By road, Maldonado and Carmelo are about 232 miles (373 km) apart, or roughly 5 h 14 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.”
| Distance | 232 mi (373 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 5 h 14 min |
| Main roads, in order | I-B |
| Departments on the route | Maldonado, Canelones, San José, Colonia |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 9.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
The Maldonado–Carmelo drive in a few lines
I-B (18 mi) carries about 8% of the 232 miles. It runs through 4 departments: Maldonado, Canelones, San José, Colonia. Of the 8 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Maldonado to Carmelo
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–9 | 9 | Maldonado |
| I-B | 9–27 | 18 | Maldonado |
| connecting roads | 27–28 | 1 | Maldonado |
| local roads | 28–44 | 16 | Maldonado, Canelones |
| connecting roads | 44–45 | 1 | Canelones |
| local roads | 45–56 | 11 | Canelones |
| connecting roads | 56–57 | 1 | Canelones |
| local roads | 57–89 | 32 | Canelones |
| connecting roads | 89–93 | 4 | Canelones |
| local roads | 93–124 | 31 | Canelones, San José |
| connecting roads | 124–127 | 3 | San José |
| local roads | 127–148 | 21 | San José |
| connecting roads | 148–149 | 1 | San José |
| local roads | 149–232 | 83 | San José, Colonia |
- Mile 34 of this route: Maldonado → Canelones (department line)
- Mile 103 of this route: Canelones → San José (department line)
- Mile 150 of this route: San José → Colonia (department line)
Where to stop on the way to Carmelo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (mile 92), Cathedral of San José de Mayo (mile 126), Museo Departamental de San José (mile 126)
- Nature and outdoors: Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station (mile 19), Laguna del Cisne (mile 57), Anchorena Presidential Estate (mile 205)
- Museums and history: Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes (mile 56), Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (mile 92), Cathedral of San José de Mayo (mile 126), Museo Departamental de San José (mile 126), Museum of Rosario Mural Art (mile 165)
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.
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.
Laguna del Cisne
Near Salinas in Canelones, Laguna del Cisne is a subtropical lagoon of about 1.8 km², fed by a watershed of some 50 km², that has supplied drinking water to the Costa de Oro area since 1970.
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.
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.
Museo Departamental de San José
Set in central San José de Mayo, the Museo Departamental de San José is a history and fine arts museum that also runs a library, archives and cultural programs.
Museum of Rosario Mural Art
Rather than a building, the Museum of Rosario Mural Art is a circuit of history-themed murals spread around Rosario, in Uruguay's Colonia department.
Anchorena Presidential Estate
Located in Colonia Department, 208 km from Montevideo, the Anchorena Presidential Estate is a national park that also serves as a rest residence for Uruguay's president.
When you get to Carmelo
Teatro Uamá
Teatro Uamá is a theater in the city of Carmelo, in Uruguay's Colonia department, regarded as the town's leading cultural institution.
Museo del Carmen
Facing Plaza Artigas in Carmelo, the Archivo y Museo del Carmen belongs to the local Carmelo parish and holds religious and historical collections.
More drives to Carmelo
- Paysandú to Carmelo
- Salto to Carmelo
- Tacuarembó to Carmelo
- Rivera to Carmelo
- Artigas to Carmelo
- Minas to Carmelo
From Maldonado to other places in Uruguay
- Maldonado to Nueva Helvecia
- Maldonado to Colonia del Sacramento
- Maldonado to Tacuarembó
- Maldonado to Rivera
- Maldonado to Artigas
- Maldonado to Bella Unión
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Maldonado to Carmelo?
About 5 h 14 min of driving without stops, over 232 miles.
What is the driving distance from Maldonado to Carmelo?
About 232 miles (373 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 Maldonado to Carmelo 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 Maldonado and Carmelo?
Closest to the road: Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (cathedral, mile 92, 0.2 mi from the route); Museo Departamental de San José (history museum, mile 126, 0.7 mi from the route); Cathedral of San José de Mayo (cathedral, mile 126, 0.9 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.