Jose Ignacio

José Ignacio is a fishing village on a point with a lighthouse of 1877, and for a long time that was all it was. From the 1990s it became the fashionable alternative to Punta del Este: low houses, unpaved streets kept deliberately unpaved, beaches on both sides of the point, and a handful of restaurants that draw people from a long way. The village has stayed small in footprint while becoming very expensive.

What to look for

• The lighthouse - an 1877 tower on the point between the two beaches.
• The two beaches - calm water on the bay side and Atlantic surf on the other.
• The unpaved streets - sand roads kept deliberately unsurfaced.
• The restaurants - a small but internationally known eating scene.

When to go

December to February is the season, with January at its most extreme. Outside summer the village empties and most places close. Weekends in January need booking months ahead.

Things to know

Prices in January are among the highest in South America. The village is tiny and parking is chaotic in season. Out of season almost everything is shut.

Nearby

Punta del Este is west, and Laguna Garzon is east.

Key facts