By air
Carrasco (MVD), ~20 km east of the centre
South America · Uruguay
Montevideo, Uruguay
A slow-paced capital on the Río de la Plata
Getting there
Best time to visit
October to April — warm days on the Rambla; summer is beach season
Don't miss
Ciudad Vieja
Plaza Independencia
Mercado del Puerto
The Rambla
Palacio Salvo
Teatro Solís
Pocitos Beach
Things to do
Walking the Rambla at sunset
Tango and candombe in the Ciudad Vieja
A day at Pocitos beach
An asado at the Mercado del Puerto
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Marcelo Campi · CC BY-SA 2.0
What to pack
Walking shoes for the Rambla, a light jacket for river breezes, a mate gourd if you want to join in
A quieter corner
The Sunday Feria de Tristán Narvaja, a flea market that takes over whole streets of Cordón
Questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Montevideo?
October to April — warm days on the Rambla; summer is beach season. What to pack: Walking shoes for the Rambla, a light jacket for river breezes, a mate gourd if you want to join in.
How do I get to Montevideo?
Fly into Carrasco (MVD), ~20 km east of the centre.
What is there to do in Montevideo?
Walking the Rambla at sunset, tango and candombe in the Ciudad Vieja, a day at Pocitos beach, an asado at the Mercado del Puerto. A quieter find: The Sunday Feria de Tristán Narvaja, a flea market that takes over whole streets of Cordón.
What should I eat in Montevideo?
Asado and chivito, grilled provolone, dulce de leche sweets, Tannat wine, mate shared on the Rambla.
About Montevideo
- Coastal
- Riverside
Where it is
Montevideo is the capital of Uruguay, on the northern shore of the Río de la Plata where the great estuary meets the Atlantic, in the south of the country.
History
Founded by the Spanish in the early eighteenth century as a fortress to check Portuguese expansion from Brazil, Montevideo grew into a busy port and the seat of an independent Uruguay in the nineteenth century. Waves of Spanish and Italian immigrants shaped its streets, its food and its football, and the city hosted the first World Cup in the twentieth century.
People
Montevideans share mate on park benches and the seafront, follow football with devotion, and keep a relaxed, courteous pace of life; most families trace roots to Spain or Italy, and the Afro-Uruguayan candombe tradition is part of the city's sound.
Known for
- The Rambla along the river
- Candombe drumming and tango
- Asado at the Mercado del Puerto
- The first World Cup final
Did you know?
The Rambla, the promenade that runs along the city's whole waterfront, is more than twenty kilometres long.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.