Exploring Montevideo, Uruguay
To be 100% honest with you, I really wasn't planning on coming to Uruguay... Let alone Montevideo.
In fact, my plan to 1000% skip it came to a dilemma when flights from Buenos Aires to Bogotá turned out to be extortionate. Partly my fault for travelling in Argentina during the peak of their summer holidays.
So, left with no other alternatives, it turns out Montevideo is a pretty decent option to fly across the continent.
Not knowing a whole lot about Uruguay before going, here are some fun facts:
Uruguay has the highest cows to number of people ratio! More than Argentina and Brazil.
It is the second richest country in South America in terms of GDP per Capita.
Yerba mate is the national drink.
They're crazy about football. Football. And football.
Its free and compulsory education means that it has a high literacy rate at around 98.5%.
So with a few days to explore, here's what I got up to with 48 hours in Montevideo...
Exploring bookshops in Montevideo
I'm kinda a sucker for a cute bookshop and cafe; luckily, Montevideo has a fair few of them.
Libreria Puro Verso, located near the Old Town, is a beautiful building and with a cafe inside, it's easy to spend a few hours there.
Escaramuza has a lovely, cute cafe, although it does get rather busy. It's pretty cool to hang out in on a rainy day with a cup of cortado coffee.
Libreria Puro Verso
Get the best panoramic views of Montevideo
Popping over to Palacio Municipal, take the elevator up to the top for panoramic views of the city. It's free!
It's a bit tricky to find, but the entrance is located under the tunnel. If you get lost, the tourist information is located around the corner and will definitely be able to help you.
Views from above
Wandering around the Old Town
For me, Montevideo didn't have the same bold charm as its neighbour across the pond, Buenos Aires. Nevertheless, the Old Town is great for exploring. There's a kind of ruggedness that I loved.
Culturally rich, it's easy to wander around for a couple of hours, walking into cafes, shops and snapping away at the local street art.
Mercado del Puerto definitely has a host of foodie options and is worth checking out. Especially if you're looking for a meaty feast, Uruguay is famous for loving asado just as much as neighbouring Argentina.
Tango the night away...
It's long been claimed that the man who made tango famous to the rest of the world, Carlos Gardel, is Argentinian.
Not in Uruguay. Strongly contested, many claim the famous tango singer of French/Argentinian descent was born in Tacuarembó, Uruguay. In any case, Montevideo doesn't fall short of milongas, and many places will offer a free first class to try it out.
Cycling along the coast + beaches
This is by far one of my favourite things to do in the city. On a sunny day, you can spend hours cycling along the coast. La Rambla is a popular place for locals to come during sunset and drink mate, go for a run, work out, or even fish.
Ending up two hours away from my hostel and with barely anyone around, I had a wonderful afternoon relaxing on the beach with my Kindle.
You probably wouldn't have expected it, but Uruguay has some of the best beaches in southern South America. Now don't expect pristine white sand and turquoise waters; it's far from the Caribbean.
It is, however, the place where I experienced some of the warmest waters! And Argentinians are famous for heading to Punta del Este for their summer holidays.
Beaches around Montevideo
Where to stay around Montevideo
There are heaps of places to stay in Montevideo. Most people opt to stay in Old Town. I decided to stay a little further away somewhere reasonably priced.
MedioMundo Hostel
If you're looking for an affordable and comfortable stay, this is a great option to come back to after a day exploring Montevideo.
FAUNA Montevideo
In a great location near to key attractions, it’s in a perfect location to explore the old town. The interior is beautifully designed with stylish decor.
Alma Histórica Boutique Hotel
Located within the historic district of Montevideo the interiors exude charm and warmth. A gem of a find in Montevideo, it’s worth checking out!
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Street art in Montevideo
My overall thoughts on Montevideo
Whilst notably understated relative to neighbouring Buenos Aires, Uruguay is liberal on many fronts, including the legalisation of cannabis. It often goes under the radar for many travellers, and it almost did mine.
As a solo traveller, I felt really safe, and as the city is easily walkable from one attraction to another, I had no hesitation snapping away with my camera.
Budget-wise, Uruguay is much more expensive relative to its neighbours. My dorm bed was a decent price but outside of that, I found eating out to be rather expensive.
It didn't help that I was travelling in high season. However, if you pay your restaurant bill by card, you'll find that the tax gets refunded to you. Bonus!
Don't think about taking a taxi. If you have a 5 am flight, you might find yourself paying an arm and a leg to get there. Uber has some strange add-on fees to get to the airport in Montevideo.
Saying that, Uber is incredibly useful for early morning airport runs. Definitely a bonus being able to schedule my Uber 3 days in advance and wait inside my hotel until I could see it had arrived on the app.
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