"Carmelo" Carmelo by barryg23

We visited Carmelo on a day trip from Colonia del Sacramento, where we were staying for 4 days. Carmelo lies back along the coast towards Argentina, about 75 km west of Colonia. It's a much smaller place than Colonia and receives very few if any tourists.

The town dates from 1816 and like many colonial towns there are plenty of churches, squares and cobblestoned streets. The main attraction here is probably the beach, which is about 15 minutes walk from the centre of town and is a pleasant spot, though we were visiting out of season so it was too cold for swimming or sunbathing.

Colonia can't really compare with Colonia, but if you have the time it makes a nice escape from the crowds. It's probably best to time your visit for beach season from December to March.

• Pros:Beautiful beach, very few tourists
• Cons:Not too much to keep you here outside of summer
• In a nutshell:A very relaxed town in a relaxed country