Fray Bentos

Fray-Bentos - Photos : 1 y 3: Marcelo Sola / 2: Ricardo Giusti

nown as "romance of the sun, the cliff and the river", Fray Bentos was conceived as a river city and as an open way to the tourist-commercial movement as a result of its location on the banks of the Uruguay River. Capital of the Department of Río Negro, this is an authentic port city that still preserves its natural features with waters deep enough to shelter deep draft boats.

Three national routes reach Fray Bentos from all the corners of Uruguay, namely: Route 2, which joins the city with the Western littoral; Route 3, the spine of the country; and the joint of both into Route 24, which make it close to any other destination. Furthermore, this beautiful Uruguayan city is connected with the City of Gualeguaychú in the Republic of Argentina through the Libertador General San Martín international bridge.

The climate in this region is temperate and humid, with temperatures ranging between 17° and 20° C in the summertime and dropping considerably during the winter.

Fray Bentos invites visitors to enjoy tours around the promenade and have constant contact with nature and the river. Las Cañas bathing resort, famous for its sandy beaches, its nautical sports and fishing, lies 8 kilometers away from the city.

In the surroundings of the city, lies Barrio Anglo, declared National Historical Monument, where a group of over 100 houses from the late XIX century with English and German reminiscences surround the former Anglo slaughter house. The museum housed by this venue is worth a visit.

Young Theater, Constitución and Artigas Squares, the public amphitheater and the Solari Museum are other sites of interest opening their gates to the curious looks of visitors.

Lately, Fray Bentos has experienced a significant demographic and economic boom as a result of the establishment of the Finnish cellulose plant called Botnia a few kilometers away from the city.

We recommend that you visit Fray Bentos, a real paradise by the river.