Places / South America / Uruguay
Montevideo
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At a glance
- Country
- Uruguay
- Region
- Montevideo
- Population
- 1.3 million
- Best time to go
- November to March
- Main airport
- Montevideo Carrasco (MVD)
- Coordinates
- 34.90°S, 56.16°W
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Overview
Uruguay's capital is laid-back and low-rise, with a long riverside promenade, art deco buildings and a slightly faded old town on its peninsula. Locals stroll the Rambla with a flask of hot water and a gourd of mate tucked under one arm.
It's a city for slow days: long lunches of grilled meat, afternoons on the city beaches and evenings in a café or watching the candombe drummers practise in the street.
Things to see
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Photo: Hoverfish, CC BY 3.0 Ciudad Vieja
The old town on the peninsula, with colonial plazas, cafés and grand buildings slowly being restored.
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Plaza Independencia
The main square, watched over by the eccentric 1920s Palacio Salvo and the old Gateway of the Citadel.
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Photo: GameOfLight, CC BY-SA 3.0 Teatro Solís
The elegant 19th-century opera house, worth a guided tour or an evening performance.
Tickets and tours -
Photo: Rodrigo Pissano, CC BY-SA 3.0 Mercado del Puerto
An iron-roofed market hall near the port, filled with smoky parrillas grilling beef, sausages and provoleta.
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Photo: Marcelo Campi, CC BY-SA 2.0 Estadio Centenario
Host of the first football World Cup in 1930, with a museum devoted to Uruguay's football history.
Tickets and tours
Things to do
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Photo: Felipe Restrepo Acosta, CC BY-SA 4.0 Walk or cycle the Rambla
Over 20 kilometres of riverside promenade link the old town with the beaches of Pocitos and Carrasco.
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Hear candombe
Afro-Uruguayan drum groups parade through Barrio Sur and Palermo, and the Llamadas parade is the highlight of Carnival.
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Photo: Carlinosin at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 Order a chivito
Uruguay's towering steak sandwich, piled with ham, cheese and egg, is a national institution.
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Photo: JGHowes , photographer ( Canon AE-1 camera)., Attribution Day trip to Colonia del Sacramento
The UNESCO-listed colonial town is around two and a half hours away by bus.
Where to stay
Ciudad Vieja
Atmospheric and close to the sights, though quiet after dark away from the main streets.
Hotels in Ciudad ViejaPocitos
A popular residential area with a city beach, cafés and easy Rambla walks.
Hotels in PocitosPunta Carretas
Leafy and safe-feeling, near the lighthouse and a shopping centre in a former prison.
Hotels in Punta Carretas
Getting around
City buses are cheap and frequent, and taxis and ride-hailing apps are widely used. The Rambla is flat and great for cycling or walking.
Carrasco airport is about 20 kilometres east of the centre, around 30 minutes by taxi. Ferries from Buenos Aires arrive at the port next to the old town.
When to go
Summer (December to March) is warm and beachy, and Carnival runs through January and February, said to be the longest in the world. Winter (June to August) is cool, damp and windy, but still mild.
Plan your trip to Montevideo
Guide last checked October 2026. Opening times and prices change, so check before you go.