CASAPUEBLO

As soon as you arrive, your eyes will be riveted on this strange architectural complex with undulating forms that seem to dive into the ocean. It is the fabulous utopian construction of Mediterranean style imagined by the multidisciplinary artist Carlos Páez Vilaró. Born in 1923 in Montevideo, Páez Vilaró was a Uruguayan painter, sculptor, composer and writer, known for his beautiful colorful murals. Considered one of the most important representatives of Uruguayan popular art, he traveled around the world and met such important figures as Fidel Castro, Pelé, Brigitte Bardot and Picasso. He lived in Casapueblo until his death in 2014. Today, the building houses a hotel complex, a restaurant and an art museum-gallery dedicated to this singular painter and the works he created during 64 years of work. The museum has several spaces, including a small movie theater with a continuous showing of the film Arte y Aventura, about the artist's life. In the exhibition rooms, visitors can admire colorful paintings, strongly influenced by African art, due to his commitment to Afro-Uruguayan culture. In fact, during his youth, Páez Vilaró lived in the Mediomundo de Montevideo, an Afro-Montenegrin community space in the Palermo neighborhood. This world was a true source of inspiration for him, so much so that he later declared, "I owe my access to art to the black community, and a large part of my work pays homage to negritude." In 1967, he presented a documentary entitled Batouk at the Cannes Film Festival, dedicated to African dance. In addition, there is a room dedicated to his son Carlitos Páez Rodríguez, who was a member of the rugby team aboard Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571, which crashed in the Andes Mountains on October 13, 1972 (as if life wasn't full enough already!). On display are deeply moving letters he wrote to his parents, thinking he might never see them again (which fortunately was not the case, as 68 days after the crash he and 15 other survivors were rescued). Finally, there are ceramics made by none other than Salvador Dalí and Pablo Picasso, and a section on the construction of Casapueblo. It seems that the red bird(hornero), a typical bird of the region, known for making its oven-shaped nest with dry mud(horno means "oven" in Spanish) served as inspiration for the artist who built this unusual building himself, giving free rein to his imagination and genius. During the visit, visitors can access the terraces offering a privileged view of the peninsula. They can also participate in the famous Ceremonia del Sol (Sun Ceremony), which is the highlight of the evening and takes place around 7:30 pm.

As for the hotel, Casapueblo has 72 unique rooms, suites and apartments with a view of the sea. These can accommodate from 2 to 8 people and are equipped with cable TV, kitchenette (or full kitchen) and terrace. The resort also has two heated pools, a fitness room, a sauna and a spa. Its restaurant, Las Terrazas, offers a carefully presented menu and an excellent wine list.