Exclusive Uruguayan seaside resort of José Ignacio was included by TIME magazine among the best destinations of 2021.

The U.S. magazine TIME included the exclusive coastal town of José Ignacio, located in the department of Maldonado, among the 100 extraordinary destinations in the world to explore in 2021.

This list, the publication's third list of the best places in the world, is a "tribute to the people and companies who are at the forefront of the tourism sectors and who, amid the extraordinary circumstances imposed by the pandemic, found ways to adapt, build and innovate," says TIME.

With this in mind, José Ignacio earned a place among the destinations that the magazine describes as unique, ranging from the Portuguese city of Arouca, home to the world's longest pedestrian suspension bridge, to the Antarctic continent, which this December will experience a rare total solar eclipse.

José Ignacio is just minutes away from the famous Punta del Este, one of Uruguay's most emblematic and famous cities on the Atlantic coast. Both tourist attractions attract the jet set and celebrities of the world for their luxury and sophistication, as well as for their stunning natural scenery. They are also chosen by foreign citizens as residences because of the excellent living conditions they offer.

"A stone's throw from Montevideo's Atlantic coast, José Ignacio is unpopulated and uncrowded. In time for the 2021 summer season, Posada LUZ, a country retreat with olive groves, a mini-forest, a vineyard and an infinity pool, will open in November. One of James Turrell's Skyspace installations - large, enclosed chambers with openings in the ceiling that open to the sky - will arrive in November at nearby Posada Ayana, his first freestanding work in South America. At Bahía Vik there are new beachside bungalows, with individual suites with oversized artwork and a pool set amid dunes, plus the wood-clad Rizoma hotel-bookstore-gallery. The area's favorite restaurant is La Huella, which sits on the dunes and serves fresh grilled seafood. The nearby Solera bar offers a selection of no less than 350 wines, many of them local," Julia Buckley describes for TIME.