Salto to Colonia del Sacramento is about 259 road miles (417 km): roughly 6 h 28 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: “Illumination, pavement markings, and road surfaces for secondary roads can be poor.”
| Distance by road | 259 mi (417 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 6 h 28 min |
| Departments on the route | Salto, Paysandú, Río Negro, Soriano, Colonia |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 10.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
How the Salto to Colonia del Sacramento drive plays out
It runs through 5 departments: Salto, Paysandú, Río Negro, Soriano, Colonia. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Salto to Colonia del Sacramento
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–147 | 147 | Salto, Paysandú, Río Negro, Soriano |
| connecting roads | 147–149 | 2 | Soriano |
| local roads | 149–259 | 110 | Soriano, Colonia |
- Mile 8 of this route: Salto → Paysandú (department line)
- Mile 90 of this route: Paysandú → Río Negro (department line)
- Mile 145 of this route: Río Negro → Soriano (department line)
- Mile 199 of this route: Soriano → Colonia (department line)
Places worth a stop between Salto and Colonia del Sacramento
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Termas del Guaviyú (mile 35), Cathedral of Mercedes (mile 146), Museo Municipal Profesor Roselli (mile 198)
- Nature and outdoors: Termas del Guaviyú (mile 35), Agraciada Beach (mile 195), Anchorena Presidential Estate (mile 245)
- Museums and history: Nuestra Señora del Rosario y San Benito de Palermo, Paysandú (mile 73), Cathedral of Mercedes (mile 146), Calera Real del Dacá (mile 146), Museo Municipal Profesor Roselli (mile 198), Museo del Carmen (mile 213)
Termas del Guaviyú
Next to Guaviyú Creek at kilometer 432 of Route 3 in Paysandú department, Termas del Guaviyú is a hot spring complex in northwestern Uruguay.
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.
Cathedral of Mercedes
Since 1960, the Diocese of Mercedes has had its seat at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mercy, the main Catholic church in this Uruguayan city.
Calera Real del Dacá
On the eastern edge of Mercedes beside the Dacá stream, the ruins of the Calera Real lime works date to 1722 and are considered the region's first industrial site; recent works added visitor circuits, lighting and interpretive signs.
Agraciada Beach
On the eastern bank of the Uruguay River in Soriano department, Agraciada Beach is a historic beach area facing Argentina's Entre Ríos province.
Museo Municipal Profesor Roselli
Nueva Palmira's municipal museum, also known as the Museo Roselli, is named for its first director, Professor Francisco Lucas Rosselli.
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.
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.
Arriving in Colonia del Sacramento
Colonia del Sacramento Lighthouse
Erected in 1857 on the ruins of the Saint Francis Xavier convent, the Colonia del Sacramento Lighthouse stands in the town's historic district in Uruguay.
Museo del Origami
Set in the historic district of Colonia del Sacramento, Museo del Origami is a nonprofit museum devoted to the art of paper folding and part of Uruguay's national museum system.
Museo Paleontológico Profesor Armando Calcaterra
In the Real de San Carlos area of Colonia del Sacramento, Museo Paleontológico Profesor Armando Calcaterra shows about 1,600 pieces, including fossil vertebrates and invertebrates and Indigenous artifacts.
More drives to Colonia del Sacramento
- Mercedes, Uruguay to Colonia del Sacramento
- Paysandú to Colonia del Sacramento
- Tacuarembó to Colonia del Sacramento
- Rivera to Colonia del Sacramento
- Artigas to Colonia del Sacramento
- Florida, Uruguay to Colonia del Sacramento
From Salto to other places in Uruguay
- Salto to Mercedes, Uruguay
- Salto to Carmelo
- Salto to Nueva Helvecia
- Salto to Veinticinco de Agosto
- Salto to Fray Marcos
- Salto to Minas
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Salto to Colonia del Sacramento?
About 6 h 28 min of driving without stops, over 259 miles.
What is the driving distance from Salto to Colonia del Sacramento?
About 259 miles (417 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 Salto to Colonia del Sacramento?
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 Salto to Colonia del Sacramento?
Closest to the road: Termas del Guaviyú (hot spring, mile 35, 0.6 mi from the route); Cathedral of Mercedes (cathedral, mile 146, 0.7 mi from the route); Museo Municipal Profesor Roselli (museum, mile 198, 0.8 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.