Best Things To Do In Piriapolis, Uruguay: 8 Activities And Spots

1. Castle of Piria: the Italian heritage

1/2 Castillo de Piria - Piriápolis (Maldonado)

2/2 Castillo de Piria - Sendero de entrada - Piriápolis (Maldonado)

To feel like a princess or a king, visit the stunning Piria Castle. It was built in 1897 by the Italian architect Aquiles Monzani. Located at the Pan de Azucar hill, you will enjoy the beautiful view from the top, overlooking Piriapolis. The gardens and parks surrounding the castle are full of statues, known as the Terracotta statues, also made by Italian sculptors. You can visit up and down, inside and out; there’s even stables to see. Everything to travel back in time in this mix of Latin heritage.

Castle of Piria

Address: 37 Km. 7, 20200 Piriapolis, Departamento de Maldonado, Uruguay

Website: Castle of Piria

2. Del Toro hill: up with the bull

1/2 Cerro del Toro 02

2/2 Toro - Cerro del Toro - Detalle de cabeza - Piriápolis (Maldonado)

From the 240 meter (787 feet) high Del Toro Hill, the Spanish army use to monitor the territory, waiting for enemy ships that might come. Nowadays, is a touristic spot for people to enjoy the walk up through the Sierra de las Ánimas and feast their eyes on the panoramic views. It’s also a music event venue. If you are lucky, you might catch a live performance during your visit. An interesting sight is the Del Toro fountain, in the shape of an iron bull spitting water. It’s huge. A good opportunity to take some holiday pictures, so don’t forget to bring your camera.

Del Toro hill

Address: Piriapolis

Website: Del Toro hill

3. San Antonio hill: the romantic top

1/2 Cerro San Antonio de Piriápolis

2/2 Vista del Cerro San Antonio en Piriapolis

If you are looking for a romantic spot, this is the perfect one. It is known as a famous place to get engaged. The San Antonio hill is at 130 meters (426 feet) high and from the top you have a marvelous view of not only Piriapolis, but also Punta del Este, Punta Colorada, Punta Negra, and Punta Ballena. You can access the top by car or with chairlifts. Watch the beach, the ocean, the rivers, the forest, the highways, the cities and villages, all at once from this beautiful hill. And maybe, say yes!

San Antonio hill

Address: Piriapolis

Website: San Antonio hill

4. The Virgen de los Pescadores (also known as Stella Maris)

Before you go up to the top of San Antonio, you might want to stop by and pay a visit to the Fisherman’s Virgin, a statue that has rested at the bottom of the hill since the beginning of the 19th-century. It was built by an Italian sculptor and was placed overlooking the bay, to protect the fisherman. That is the reason of its name. See some of the oldest stone constructions of the city.

Stella Maris

Address: San Antonio Hill, Piriapolis, Uruguay

Website: Stella Maris

5. La Cascada Park: for a picnic day

The perfect location for a picnic, a day out, refreshing in the cold water and playing sports. The venue was developed in 1899 by Francisco Piria as one of the first places for tourists uses in Piriapolis. Here there’s a waterfall, surrounded by the forest. To spend the day, you will find all the comforts like restrooms, and barbecues to make your Uruguayan traditional asado.

Cascada Park

Address: Zufrateguy, 20200 Piriapolis, Departamento de Maldonado, Uruguay

Website: Cascada Park

6. Pasiva's Walk (Paseo de la Pasiva)

This is a place to go with a budget. At the Pasiva’s Walk you’ll find a great artisan fair with local and regional products both from Uruguay and Argentina. Artisans sign up every year to be part of the fair and sell their creations to tourists. Here you can find clothes, jewelry, leather objects, wood objects and also stone made products. If you visit during the summer, you have time to walk around because the fair is open all day and on some days, even 24 hours. The schedule is more restricted during winter season, but is still open, especially on weekends.

Pasiva's Walk

Address: Rambla de los Argentinos & Atanasio Sierra, Piriapolis, Maldonado, Uruguay

Website: Pasiva’s Walk

7. La Rinconada Beach: sports zone

Are you a sports enthusiast? Don’t think that holidays are an excuse to stop your regular physical activity. Especially if you travel to Piriapoles. There’s a perfect place to continue training and that is the Rinconada Beach. From free football fields to volleyball courts, spend a day on the beach practicing your favorite sports. During summer, water sports like windsurf are a big hit and from time to time you will find some professional teams playing.

Rinconada Beach

Website: Rinconada Beach

8. Pittamiglio's Castle: another fairy tale experience

1/2 Castillo Pittamiglio frente

2/2 Las Flores -Castillo Pittamiglio Interior Estatuilla

If you want to take an interesting tour to complete your Uruguayan adventure, a good idea is to go to the very near city of Las Flores, where, among other things, you can visit the castle of Humberto Pittamiglio. The great thing about this castle; it’s not only the location, but also the unique architecture that makes it complete and with everything a fairy tale castle should have - a medieval facade, towers, bridges, passageways, and gardens. You can visit with family and if you go with kids, they will have a wonderful time playing with their imagination.

Pittamiglio's Castle

Address: Rambla Mahatma Gandhi 633, 11300 Montevideo, Uruguay

Website: Pittamiglio’s Castle

Piriapolis is a unique experience you shouldn't miss

If you are unsure about which places in Latin America you should visit one in a lifetime, now you are probably adding Piriapolis to your list. It’s a wonderful resort with beach, city, towns, hills, markets and even castles to spend a few weeks having fun and also relaxing.