AT A GLANCE
Why go?
Laguna del Diario is a small, tranquil lagoon just minutes from the bustle of Punta del Este, marking the gateway into the city of Maldonado. At only four hectares, this quiet water body carries more than two centuries of history — it was here, in 1755, that the first settlers founded the city of Maldonado before relocating to its current site. Today, the lagoon offers a peaceful contrast to the glitz of nearby beaches, with small shore beaches, windsurfing, pedal boats, and a rich ecological story of restoration.↗↗↗
A Place of Origins
Long before Punta del Este became a global resort destination, the shores of Laguna del Diario were home to Maldonado's founding settlement, established in 1755. The colony lasted only two years before being moved to its present location, but the lagoon retained its deep connection to the city's origins. Its unusual name — "of the Daily" — comes from the routine of the first inhabitants, who grazed their livestock here every day, a habit that became so ingrained in local life that it stuck as the lagoon's identity forever.↗↗