By road, Minas and Carmelo are about 220 miles (354 km) apart, or roughly 5 h 11 min of driving.
Full advisory: Uruguay. Advisory issued: Uruguay July 28, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Uruguay: “Traffic fatalities are high in Uruguay.”
| Distance | 220 mi (354 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 5 h 11 min |
| Departments on the route | Lavalleja, Canelones, San José, Colonia |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 8.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
How the Minas to Carmelo drive plays out
It runs through 4 departments: Lavalleja, Canelones, San José, Colonia. Of the 6 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Minas to Carmelo
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–78 | 78 | Lavalleja, Canelones |
| connecting roads | 78–81 | 3 | Canelones |
| local roads | 81–112 | 31 | Canelones, San José |
| connecting roads | 112–116 | 4 | San José |
| local roads | 116–136 | 20 | San José |
| connecting roads | 136–137 | 1 | San José |
| local roads | 137–220 | 83 | San José, Colonia |
- Mile 25 of this route: Lavalleja → Canelones (department line)
- Mile 91 of this route: Canelones → San José (department line)
- Mile 139 of this route: San José → Colonia (department line)
Stops between Minas and Carmelo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (mile 80), Cathedral of San José de Mayo (mile 114)
- Nature and outdoors: Laguna del Cisne (mile 45), Anchorena Presidential Estate (mile 194)
- Museums and history: Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes (mile 44), Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (mile 80), Cathedral of San José de Mayo (mile 114), Museum of Rosario Mural Art (mile 153)
Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes
Wavy brick walls and a rippling brick roof define this church in Estación Atlántida, along with an openwork brick bell tower and a baptistery set underground. Engineer Eladio Dieste designed it, and it opened in 1960.
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.
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
- Maldonado to Carmelo
From Minas to other places in Uruguay
- Minas to Veinticinco de Agosto
- Minas to Nueva Helvecia
- Minas to Colonia del Sacramento
- Minas to Conchillas
- Minas to Bella Unión
- Minas to Chuy
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Minas to Carmelo?
About 5 h 11 min of driving without stops, over 220 miles.
How far is Carmelo from Minas by car?
About 220 miles (354 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 Minas to Carmelo?
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 Minas to Carmelo?
Closest to the road: Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (cathedral, mile 80, 0.2 mi from the route); Cathedral of San José de Mayo (cathedral, mile 114, 0.9 mi from the route); Museum of Rosario Mural Art (art museum, mile 153, 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.