Whether arriving by air or by ferry from Buenos Aires, you’ll be met by an Atelier driver/concierge and helped through Colonia Airport/Port and onwards to your boutique Colonia hotel for check-in. Depending on travel times, take a private walking tour of Colonia del Sacramento to enjoy this UNESCO World Heritage Site, its authentic streets and colonial-era buildings. The Historic Quarter of Colonia del Sacramento dates back to the 17th century, and you get a real sense of history while walking the old squares, original city gates and fort, and museum of Portuguese and Spanish artifacts this afternoon. Spend this evening at leisure, in one of Colonia del Sacramento’s atmospheric restaurants.

The first full day of this Highlights of Uruguay Tour is one for foodies, as you indulge in Uruguay’s fine regional produce, cheese and wine. Uruguayan cuisine combines South America traditions like barbeques and spice, with Mediterranean influences of olive oil and pasta, what’s not to love! You’ll visit Bodega Viñedos y Olivares del Quintón for a personal tour of the vineyards and olive groves, before the all-important wine and oil tastings. Uruguayan wine may be lesser-known than nearby Argentina or Chile, but the country produces many fine varieties – as you’ll taste at the bodega. Next, the gourmet treats keep coming at a local organic cheese producer, before lunch and an afternoon at leisure to explore more of Colonia and its surrounding countryside.

Today, travel west to the city of Carmelo for more highlights of Uruguay, with your ultimate destination being the exclusive Narbona Wine Lodge. Your first stop along the way is the 18th century ruins of Calera de las Huérfanas, an imposing Jesuit Church that’s emblematic of their missions here before being ousted by Spanish Conquistadors. From there, a gentle drive takes you to laidback Puerto Camacho for a leisurely afternoon –cruising the Rio de la Plata and Uruguay River. Aboard a small boat, you’ll sail the Uruguayan coastline and spot wildlife, pass small islands, islets and riverside homes until toasting a scenic sunset; perfection. This evening is spent at Narbona Wine Lodge enjoying gourmet cuisine and of course, fine wines to match.

A Carmelo wine tour is one of the best ways to explore and indulge in this idyllic area of Uruguay. Home to a mix of family-run and exclusive vineyards, Carmelo is known for its bucolic backdrop and love of local produce to accompany the fine wine. 60% of Uruguayan wine is made in this region, and you’ll visit two of Carmelo’s best vineyards for tastings and paired food on Day 4. Beginning at boutique Bodega El Legado, enjoy tasting some of their small-batch labels in an atmospheric stone building, with local cheeses, olives and cured meats for good measure. Having enjoyed the grounds and isolated setting of Bodega El Legado, your next stop is Bodega Cordano for a nostalgic trip back to traditional wine making. Bodega Cordano is proudly authentic and offers a real cultural experience of delicate Uruguayan wine, cheese and countryside views. After a day of indulgence, this evening is spent at leisure around Narbona Wine Lodge.

Next up on this Highlights of Uruguay Tour is the capital, as wineries in Carmelo make way for the culture and history of Montevideo. The drive from Carmelo is relaxing and scenic, leading you to the city where, on arrival, a walking tour of Montevideo Old City shows a different side to Uruguay altogether. Beginning at the Old Citadel Gate, this original 18th century monument is the perfect introduction to the surrounding historic sites of Montevideo. In the company of your private guide, you can visit Independence Square, the beautiful Palacio Salvo and Mausoleum of José Artigas, the Father of Uruguayan independence. Elsewhere around Montevideo Old City you’ll visit Matriz Square, Montevideo Cathedral, and streets of colonial buildings now home to cafes and art studios. Appetite earned, lunch comes at the Port Market where food stalls, BBQs, bars and restaurants get the taste buds tingling. Later, visit the Museum of Pre-Columbian and Indigenous Art, Torres Garcia or Gurvich Museums to see Uruguay’s artistic side.

Today you’ll swap the old for new, with a tour of Montevideo’s modern highlights. Montevideo is an attractive city, as you’ll see with its wide palm-lined streets, sea-facing apartments, plazas, and long sandy beach that frames it all. Depending on your interests, you can visit the congress building at Palacio Legislativo, the monument of Plaza Fabini, or the “open city” of pedestrianized streets, parks and laidback coffee shops. For sports fans the Estadio Centenario is a must, as is the studio of Afro-Uruguayan drummer/percussionist Lobo Nuñez for anyone interested in Uruguayan music, carnival, and historic links with slavery. After a day of exploration and intrigue, this evening can be spent at leisure.

Day 7 of this Highlights of Uruguay Tour takes you back to rural pastures in Pueblo Edén, a small settlement sitting amongst rolling hills and countryside. The journey to get there is a relaxed one, stopping at a large olive grove along the way for olive oil tasting and testing, a gourmet al fresco lunch and accompanying hilltop views. Later, you’ll be taken to your boutique Pueblo Edén hotel for check-in and an evening at leisure in these blissful surrounds.

After a leisurely morning and breakfast, the best way to explore the landscape is a hike on Day 8. The green fields, farming settlements and distant hills of this serene region are motivation enough, though your final destination of Vina Edén winery for a tasting tour and gourmet lunch make today even more satisfying. It can all be taken at your own pace, with your Atelier concierge on-hand to drive back to the hotel once the wine, food, and views of Vina Edén have been fully enjoyed.

The final stop on this Highlights of Uruguay Tour is suitably chic, and yet another side to Uruguay’s diverse culture: Punta del Este. This beachside retreat is awash with luxury yachts, fine dining restaurants, stylish bars and five-star hotels, making for a real contrast to the countryside of Pueblo Edén! Setting off after breakfast, your Atelier concierge will drive from Pueblo Edén to Punta del Este for hotel check-in, and an afternoon at leisure on the beaches and boulevards of this coastal resort. Along the way, you can take a tour of San Rafael, Beverly Hills, Rincón Del Indio and Cantegril Neighborhoods, the Church of Our Lady of the Candelaria, Punta del Este Port or Main Avenue, amongst many more.

There will be plenty of time to enjoy the beaches, boats and boutiques of Punta del Este today, though after breakfast you’ll first travel to the sleepy rural village of Garzon, roughly 1 hour inland. Garzon is a quiet town and good example of countryside living in Uruguay, though the main reason for this tour is a visit to Garzon Winery, an exclusive and elegant hilltop bodega with views of the vines below. Here you can enjoy lunch with paired fine wines and a tour of the vineyard, before returning to Punta del Este for an afternoon at leisure.

There are many top travel spots in Uruguay, none more so than the sandy beaches and rugged coastline surrounding the villages of Valizas and Cabo Polonio, as you’ll see on Day 11 of this Highlights of Uruguay Tour. Taking the time to enjoy a scenic coastal walk, you’ll begin from Valizas and pass beach huts and sand dunes before reaching a Sea Lion colony and nearby lighthouse. Time can be spent here enjoying the Atlantic Ocean views, local beach shacks and atmosphere of this isolated stretch of coastline before heading back to the hotel for an evening amongst the restaurants of Punta del Este.

Another chance to explore the countryside surrounding Punta del Este comes today, though this time on horseback as you summon your inner gaucho and ride towards Laguna Garzon, your final stop. Along the way, remote trails take you past pine forests, sand dunes, local wildlife and ultimately out onto the beach to ride beside the Atlantic Ocean – a truly memorable experience. It’s a scenic and varied ride at your own pace, and fitting end to this Highlights of Uruguay Tour, before arriving at Laguna Garzon as an expert rider and back to Punta del Este for a final evening in your favorite glitzy bar, or gourmet restaurant.

As this wonderful tour comes to an end, you may have time for one final walk around the harbor or beach before being taken back to Monetvideo Airport and your flight home, full of priceless memories of Uruguay.