Cerro Pan de Azucar

Cerro Pan de Azúcar rises to 423 metres north of Piriápolis, which makes it one of the higher points in a country with very little relief, and on the summit stands a hollow concrete cross about thirty-five metres tall put up in 1933, with a stair inside leading to openings in the arms that serve as windows. The path up takes about an hour through granite outcrops and scrub, and a small native fauna reserve sits at the base.

What you actually see

• The hollow cross - a thirty-five-metre concrete cross climbed by an internal stair.
• The summit view - the coast, Piriapolis and the surrounding hills.
• The granite outcrops - the rock the hill is built of, exposed along the path.
• The fauna reserve - the native animal enclosure at the base.

When to go

March to November is most comfortable; summer midday on the exposed rock is hot. Mornings are best. The path is slippery after rain.

Honest expectations

The climb is steep and rocky with no shade for much of it. The internal stair in the cross is narrow and enclosed. The fauna reserve is dated and the enclosures are small.

Nearby

Piriapolis is south, and Sierra de las Animas is west.