Calera Real del Dacá offers an unusual way to discover Soriano: it is described as Uruguay’s first industry. As part of the heritage project at the Calera, the Museo de la Industria de Soriano was established in Mercedes in 2022. The history of industry and the founding of the museum are directly connected here.

Industrial History, Museums and Art

Also in Mercedes, the Museo Alejandro Berro explores the past: its permanent exhibition displays fossils of Quaternary megafauna, including an almost complete Glyptodon shell. The perspective thus stretches from a historic industrial site to a collection in which one particular find stands out.

In Dolores, the Museo y Centro de Interpretación Lacán Guazú has rooms for paleontology, archaeology, history and temporary exhibitions, as well as an auditorium. Its thematic breadth sets it apart from the fossil-focused permanent exhibition at the Museo Alejandro Berro. In Villa Soriano, the Casa de las Máscaras is an artistic venue featuring works by Juan Alberto Artega Ruiz. Together, these institutions showcase different cultural facets of the region, from natural history to art.

Villa Soriano on the Río Negro

Villa Soriano lies on the Río Negro, 10 km from its mouth at the Río Uruguay. Nautical excursions and boat tours are available there. The Museo Marfetán is housed in a building dating from 1805 and serves as a library and museum. Another distinctive feature is El Timbó: planted in 1904, the tree has a canopy more than 50 meters in diameter.

Soriano also takes many forms along the water. On Playa La Agraciada, the Desembarco de los 33 Orientales took place on April 19, 1825. In Palmar, visitors take boat trips on Lago Palmar; fishing is among the activities tourists request most often there. Fishing and water sports are also enjoyed at Balneario La Concordia.

Landscapes and Historic Sites

Humedales e Islas del Hum is a national park and part of Uruguay’s National System of Protected Areas; this designation was reported in 2023. At Playa La Agraciada, the historic connection recalls a specific date and event. In Soriano, landscape and history come together without leading to the same place or the same kind of discovery.

At Balneario La Concordia, the general opportunity to fish coincides with an event date: the department’s annual event list includes the Campeonato Pesca del Pejerrey there in July. Palmar hosts the Encuentro Internacional de Escultores annually; the Parque Escultórico sculpture trail was created as its legacy. Here, an event and a lasting cultural feature sit side by side, while boat trips on Lago Palmar offer another way to explore the area.

Events Throughout the Year

The department’s event calendar lists Jazz a la Calle in Mercedes in January. For July, it lists the Campeonato Pesca del Pejerrey at Balneario La Concordia; the Fiesta Nacional de la Primavera in Dolores is scheduled for the second weekend of October. These listings provide different occasions and locations to consider when planning a trip. Check the current dates and times of each event before making plans.

Discover more destinations: Mercedes, Villa Darwin, Dolores, Colonia, Departamento De Salto, Salto, Tacuarembó, Tacuarembó.

For the main travel overview: Uruguay.