Maldonado is emerging as one of Uruguay’s hottest wine destinations. With the wineries of Garzon, Alto de la Ballena, Viña Edén, Cerro del Toro and Bodega Oceánica José Ignacio being just a few worth visiting, this is one of the upcoming star wine regions of South America and a joy to visit. Check out our guide to visiting Maldonado.
How to get around Maldonado wine country
Maldonado is a pleasure to drive around, so hiring a car or organising a driver would always be my first recommendation for visiting the wineries and beaches. Otherwise there are a handful of wine tour companies in Punta del Este.
You can easily get to Maldonado from neighbouring Canelones and Montevideo (it’s only a couple of hours drive) or you can fly into Punta del Este directly. Both Montevideo and Punta del Este airports have international flights.
Where to eat & drink in Maldonado
Punta del Este and La Barra have a plethora of good restaurants, but one of the hot spots to visit is La Huella (Calle de Los Cisnes) in José Ignacio for seafood and steaks grilled to perfection on a picture-perfect sandy beach. For fine-dining in Punta del Este, try Lo de Tere (Rambla del Puerto), which has a great wine list too. The wineries around Maldonado also offer some exceptional cuisine, especially Balasto Wine Bar (Bodega Garzón), where Francis Mallmann’s team make top tapas and grills, or you can visit his other famed restaurant in the nearby village Garzón.
Learn all about the Maldonado wine region in our full guide!
Where to stay in Maldonado
You may as well stay on the beach while in Maldonado, and the most peaceful luxury resort is Playa & Bahia VIK, owned by the same family who have the gorgeous VIK winery and hotel in Chile. They also have Estancia VIK inland, which also puts architecture, art and comfort to the fore.
Another hotel with iconic architecture in Maldonado is Casa Pueblo, which spills over the coastal hillsides of Punta Ballena like a white vision of Santorini and was designed by artist Carlos Páez Vilaró to reflect the typical birds nests of Uruguay.
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