La Pedrera

Uruguay, Uruguay

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La Pedrera is a picturesque village and seaside resort on the Atlantic Coast in the Rocha Department of Uruguay, located on Route 10 about 8 kilometers northeast of La Paloma.

Though it has only 225 permanent inhabitants, it becomes an important coastal resort during summer, attracting young Argentine and Uruguayan beach lovers. The village is set on a rocky cliff where everything is calm except the sea, with beaches chosen for water sports like surfing, hiking, horseback riding, and fishing.

Its main beaches include El Desplayado, a wide beach with a small bay ideal for families and surf lessons, and Playa del Barco, which has Uruguay's best waves for experienced surfers and hosts national and international surfing competitions. Visitors can stroll along the seafront promenade to watch migrating southern right whales between July and October, see the ruins of the fishing vessel "Cathay VIII" that ran aground in 1971, and follow trails into the cliffs for spectacular coastal views.

La Pedrera is famous for hosting one of Uruguay's coast's biggest carnival celebrations with street parades, live music, and flour and water bombs, plus additional events like a short film festival in January and a jazz festival at Easter.