By road, Durazno and Cabo Polonio are about 272 miles (438 km) apart, or roughly 6 h 28 min of driving.
Full advisory: Uruguay. Advisory issued: Uruguay July 28, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Uruguay: “Several of the main highways are particularly accident-ridden.”
| Total distance | 272 mi (438 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 6 h 28 min |
| Main roads, in order | I-B |
| Departments on the route | Durazno, Florida, Canelones, Maldonado, Rocha |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 10.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
How the Durazno to Cabo Polonio drive plays out
I-B (5 mi) carries about 2% of the 272 miles. It runs through 5 departments: Durazno, Florida, Canelones, Maldonado, Rocha. Of the 8 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Durazno to Cabo Polonio: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–150 | 150 | Durazno, Florida, Canelones, Maldonado |
| I-B | 150–155 | 5 | Maldonado |
| connecting roads | 155–156 | 1 | Maldonado |
| local roads | 156–272 | 116 | Maldonado, Rocha |
- Mile 10 of this route: Durazno → Florida (department line)
- Mile 76 of this route: Florida → Canelones (department line)
- Mile 145 of this route: Canelones → Maldonado (department line)
- Mile 203 of this route: Maldonado → Rocha (department line)
Where to stop on the way to Cabo Polonio
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Histórico Departamental de Florida (mile 55), Piedra Alta (mile 56), Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (mile 86), Observatorio Astronómico del CURE (mile 218)
- Nature and outdoors: Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station (mile 156), La Sirena Beach (mile 261)
- Museums and history: Museo Histórico Departamental de Florida (mile 55), Piedra Alta (mile 56), Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (mile 86), Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes (mile 122)
Museo Histórico Departamental de Florida
This history museum is located in the central part of Florida, capital of the Uruguayan department of the same name, on Rivera street.
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.
Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Construction of Canelones' Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe began in 1816; the church became a cathedral in 1961 and Uruguay's national shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in 2020.
Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes
Since 2021, UNESCO has counted Eladio Dieste's Church of Christ the Worker among its World Heritage Sites. The engineer's brick church in Estación Atlántida was inaugurated in 1960 and is known for its undulating walls and roof.
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.
Observatorio Astronómico del CURE
Run by the University of the Republic's eastern campus (CURE), this small observatory in Rocha opened in 2016 and uses a 30 cm reflector telescope under a motorized dome for teaching, research and public outreach.
Teatro 25 de Mayo
Rocha's Teatro 25 de Mayo opened in 1910 as an Italian-style theater in the eclectic style, with room for about 400 people. Now a cultural complex, it is a stop on the city's self-guided heritage walk.
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 Cabo Polonio
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 Cabo Polonio
- Mercedes, Uruguay to Cabo Polonio
- Rivera to Cabo Polonio
- Paysandú to Cabo Polonio
- Salto to Cabo Polonio
- Bella Unión to Cabo Polonio
- Fray Bentos to Cabo Polonio
From Durazno to other places in Uruguay
- Durazno to Atlántida
- Durazno to Piriápolis
- Durazno to Punta del Este
- Durazno to La Paloma
- Durazno to Barra de Valizas
- Durazno to Chuy
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Durazno to Cabo Polonio?
About 6 h 28 min of driving without stops, over 272 miles.
How far is Cabo Polonio from Durazno by car?
About 272 miles (438 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 Durazno to Cabo Polonio?
The U.S. State Department rates Uruguay Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Where can you stop on the way from Durazno to Cabo Polonio?
Closest to the road: Piedra Alta (historic site, mile 56, 0.4 mi from the route); Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (cathedral, mile 86, 0.7 mi from the route); Observatorio Astronómico del CURE (astronomical observatory, mile 218, 0.3 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.