Isla Gorriti

Isla Gorriti lies a short crossing from Punta del Este harbour, a wooded island with two beaches, Playa Honda facing the mainland and Playa Puerto Jardín on the far side. Juan Díaz de Solís sighted it in 1516, in the 18th century the Spanish fortified it against Portuguese influence, and abandoned cannons still lie under the pines. Boats run continuously in summer, and the island has a couple of seasonal restaurants and nothing else.

The landscape

• The two beaches - calm sand on the landward side and open water beyond.
• The Spanish cannons - left from 18th-century fortifications under the trees.
• The pine woods - the planted woodland covering the island.
• The short crossing - a fifteen-minute boat from the Punta del Este harbour.

When to go

December to March is when the boats run frequently and the restaurants open. Outside summer the service is sparse or absent. Wind can cancel crossings.

Things to know

There is no fresh water and no facilities outside the seasonal restaurants. Boats are cancelled in wind. The island fills with day trippers in January.

Nearby

Punta del Este is across the water, and Isla de Lobos is southeast.

Key facts