Durazno

Durazno started as a river crossing, located where Uruguay Route 5 crosses the Yí River (pronounced like "she"). The city's name, which means "peach" in Spanish, is said to come from a peach tree that was once located at the crossing.
The first president of Uruguay Fructuoso Rivera intended to move the capital of the country from Montevideo to this city. His house at the center of town is now a museum.

By bus

There are buses between Durazno and Montevideo with departures all day long. Expect to pay U$300–400 each way. The trip takes about two and a half hours each way.
There are also buses from other cities, such as Colonia and Rivera.
The bus terminal, , is at the corner of Oribe and Gallinal. It has a convenience store and a restaurant.
Intercity bus service is provided by Nossar, Núñez, Turismar, and Agencia Central. Nossar in particular offers service from a variety of destinations, including international service three times a week from Buenos Aires.

By car

Durazno is located on Route 5, which connects it with Montevideo to the south and Rivera to the north.

You can just walk around, it's a small city. There are taxis waiting at the bus terminal though. You can also call a taxi at +598 4362 6070 or +598 4362 4040.
The centrally located Plaza Independencia, between Oribe, Rivera, Batlle, and Piriz, is an important landmark.

• Museo Histórico

  address: Manuel Oribe 775
  The regional museum with rooms about Uruguayan archaeology (including prehistoric artifacts), local history and Gaucho art, located in a historic building.

• Museo de Arte

  address: Penza 719
  Art museum in a historic building.

• Sports museum

  address: Gral. Manuel Oribe, near the plaza
  Only if you are very interested, it's far from a spectacular museum.

• Iglesia San Pedro de Durazno

  address: next to the Plaza Independencia
  A church by famous architect Eladio Diesde. Nothing to make a special trip for, but the brick interior is architecturally interesting.

• Playa El SauzalSandy beach on the River Yí.

• Monument to Christopher Columbus

  address: Plaza Independencia
  A 14-meter column unveiled in 1892 for the 400th anniversary of Columbus's voyage. On top of it is a spherical time capsule which was filled in 1892 and opened 100 years later, in 1992. Then the city's inhabitants replaced its contents with new messages, to be read in 2092!

• Monumento al Tamboril

  address: corner of Larrañaga and Morquio
  A monument to the tabor (tamboril), a type of drum—the only such monument in the world!

For most of the year, there's not all that much to do in Durazno. The exception is when there's a large event in town.

• Pop music festival, (annually in January).

• Mes de DuraznoCelebrated every October to commemorate the founding of the city. Come to the parks and plazas, including , to see celebrations and folklore.

• Durazno Rock

  address: Parque de la Hispanidad
  A big rock festival held in October. The first one, years ago, was like the Woodstock of Uruguay—so unexpectedly big that people were renting out their backyards for concertgoers to camp in.

Durazno's tortas fritas are known for being the largest in Uruguay.
There are various restaurants on Gral. Manuel Oribe and around the various plazas.

• Pan y Vino

  phone: +598 4362 8561
  address: in the same building as the bus terminal
  A popular place.

• La Farola

  phone: +598 4362 6181
  address: 18 de Julio 412
  Pizza and other typical Uruguayan food, with nostalgic decorations. Stays open later than most restaurants in town—usually until sometime around midnight, give or take, depending on how much traffic they're getting.

Two bars in Gral. Manuel Oribe, near the bus terminal. Gets crowded around 1-2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

• Sorocabana

  phone: +598 4362 2456
  address: 18 de Julio 452
  A quiet café that still has the original chairs and marble-topped tables dating back to its establishment in 1942. Formerly part of a chain, the Durazno location is the only one in the country that's still open.

Budget

• Camping "33 Orientales"A nice, quiet campground in the woods, next to Playa El Sauzal by the River Yí.

Mid-range

• Hotel Central

  phone: +598 4362-0305
  address: Manuel Oribe 699 esq. Monseñor Arrospide

Splurge

• Hotel Santa Cristina

  phone: +598 4362 2525
  address: Ruta 5 km 178
  Beautiful, if a bit far from the main part of the city.

Free public wifi is available at the Plaza Independencia. Look for the network "Ceibal".

• Chamanga
• Gruta del Palacio