The Top Things to See and Do in Punta del Este

Originally the workshop of local Carlos Páez Vilaró (1923–2014), best known for his colorful Afro-Uruguayan paintings, the Casapueblo is now a museum and hotel. The nine-story white building clings to a hillside in Punta Ballena, 8mi (13km) from Punta del Este, and the views of the Atlantic from here are as memorable as the museum. Across five rooms, you’ll learn about the artist’s life and travels, before ending the experience with a beer at the terrace bar.

A piece of Las Vegas in Uruguay, this luxury 294-room resort has five restaurants, two pools and a casino that contains three bars. By day, you can lounge around the spa, with its whirlpool and hammam, drink cocktails at the beach club or relax on your balcony (which is a feature of each room). By night, hit the glitzy casino with its 600 slot machines and 75 tables, where you can try your luck at blackjack, poker and roulette.

The neighborhood of Beverly Hills is one of the prettiest in Punta del Este, with its huge houses and even bigger gardens. This gleaming white museum is no exception – but inside is even more exciting. You’ll find Surrealist sculptures by Salvador Dalí, including his melting clock, along with bulbous human figurines by Fernando Botero, and the cartoonish paintings of Beryl Cook. Alongside the European Modernist and Postmodernist work is an incredible collection of Latin American art.

The wooden docks and boats around the port mark the heart of Punta del Este. Fish markets sell their catches, eager sea lions graze on loose produce, and catamarans set sail under the soaring sun. At night, the whole place takes on a party vibe, with some of the restaurants turning into bars and clubs. Start your evening at Moby Dick – open year-round and regularly hosting DJs and live music, it’s the best place to get the party started.

Another landmark of Punta del Este is The Hand, an ominous sculpture depicting five gigantic fingers coming out of the sand. Designed by Chilean artist Mario Irarrázabal as an installation on Brava Beach, “the fingers” (as locals call it) have become something of a mini-pilgrimage site and photography destination. This has even led to a small market being set up next to the fingers, where you can buy souvenirs as you wait to take your classic picture sitting on top of the thumb.

This sprawling museum in La Barra contains 5,000 sea-creature specimens – just, not any that are alive. The old bits and bones, including whale skeletons, starfish, sea urchins and turtle shells, are an education in the biology and geography of these Atlantic shores. Even the exhibits unrecognizably bleached by formaldehyde make for fascinating displays. Along with the antique objects related to seafaring and sailing, this is one of the largest museums of its kind in the world.

The neighborhood of La Barra bursts with life during the summer – especially on the strip of bars and restaurants a few streets back from the beach. Multicolored picnic tables mark out No Me Olvides, a restaurant that’s perennially popular for its buzzing atmosphere, top-notch pizza (try the goat cheese and caramelized onion option) and frozen cocktails, including strawberry daiquiris.

Manantiales has exploded with glamour in recent years, with top-range hotels and moneyed vacationers milling around the beaches. Join the surfers at Bikini Beach, where you can learn how to take on Punta del Este’s famous swells at the surf school – a wooden shack marked with a painted yellow sun. In the deep water out here, you could catch a wave of up to 7ft (2.1m).

Uruguayan contemporary sculptor Pablo Atchugarry is behind this indoor-outdoor art space featuring exhibitions, performances and his own workshop, where the marble monoliths for which he’s famous come to life. The foundation’s highlight is the 74-acre (30ha) sculpture park – Atchugarry curates the park himself, making sure the natural landscape works in harmony with each piece of art. You might even get to speak to the man behind this creative vision.

An under-the-radar A-lister vibe exudes from José Ignacio, a town on the outskirts of Punta del Este. Marked by a century-old lighthouse on the rocky headland of the main beach, take the steps up to the top for romantic views of the Atlantic. Earthy spas, yoga studios and contemporary galleries around here cater to the wealthy crowd, who balance out their evenings of cocktails and fine dining with holistic entertainment.