La Paloma

One of the main oceanic swimming resorts in the Department of Rocha, La Paloma (the pigeon) is also one of the most ancient and beautiful in Uruguay. It owes its name to the old sailors, mostly fishermen, who would visualize the silhouette of a pigeon on its shore, a shape created by the great amount of waves and rocks surrounding the coastline.

This spot is characterized by its beautiful beaches, whether spacious or tiny, which offer visitors various alternatives, as well as remarkable quietness. The cold temperatures of the winter and the heat of the summer are ideal to visit two versions of the same Paloma: the solitude of cold weather and the crowd that comes along with the warmer temperatures.

Located exactly on Cape Santa María, La Paloma lies 240 kilometers away from Montevideo, 160 kilometers away from Chuy and 100 kilometers away from glamorous Punta del Este. To reach this spot from Montevideo, visitors must take the Ruta Interbalnearia (the road joining all the seaside resorts) up to its junction with Route 9 and then continue along the same up to Route 15, which reaches this destination.

The steady population of La Paloma is 5,300 inhabitants, but in the summer the number is multiplied due to the thousands of tourists arriving from all over the country and the neighboring countries.
Its downtown area is small but it has everything necessary to satisfy the visitors' needs. The most modern and luxurious buildings in this small summer village are located to both sides of Solari Avenue, the main street. It also lodges most of the stores in town, a casino, the typical handicrafts market and some cinemas that make the district livelier when the sun sets and the night falls.

The old village shell nestles the most ancient and traditional buildings, where the first dwellers used to reside. These lodgings lie close to the lighthouse or opposite La Tuna Island.

The beaches, each of them with its own geographical features, satisfy a diversity of tastes amongst habitués and visitors: beaches of quiet waters, such as the bay area, or with brave waters, like Anaconda. And the best sunsets in the world are watched from La Balconada. Los Botes is a beach chosen by visitors to take long strolls.

La Paloma is the ideal scenery for vacations. A marvelous site awaiting each visitor to shine, to fly.