco, CA, United States.- Sunny Isles Beach, United States.
Miraflores, Peru.
Marbella, Spain (since 2004).
Viña del Mar, Chile.- La Serena, Chile.
Ibarra, Ecuador.- Guayaquil, Ecuador (since 1970).
Dubrovnik, Croatia.
Porto Alegre, Brazil.
La Paz, Bolivia.
Los Cabos, Mexico (since 2013).- Cancun, Mexico (since 2014).
Contenido relacionado
Rabat
Seismogenic faults in the Region of Murcia
Storm bog