Shabby Chic: A renovated estancia near Colonia, Uruguay (Source: Lucy Gilmore)

“Summertime…and the living is easy.” That’s what The Guardian’s Lucy Gilmore discovered during her recent trip to Uruguay. Gilmore visited some of the hidden gems of the Tango Coast including the port town of Colonia del Sacramento and some beautiful renovated estancias just a few kilometers inland. The estancias, which date back to the 1880’s, are finding new life as “designer farms” as young Argentine professionals, perhaps seeking a better work/life balance, are opting for Uruguay’s bucolic charms. One of the architects Gillmore stayed with completely renovated his estancia which she describes as “whitewashed and low-lying, with five bedrooms, the style is shabby chic: old shutters, wooden floors, and beds draped with muslin canopies.” I myself am just back from end of the year vacations in Uruguay which ranged from the natural beauty of Colonia to the noise and nightlife of Punta del Este. Like Miss Gilmore, I find myself gravitating more toward the peace and tranquility of the former. The coastline drive from Piriápolis west to Colonia is beautiful (Photo), and the terrain looks more like Central Virginia than South America. I have another Argentine friend, Andrés, who takes his family to their WiFi-enabled estancia in Colonia for the entire month of January. As a web designer, he doesn’t miss a beat, and the close proximity to Buenos Aires makes commuting via Buquebus a cinch. With more stories like this and last year’s NuWire Investor piece, Uruguay will continue to attract more foreign property investors in 2010. (Full Article)