High above Punta Ballena, 13 km west of Punta del Este, Casapueblo rises with its undulating white volumes facing the Atlantic. This house-sculpture, hand-crafted over 36 years by Uruguayan artist Carlos Páez Vilaró, now serves as a museum, art gallery, café and hotel. It is one of the most visited sites on the Uruguayan coast, particularly renowned for its sunset ritual.

Why visit Casapueblo

Casapueblo is no ordinary museum: it is an inhabited work of art, conceived without blueprints or squares, blending architecture, painting and family memory. Three concrete reasons make the detour worthwhile:

• Unique architecture in Latin America: 13 levels of whitewashed concrete, domes and terraces without straight lines, inspired by the white villages of Santorini and the nests of the hornero, the emblematic builder bird of Uruguay.
• A lifetime's work: Vilaró shaped the building with his own hands from 1958 until his death, weaving in his paintings, travels and the memory of his son Carlos Miguel, a survivor of the 1972 Andes plane crash.
• The sunset ritual: a shared moment each evening on the terraces, accompanied by a recording of Vilaró reciting his poem "Ceremony of the Sun."

History: 36 years of hand-built construction

The adventure began in 1958. On the Punta Ballena cliff, Carlos Páez Vilaró assembled a wooden cabin from planks collected along the coast. He named it La Pionera. This simple shelter became the nucleus of a structure that would never stop growing.

Without an architect's blueprint, as ideas and needs evolved, Vilaró added rooms, corridors and terraces. He drew inspiration from the white villages of the Cyclades and the rounded shape of hornero nests. The building took form in whitewashed concrete and stucco, with labyrinthine corridors devoid of straight lines, domes and terraces opening onto the ocean. After 36 years, the entire structure rose across 13 levels.

Casapueblo is also a house of memory. It preserves the memory of Carlos Miguel Páez, the artist's son and one of the survivors of the 1972 Andes plane crash. Becoming a place of creation and encounters, the house hosted figures such as Isabel Allende and Brazilian poet and musician Vinícius de Moraes over the years. In 2017, the panoramic road of Punta Ballena was officially renamed Carlos Páez Vilaró in tribute to its creator.

What to see and do

The Casapueblo museum

Located in the main dome, the museum features four exhibition halls dedicated to Vilaró's work and his artistic dialogues, notably with Pablo Picasso and Cuban poet Nicolás Guillén. It also includes a screening room, several panoramic terraces and a gift shop.

The art gallery and café

The gallery showcases ceramics, paintings and screen prints by the artist. The open-air café-restaurant overlooks the ocean, allowing you to extend your visit in the late afternoon before sunset.

The sunset ritual

Each evening, visitors gather on the terraces facing the Atlantic. A recording of Vilaró's voice broadcasts his poem "Ceremony of the Sun" as the sun disappears beyond the horizon. This is the highlight of the day at Casapueblo: plan to arrive at least an hour before.

The hotel-club

Part of the structure operates as a hotel. Staying overnight remains the most immersive option to enjoy the site once the day visitors have left.

When to visit

The high beach season in Uruguay runs from December to February (austral summer): Casapueblo is very busy then, especially at sunset. For a quieter visit with pleasant temperatures, choose November, March or April. During austral winter (June-August), the site remains open but the Atlantic wind can be biting.

The time of the "ceremony of the sun" varies by season: check on site or online the same day, as it aligns with the actual sunset.

Practical information

• Address: 20003 Punta Ballena, Departamento de Maldonado, Uruguay
• Admission: paid entry to the museum, moderate fee; free for very young children. Separate rates for the café and hotel.
• Duration of visit: allow 1 to 1.5 hours for the museum, plus 1 additional hour if you stay for sunset.
• Accessibility: the labyrinthine nature of the building, with its numerous stairs, makes it difficult for people with reduced mobility.
• Hours: open daily, closing in late afternoon after sunset. Check updated hours before your visit.

How to get there

From Punta del Este, allow about twenty minutes by car heading west on the Interbalnéaire road. At kilometer 119.5, turn right onto Camino a la Ballena, the panoramic road that hugs the hillside, then follow Carlos Páez Vilaró street to the site entrance.

From Montevideo, the drive takes approximately 1.5 to 2 hours by the same Interbalnéaire road. Buses also connect Montevideo to Punta del Este, from where you'll need to take a taxi or transfer to reach Punta Ballena.

What to see nearby

• The Lussich Arboretum, a vast botanical park just a few kilometers away, ideal for a morning stroll before Casapueblo.
• The Pablo Atchugarry Foundation, in Manantiales, which perfectly complements the contemporary art theme.
• The Aaron de Anchorena National Park, on the opposite shore of the Río de la Plata, for a nature excursion.
• In Montevideo, the Carlos Gardel Museum extends your discovery of major Uruguayan cultural figures.

FAQ

Extend your visit

Casapueblo fits into a broader itinerary along Uruguay's eastern coast, between beaches, contemporary art and nature. To plan a customized trip combining Montevideo, Punta del Este and Lagoon Garzón, consult our Uruguay travel page.