Discovering Punta del Este

Flanked more than 12 miles of fabulous beach, The Grand Hotel Punta del Este is the perfect place to kick back, catch some rays or dive into various water sports.

But there’s more to the chic Uruguay than just fabulous beaches. The hotel is conveniently located for exploring the city’s vibrant shopping, dining and nightlife scene, as well as local museums, parks and public art.

With more than 65,000 square feet of exhibition space, the Punta del Este Ralli Museum on Los Arrayanes Street boasts one of continent’s most impressive arrays of Latin American art. The permanent collections features works by Colombian painter and sculptor Fernando Botero Angulo, Chilean painter Enrique Campuzano, and Brazilian painter Adelio Sarro, as well as renowned European artists such as Salvador Dali, Amadeo Modigliani and Rene Magritte. And the best part, it’s free.

The underwater world is the focus of the Museo del Mar (Museum of the Sea), an assemblage of natural and human history collection that includes exhibits on oceanography, the history of pirates and the history of beach resorts, as well as an insectarium.

Away from the shore, the Fundacion Pablo Atchugarry offers a beautiful park-like setting for sculptures by the Uruguayan artist Pablo Atchugarry and other international artists, plus live events and art shows.

Punta del Este’s most conspicuous piece of public art is La Mano,  a giant concrete hand rising from the sand at Brava Beach — and a perfect location for a selfie.

Take a stroll through the Lussich Arboretum and you’ll come across some of the more than 400 exotic plant species and around 70 Uruguayan tree species that flourish at the botanical garden — started by a ship captain who brought seeds back from his travels over 100 years ago. Admission is free.

Clustered around the Plaza del Faro in the old town are the sky blue, white and terra cotta-colored Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria (Church of Our Lady of Candelaria), the 1860 Punta del Este Lighthouse, and the Meteorological Station tower.