Colonia was founded in 1680 by the Portuguese and has served as a port for smuggling goods for a number of years. Now Colonia is a quiet resort town with a cultural and bohemian vibe, and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1995.
 
Built in a Portuguese style of stone houses and cobblestoned streets, the historic colonial portion of Colonia reminds visitors of old Lisbon. Travellers now stop to enjoy the excellent restaurants, art and craft shops, museums and the peaceful yacht harbor that give so much character to this city.
A trip to this charming town will seem like a trip back in time. Being only a small body of water away from Buenos Aires, Colonia could be a convenient side-trip on your vacation.
Without a doubt, Colonia is well worth a day. Spend half of it on a guided tour and the other half exploring at your own pace. Several restaurants, bars and beautiful art shops are located in the historic area, among colonial churches and old plazas.
 
Not counting the small airport for private planes in Colonia, the optimal way to get to the city is via a ferry from Buenos Aires. There are about 3 ferries in each direction per day. There is a fast ferry that takes just under an hour, and the slower one, and less expensive, two and a half hours. 

Everything you want to see in Colonia is within easy walking distance, including the port for ferries to Buenos Aires and the bus terminal for transportation to Montevideo and Punta del Este.  Don´t forget to visit the old Real de San Carlos bullfight stadium, now disused but once the esplendorous and unique bullfight arena in the whole country. Its a nice walk along the shore, only 7 kms. away from Colonia.