Uruguay: Punta del Este
Beyond its golden beaches, Punta del Este reveals a destination shaped by creativity and quiet sophistication. Here, art and cinema thrive alongside refined hospitality, while a spirit of openness and cultural exchange draws an international crowd. It’s a coastal haven where ideas flow freely and life feels full of opportunity.
Checking in
Felice Kofler
As the manager of family-run, 21-bedroom hotel Posada Ayana, Felice Kofler has seen the effect José Ignacio’s unspoiled beaches have on visitors. “Immediately you feel at ease and connected to the place and the people,” says Kofler.
Guests are becoming locals in José Ignacio, with several visitors spurred to invest locally or buy homes. “There’s a lightness,” says Kofler.
Cinematic ambitions
Fiona Pittaluga
José Ignacio International Film Festival co-founder Fiona Pittaluga helps give Uruguay its cinematic heartbeat. Every January, under open skies, audiences gather to watch films together. Post‑screening conversations spill into cafés and the shade of sun umbrellas. Here families linger after the credits, friends reunite on the dunes, and neighbours swap recommendations under starry skies. “Uruguayans make visitors feel near and included,” says Pittaluga. “There’s a combination of freedom and closeness.”
Year‑round initiatives are drawing streaming networks to Uruguay. Support for film is a key part of public policy through generous tax rebates.
Artistic vision
Laura Bardier
Laura Bardier founded contemporary art fair Este Arte to elevate the region’s scene with a platform where gallerists, curators and collectors can mix over long summer nights. The fair proves it is possible to create “a tailor-made model,” says Bardier, creating “a human-scale, sustainable and excellent art market” within Uruguay.
Programming at venues such as MACA (pictured below) connects visitors with local talent, bringing to life Uruguay’s values of trust, stability and inclusiveness.
