This former fishing village is now the place chosen to build the most dazzling mansions; travel to an enchanted place.
The transformation of José Ignacio into one of the most exclusive resorts in Latin America is due to a magical and mysterious design. Not because it lacks beauty. It has it in enormous proportions, in kilometers of virgin beach, in a deep blue sea, in an immeasurable countryside, green and alive. But if one walks through its little streets, the Uruguayan calm becomes evident and at first glance it exudes more simplicity than luxury. The central square, with its picturesque house of the Intendencia, the police station opposite and the rustic and moderate chapel where so many couples of Argentine high society were married, make this place an endearing town that seeks to preserve its essence. Thirty years ago it was a fishing village. Nothing suggested that one day, famous businessmen and artists would invest in building spectacular mansions on its land. Nothing. They say in José Ignacio that the visionary was Daniel Tinayre. Someone offered her a piece of land with access to the sea in La Mansa, where one can see one of the most incredible sunsets in the East. The price was a few thousand dollars for the place and the offer seemed tempting. When Tinayre bought it, her friends categorically disapproved of the transaction. Who would think of building in José Ignacio, 40 kilometers from the peninsula, far from everything, without electricity or basic services? Mirtha Legrand's husband didn't care. He built Casablanca, a beautiful house with a gabled roof and a privileged view of the west, which today belongs to Marcela, and is the summer residence of the entire Tinayre family. Little by little they began to imitate him: Amalita Fortabat built her house very close by and acquired several more hectares that she later donated to the municipality so that the first polyclinic in the area could be created, the only emergency care center for kilometers around. Little by little, the spaces were occupied with imposing houses. And although services are still rudimentary - there may be power outages, poor cell phone and Wi-Fi signal, and only one gas station that can run out of gas for an entire day - visitors come from all over the world, attracted by this paradisiacal enclave of countryside and virgin beach, exotic beauty and invaluable tranquility.
Alexander Vik was one of them. The Norwegian businessman wanted to honour the origins of his mother, a Uruguayan named Susana, and decided to invest in the East. Today, three luxury mega-developments bear his name: Bahía Vik, Estancia Vik and Playa Vik. In addition, he built his house in La Mansa de José Ignacio, one of the most modern and disruptive constructions in the area.
The landmarks in José Ignacio are well defined. The lighthouse, located at the rocky end of the peninsula, is a historical monument, built in 1877, which generates passions among visitors for its beauty and symbolism. The service station located right at the entrance to the town, used to be preserved with the old pumps from the mid-twentieth century and was a relic in itself, although today it has been modernized and the illuminated Ancap signs shine on that corner. The square, located in the center of the peninsula, and opposite, the trendy restaurants of the area: the Tutta pizzeria, with Sofía Neiman as a great hostess, El Almacén El Palmar, by Jean Paul Bondoux, further on Santa Teresita, by Fernando Trocca and a classic like Popeye. Manolo's store is a must on the small peninsula because there is no supermarket nearby. La Huella, the most exclusive restaurant in Uruguay and considered one of the best kitchens in the world, is another fundamental landmark. Then, the most famous houses: Tinayre's, the Libedinsky house, the Club de Mar and Sol Acuña's boat-shaped house, also function as urban references. But José Ignacio is not just the peninsula. Before reaching the town there is La Juanita, an area where a good handful of charming houses have been built in recent years, and which has been revalued by the installation of Bahía Vik on the beach, and its first-class restaurant, La Susana. Hidden in the forest you can find the latest trend in sustainable architecture: houses and even a hotel in containers.
Mansions with sea views in José Ignacio. Photo: LA NACION / Diego Lima
Another "neighborhood" within José Ignacio lies in the countryside. Turning left at the roundabout at the entrance to town, that is, with your back to the sea, after crossing a thick forest, you'll find the area's most exclusive farms. This is where Shakira bought La Colorada many years ago, a property now owned by brothers Antonio and Aíto de la Rúa. Directly across the street is the new farm owned by Nicolás Repetto and Florencia Raggi, which hosted the Chandon White Party this summer and marked a new meaning for staying in the East: you can enjoy the countryside, deep and immense, and also the sea, which looms just a few kilometers away.
Routines at José Ignacio are incorruptible: after midday, you disembark on Brava beach. At dusk, everyone packs up their things and moves to La Mansa. Once the sun has set, pizzas at Tutta and some drinks. At night, a meeting at some wonderful house, which can turn into a party, barbecue, play or karaoke, depending on the mood and style of the host. Or a more romantic option, perhaps cloying but always current: sitting on the dark beach, breathing a bit of sea and letting yourself be carried away to other dimensions with that infinite sky.
Source: lanacion.com.ar
