By road, Artigas and Fray Marcos are about 344 miles (553 km) apart, or roughly 7 h 48 min of driving.
Full advisory: Uruguay. Advisory issued: Uruguay July 28, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Uruguay: “Illumination, pavement markings, and road surfaces for secondary roads can be poor.”
| Total distance | 344 mi (553 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 48 min |
| Departments on the route | Artigas, Salto, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Durazno, Florida |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 5 |
What the drive from Artigas to Fray Marcos is like
It runs through 6 departments: Artigas, Salto, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Durazno, Florida. Of the 5 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Artigas to Fray Marcos: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–84 | 84 | Artigas, Salto, Rivera |
| connecting roads | 84–85 | 1 | Rivera |
| local roads | 85–329 | 244 | Rivera, Tacuarembó, Durazno, Florida |
| connecting roads | 329–332 | 3 | Florida |
| local roads | 332–344 | 12 | Florida |
- Mile 45 of this route: Artigas → Salto (department line)
- Mile 58 of this route: Salto → Rivera (department line)
- Mile 107 of this route: Rivera → Tacuarembó (department line)
- Mile 217 of this route: Tacuarembó → Durazno (department line)
- Mile 265 of this route: Durazno → Florida (department line)
Where to stop on the way to Fray Marcos
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo de Artes Visuales de Tacuarembó (mile 127), Casa de Rivera, Durazno (mile 255), Cathedral of Florida (mile 309), Piedra Alta (mile 310)
- Nature and outdoors: Chorro de Agua Fría (mile 153)
- Museums and history: Museo de Artes Visuales de Tacuarembó (mile 127), Casa de Rivera, Durazno (mile 255), Cathedral of Florida (mile 309), Piedra Alta (mile 310)
Museo de Artes Visuales de Tacuarembó
The Museum of Visual Arts of Tacuarembó (Museo de Artes Visuales) is a museum in the city of Tacuarembó, Uruguay.
Chorro de Agua Fría
In Uruguay's Tacuarembó Department, Chorro de Agua Fría is a waterfall that drops roughly 14 meters, the highest uninterrupted fall in the country.
Casa de Rivera, Durazno
Facing Plaza Independencia in Durazno, the Casa de Fructuoso Rivera (Casa de Rivera) is one of the town's main heritage sites and now houses the department's historical museum.
Cathedral of Florida
Florida's cathedral basilica is also Uruguay's national shrine of the Virgin of the Thirty-Three, the country's patroness, and keeps the original image; look for its bronze door by sculptor José Belloni and his son Stelio, stained glass and domes.
Piedra Alta
On the banks of the Santa Lucía Chico River outside the city of Florida, Piedra Alta is a rock formation of historic importance that appears on the department's coat of arms and flag.
More drives to Fray Marcos
- Nueva Helvecia to Fray Marcos
- Colonia del Sacramento to Fray Marcos
- Carmelo to Fray Marcos
- Paysandú to Fray Marcos
- Rivera to Fray Marcos
- Salto to Fray Marcos
From Artigas to other places in Uruguay
- Artigas to Mercedes, Uruguay
- Artigas to Carmelo
- Artigas to Colonia del Sacramento
- Artigas to Conchillas
- Artigas to Nueva Helvecia
- Artigas to Veinticinco de Agosto
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Artigas to Fray Marcos?
About 7 h 48 min of driving without stops, over 344 miles.
How far is Fray Marcos from Artigas by car?
About 344 miles (553 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
Is it safe to drive from Artigas to Fray Marcos?
The U.S. State Department rates Uruguay Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What are good stops between Artigas and Fray Marcos?
Closest to the road: Museo de Artes Visuales de Tacuarembó (museum, mile 127, 0.7 mi from the route); Casa de Rivera, Durazno (historic house museum, mile 255, 0.3 mi from the route); Piedra Alta (historic site, mile 310, 0.4 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on October 10, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.