Visit Uruguay, tourism Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay used to be South America’s best-kept secret, with a handful of Argentines, Brazilians, Chileans and non–South Americans in the know popping in to enjoy the pristine beaches, the atmospheric cities, the huge steaks and the happening nightlife. Then the peso crashed, the place became a whole lot more affordable and people got curious. They came, loved it and went back home to tell their friends. Who came, loved it and went back home to tell their friends.
Which is not to suggest that the place is being overrun. The main drawcards, like Colonia del Sacramento, Punta del Este and Montevideo, have long been set up for tourists, and are dealing with their newfound popularity well. Other destinations, such as Punta del Diablo and Maldonado, retain their charm but are no longer the undiscovered gems they once were. Elsewhere, in the interior (gaucho central Tacuarembó, for example) and the river towns, and particularly in the non-summer months, there’s still a pretty good chance that you’ll be the only gringo in town.
Mapa de Uruguay
A super-mellow little town with a lush central square, Carmelo’s streets slope down to its carefully restored waterfront. From here, boats leave for the most interesting (and cheapest) of the Argentine border crossings – a two-hour ride through the delta to the Buenos Aires suburb of Tigre.
The main tourist office is in the Casa de Cultura. It has lots of information (some in English) and a decent city map. There are casas de cambio near Plaza Independencia.
A large park on the other side of the arroyo offers camping, swimming and a monstrous casino.
Colonia de Sacramento
Take some winding, cobbled streets, add an intriguing history and put them on a gorgeous point overlooking the Río de la Plata. What do you get? A major tourist attraction.
But the snap-happy hordes can’t kill the atmosphere of ‘Colonia’. This place has got ‘it’, whatever that is, as well as enough restaurants, bars and nightlife to keep you happy for weeks.
The Portuguese founded Colonia in 1680 to smuggle goods across the Río de la Plata into Buenos Aires. The Spanish captured it in 1762 and held it until 1777, when tax reforms finally permitted foreign goods to proceed directly to Buenos Aires.
Eastern Uruguay
This is Uruguay’s playground (and also, to an extent, Brazil’s, Chile’s, Mexico’s, Spain’s etc) – a long stretch of beaches all the way from Montevideo to the Brazilian border offering something for everyone – surfers, party animals, nature freaks and family groups.
Conflicts between Spain and Portugal, then between Argentina and Brazil, left eastern Uruguay with historical monuments such as the fortresses of Santa Teresa and San Miguel. The interior’s varied landscape of palm savannas and marshes is rich in bird life.
In the peak of summer, prices skyrocket and these towns seriously pack out. The rest of the year you might have them to yourself.
Bahia de Montevideo
Fray Bentos
Land must be cheap in Fray Bentos – the whole town is dotted with big, leafy plazas. Most travelers are here on their way either to or from Uruguay, but if you’ve got a few hours to kill between buses, the town boasts a fascinating museum that’s well worth checking out.
The helpful tourist office (2233) occupies a room in the Museo Solari, on the west side of Plaza Constitución.
La Paloma
This town is a surfer’s dream – out on a point, if there’s no swell on the left, it’ll be coming in on the right. Weekends in summer, the town often hosts free concerts down on the beach, making accommodation bookings essential.
The tourist office (6008; Av Nicolás Solari s/n) is in the Liga de Fomento building. There’s another at the bus terminal. The post office is on Av Nicolás Solari, as is Antel.
Bikes can be rented from Bicicletas El Topo (Canopus, btwn de la Virgen & Antares) for US$1/4 per hour/day. Peteco (Av Nicolás Solari) rents surfboards for US$10 per day.
Maldonado
Maldonado used to be the place to stay if you wanted to avoid the outrageous prices in nearby Punta del Este. But then the Maldonado hoteliers cottoned on and jacked up all their prices. There are a couple of interesting museums in town, but Punta’s burgeoning hostel scene makes it a much better budget choice these days.
Mercedes
The shady, cobblestoned streets of Mercedes are enchanting (unless your taxi has no suspension, in which case they’re total kidney-crunchers). The riverfront is largely undeveloped, but there are plenty of grassy spots to laze around on between dips.
Plaza Independencia, the center of downtown, is dominated by the imposing neoclassical cathedral (1860).
The center is 10 blocks from the bus terminal. Either walk straight up Calle Colón with Plaza Artigas on your right, catch any local bus or fork out US$1 for a taxi.
The tourist office (22733; Artigas 215) has a good city map. Nearby casas de cambio change cash but not traveler’s checks. There is a post office (Rodó 650) and telephone office, Centro Telefónico (Artigas 290).
Mano en la Playa Brava de Punta del Este
Montevideo
Uruguay’s capital and by far its largest city, Montevideo is a vibrant, eclectic place with a rich cultural life. Stretching nearly 20km from east to west, the city wears many faces, from its industrial port to the exclusive residential suburb of Carrasco near the airport. In the historic downtown business district, art deco and neoclassical buildings jostle for space alongside grimy, worn-out skyscrapersthat appear airlifted from Havana or Ceauşescu’s Romania, while across town the shopping malls and modern high-rises of beach communities like Punta Carretas and Pocitos bear more resemblance to Miami or Copacabana.
If you’re coming from Colonia or Uruguay’s northern beaches, Montevideo’s polluted air and honking taxis may feel a bit jarring, but stick around. The capital’s active and resurgent urban culture is a palpable force, and locals are justifiably proud to share it with you. In Ciudad Vieja, the heart of historic Montevideo, old buildings are being restored to make room for boldly painted cafés, hostels and galleries, while down by the port the municipal administration has spruced up the Mercado del Puerto to accommodate a new city tourist office and Carnaval museum. Montevideo serves as administrative headquarters for Mercosur, South America’s leading trading bloc, and the capital’s many embassies and foreign cultural centers add to the international flavor. Meanwhile, the city’s music, theater, art and club scenes continue to thrive, from elegant older theaters and cozy little tango bars to modern beachfront discos.
Paysandú
A big (in Uruguayan terms), serious city, Paysandú wakes up every Easter for its annual beer festival, with plenty of live music, open-air cinema and a ready supply of a certain carbonated alcoholic beverage. The rest of the year it’s kinda sleepy, but spasms into life on weekends when everybody’s out and about in the restaurants, bars and discos.
Most of the fun happens down on the riverbanks, with plenty of splashing around during the day and more serious partying at night.
Av 18 de Julio, the main commercial street, runs along the south side of Plaza Constitución. The tourist office (26221; Av 18 de Julio 1226) is opposite Plaza Constitución. Cambio Fagalde is at 18 de Julio 1002. Banco Acac (Av 18 de Julio 1020) has an ATM. If you’re coming from Argentina and need Uruguayan pesos fast, Copay at the bus terminal offers bank rates.
To get to the center from the bus terminal, walk seven blocks north on Zorilla. A taxi should cost around US$2.
The Museo Histórico (Zorrilla 874; admission free; 9am-5pm Mon-Fri) has a great selection of hand-drawn maps, household objects and war etchings. If you thought Windows XP was slow, check out the slide n’ punch ‘writing machine’ – a one-way ticket to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome if you ever saw one.
Piriápolis
In the 1930s entrepreneur Francisco Piria built the landmark Hotel Argentino and an eccentric residence known as ‘Piria’s castle, ’ and ferried tourists directly from Argentina. Nowadays it’s a budget alternative to beach resorts further west, mostly attracting families from Montevideo on short breaks.
The problem with this town is obvious – a four lane highway separates it from the beach. Still, if you don’t mind doing the chicken run a couple of times a day, the water’s clean and there are plenty of places to lay your towel.
The tourist office (22560; Rambla de los Argentinos 1348) has maps, brochures and current hotel prices. There’s another office in the bus terminal.
There’s an ATM at the corner of Piria and Buenos Aires. You can change cash, but not traveler’s checks, at Hotel Argentino.
Punta del Diablo
In recent years, Punta del Diablo has morphed from a sleepy fishing village into one of Uruguay’s prime coastal getaways. The beautiful shoreline remains intact, and the influx of outsiders has added an infectious dose of youthful energy, but inland the place is beginning to feel choked by endless waves of seemingly uncontrolled development. It’s still a very pleasant spot to spend a few days; just don’t come expecting to escape the crowds.
Colonia de Sacramento, Uruguay
Punta del Este
Punta del Este – with its many beaches, elegant seaside homes, yacht harbor, high-rise apartment buildings, pricey hotels and glitzy restaurants – is one of South America’s most glamorous resorts and easily the most expensive place in Uruguay. Extremely popular with Argentines and Brazilians, Punta suffered a period of decline during the Uruguayan and Argentine recessions, but has come back with a vengeance.
Celebrity-watchers have a full-time job here. Punta is teeming with big names. Early sightings in 2008 included Ralph Lauren, soccer star Zinedine Zidane and Metallica’s lead singer James Hetfield. And then of course there’s the ongoing speculation about when exactly Shakira will marry at her nearby estancia…
Surrounding towns caught up in the whole Punta mystique include the famed club zone of La Barra to the east and Punta Ballena to the west.
Salto
People come to Salto for two reasons – to cross the border to Concordia, Argentina, and to visit the nearby hot springs at Daymán. Otherwise, the town’s pretty enough, but unlikely to grab your attention for more than a couple of days.
The tourist office (25194; Uruguay 1052) is vaguely useful and can supply information about visiting the local hot springs. There are casas de cambio downtown.
Tacuarembó
This is gaucho country. Not your ‘we pose for pesos’ types, but your real-deal ‘we tuck our baggy pants into our boots and slap on a beret just to go to the local store’ crew. It’s also the alleged birthplace of tango legend Carlos Gardel.
The mid-March Fiesta de la Patria Gaucho (Gaucho Festival) merits a visit from travelers in the area.
Tacuarembó’s center is Plaza 19 de Abril. The tourist office (27144) is in the bus terminal. The post office is at Ituzaingó 262. Antel is at Sarandí 240. The bus terminal is 2km from the center: turn left on exiting, walk through the small plaza, veer right onto Herrera and walk four blocks to 18 de Julio. A taxi costs US$1.
The Museo del Indio y del Gaucho (cnr Flores & Artigas; admission free; 1-7pm Mon-Fri, 2-6pm Sat & Sun) pays romantic tribute to Uruguay’s original inhabitants and gauchos.
Western Uruguay
The land west of Montevideo is in many ways the ‘real’ Uruguay – little river towns separated by large expanses of pampas and wheat fields. It’s far off the tourist trail, mostly, except for the region’s superstar, Colonia del Sacramento, whose charms attract visitors from all over the world.
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