Bella Unión to Barra de Valizas is about 542 road miles (873 km): roughly 11 h 26 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
Full advisory: Uruguay. Advisory issued: Uruguay July 28, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Uruguay: “If you are in an accident involving injury, stay in place until a police officer arrives.”
| Distance by road | 542 mi (873 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 11 h 26 min |
| Main roads, in order | I-B |
| Departments on the route | Artigas, Salto, Paysandú, Río Negro, Flores, San José, Canelones, Maldonado, Rocha |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
On the road from Bella Unión to Barra de Valizas
I-B (5 mi) carries about 1% of the 542 miles. It runs through 9 departments: Artigas, Salto, Paysandú, Río Negro, Flores, San José, Canelones, Maldonado, Rocha. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Bella Unión and Barra de Valizas
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–425 | 425 | Artigas, Salto, Paysandú, Río Negro, Flores, San José, Canelones, Maldonado |
| I-B | 425–430 | 5 | Maldonado |
| connecting roads | 430–431 | 1 | Maldonado |
| local roads | 431–542 | 111 | Maldonado, Rocha |
- Mile 37 of this route: Artigas → Salto (department line)
- Mile 93 of this route: Salto → Paysandú (department line)
- Mile 185 of this route: Paysandú → Río Negro (department line)
- Mile 240 of this route: Río Negro → Flores (department line)
- Mile 301 of this route: Flores → San José (department line)
- Mile 350 of this route: San José → Canelones (department line)
- Mile 420 of this route: Canelones → Maldonado (department line)
- Mile 477 of this route: Maldonado → Rocha (department line)
Stops between Bella Unión and Barra de Valizas
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Termas del Daymán (mile 92), Reserva de Flora y fauna Dr. Rodolfo Tálice (mile 268)
- Nature and outdoors: Termas del Daymán (mile 92), Reserva de Flora y fauna Dr. Rodolfo Tálice (mile 268), Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station (mile 431), La Sirena Beach (mile 536)
- Museums and history: Museo del Centro Cultural Casa Horacio Quiroga (mile 88), Museo del Hombre y la Tecnología (mile 88), Nuestra Señora del Rosario y San Benito de Palermo, Paysandú (mile 159), Cathedral of San José de Mayo (mile 331), Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes (mile 397)
Museo del Centro Cultural Casa Horacio Quiroga
In Salto, the Museo del Centro Cultural Casa Horacio Quiroga (Casa Quiroga) tells the life and work of writer Horacio Quiroga inside a house that was one of his family's summer homes.
Museo del Hombre y la Tecnología
In Uruguay's Salto department, the Museo del Hombre y la Tecnología shows how changing technology has shaped daily life in Uruguay and elsewhere.
Termas del Daymán
Termas del Daymán is a hot springs center on the banks of the Daymán River, about 10 kilometers from the city of Salto.
Nuestra Señora del Rosario y San Benito de Palermo, Paysandú
Paysandú's Catholic parish church of Our Lady of the Rosary and St. Benedict of Palermo was named a minor basilica in 1949 and remains an active parish of the city.
Reserva de Flora y fauna Dr. Rodolfo Tálice
Off Route 3 near Trinidad, the Dr. Rodolfo Tálice Ecopark (Reserva de Flora y Fauna Dr. Rodolfo Talice) is a fenced wildlife reserve where axis deer, greater rheas and pampas deer roam free alongside other species.
Cathedral of San José de Mayo
The main Catholic church of San José de Mayo, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph has been the diocesan seat since 1955, a minor basilica since 1957 and Uruguay's national shrine of Saint Joseph.
Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes
Engineer Eladio Dieste's Church of Christ the Worker in Estación Atlántida, inaugurated in 1960, joined UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2021. Look for its wavy brick walls and roof, an openwork brick bell tower and an underground baptistery.
Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station
Near Piriápolis in Maldonado, this breeding station for native wildlife on Cerro Pan de Azúcar is surrounded by native vegetation and offers guided visits, including a native wildlife trail and a path up the hill.
La Sirena Beach
About 2.5 km north of Aguas Dulces, La Sirena is one of Uruguay's two official naturist beaches, backed by vegetated dunes, small marshes, lagoons and pine and acacia woods where coastal birds are common.
Once you reach Barra de Valizas
Parque nacional Cabo Polonio
Part of Uruguay's national protected areas system since 2009, Cabo Polonio National Park spans 25,820 hectares of coastline, ocean and offshore islands.
Cabo Polonio Lighthouse
Standing on the Cabo Polonio headland in Uruguay's Rocha department, this lighthouse looks out over the Atlantic Ocean and was built in 1881.
Dunes of Cabo Polonio
Inside Cabo Polonio National Park in Uruguay's Rocha department, a band of natural sand dunes runs along the Atlantic Ocean.
More drives to Barra de Valizas
- Maldonado to Barra de Valizas
- Montevideo to Barra de Valizas
- Veinticinco de Agosto to Barra de Valizas
- Nueva Helvecia to Barra de Valizas
- Colonia del Sacramento to Barra de Valizas
- Conchillas to Barra de Valizas
From Bella Unión to other places in Uruguay
- Bella Unión to Veinticinco de Agosto
- Bella Unión to Fray Marcos
- Bella Unión to Piriápolis
- Bella Unión to Atlántida
- Bella Unión to Alejandro Gallinal
- Bella Unión to Cabo Polonio
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Bella Unión to Barra de Valizas?
About 11 h 26 min of driving without stops, over 542 miles.
How far is Barra de Valizas from Bella Unión by car?
About 542 miles (873 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.
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Bella Unión to Barra de Valizas drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Uruguay Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What are good stops between Bella Unión and Barra de Valizas?
Closest to the road: Termas del Daymán (hot spring, mile 92, 0.2 mi from the route); Nuestra Señora del Rosario y San Benito de Palermo, Paysandú (basilica, mile 159, 2 mi from the route); Reserva de Flora y fauna Dr. Rodolfo Tálice (botanical garden, mile 268, 0.2 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.