
Sunrise in sculpture where a giant hand seems to be coming out of the sand.
'Punta del Este' is an upscale vacation spot on the southern tip of
Uruguay, southeast of the town of
Maldonado and about 140 km east of
Montevideo. Although the town has a year round population of 9,334 (2001), it experiences a tourist explosion each summer between Christmas and the end of January.
History
The first Europeans to set foot in what is now Punta del Este were the Spanish at the beginning of the
16th century. However, the colonization of the area actually began around Maldonado at the end of the
18th century due to Portuguese expansionism.
Transportation

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Punta del Este is served by an international airport located near Laguna del Sauce, on the outskirts of the resort, which opened in
1996.
Touristic sites
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Casapueblo museum and art gallery.
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Mueso del Mar
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Conrad Hotel
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La Barra
References
See also
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Saint Tropez
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Miami
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Uruguay
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Montevideo
External links
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Official site
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Tourist Information Punta del Este
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Article about Punta del Este in The New York Times
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Fotos of Punta del Este and Surrounding