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Montevideo is the pleasant capital city of Uruguay. It is on the east bank of the Rio de la Plata. The city is home to well over a third of the Uruguayan population and the cultural and political center of the country.
The city of Montevideo extends from the extreme southeast of Rio de la Plata along a circular gulf that offers a natural harbor.
The most interesting area for visitors are the old town (Ciudad Vieja) and Centro. The city's major sights, monuments, and museums but also accommodation, theater and shops can be found there. The old town stretches along a small peninsula that abuts Montevideo Bay and the Centro immediately to the east.
Avenida 18 de Julio starts at Plaza Independencia, dominated by Palacio Salvo, an Art Deco highrise of 102m that is considered... Read more
Montevideo is the pleasant capital city of Uruguay. It is on the east bank of the Rio de la Plata. The city is home to well over a third of the Uruguayan population and the cultural and political center of the country.
The city of Montevideo extends from the extreme southeast of Rio de la Plata along a circular gulf that offers a natural harbor.
The most interesting area for visitors are the old town (Ciudad Vieja) and Centro. The city's major sights, monuments, and museums but also accommodation, theater and shops can be found there. The old town stretches along a small peninsula that abuts Montevideo Bay and the Centro immediately to the east.
Avenida 18 de Julio starts at Plaza Independencia, dominated by Palacio Salvo, an Art Deco highrise of 102m that is considered the symbol of Montevideo. Another point of interest in the old town is Plaza Constitución, colloquially named Plaza Matriz. Another sight is the former city hall palace (El Cabildo).
Towards the north of the old town one can find architecture reminiscent of Buenos Aires, and in the south, it is delimited by the seaside promenade La Rambla that continues all the way to Parque Rodó. This is a popular area for outdoor activities like fishing, strolling or biking.
The coast east of Parque Rodó is known for its beaches. Its principal artery is Avenida Italia, a lively road connecting the city to the airport. The Rambla runs along the coast. The most important districts in this part of the city are:
The northern and western parts include a couple of sights. The few dangerous barrios of Montevideo are located in the northwestern outskirts.
Montevideo is not a large city and it boasts a very efficient public transportation system, so getting around is not difficult at all. If you are not bashful about your Spanish, feel free to ask people which bus route you need to take to get to your destination as it can be effective and cheap. If you know some Spanish, two websites similar to Google Maps are useful: Cómo ir and MontevideoBus. If you own an iPhone you can also use Bondi, it shows bus stops, lines and their arrival times, it's available in both Spanish and English. Be aware that there are no route maps at the bus stops and the route layout for many lines are rather quirky. In addition, the street signs can be hard to notice/don't exist at all at some intersections and the buses are packed at rush hours so non-locals should definitely research their routes well beforehand, especially if they aren't fluent in Spanish. Local buses are operated by several different companies, and there are differences in the fares - though most of the buses in the city center seemed to be operated by the company Cutcsa.
It is useful to know that if you choose to ride a bus, upon boarding you will pay either the driver or the assistant who sits on the right-hand side of the bus (door-side) a few seats from the entrance. There are quite a few ticket types, but the most common version is valid for one hour and for transfers. Ask for una hora (one hour), and hand over the fare. There is a small device that will dispense your receipt, make sure you hold on to it for the duration of your ride as sometimes government officials will board your bus checking for these receipts (making sure no one is riding unauthorized). Like many other major cities in the world also a system with preloaded cards called Tarjeta STM has been taken into use, and if you are staying for longer it may be practical to get such a card. Occasionally ticket sellers may ask whether you don't have a card if you pay cash.
If you are unsure where to get off you can always ask the driver or assistant to let you know when your stop is coming up and they'll be happy to comply. Just try to remain visible so they can tell you (though if the bus gets full and you're displaced to the back they'll yell out the street name). It is also important to note that you do not need to have the exact fare as the driver or the assistant carry change.
Montevideo is a relatively safe city and if you are getting around by foot, you will have time to see the beautiful architecture of Montevideo. The city is built on a slight hill, the spine of which extends into the Rio de la Plata to create the point that was the original city (Ciudad Vieja). From the Plaza de la Independencia, the main street that extends east from the plaza is 18 de Julio Ave. El Centro (downtown) is in this area and there will be lots of shops and places to change money.
If you are arriving at the central bus station you can walk south along General Artigas until Parque Rodo looking at old buildings. From there you can walk east along the beach promenade which reminds of Ipanema in Rio de Janeiro. Another alternative is to walk east from the bus terminal to Parque Batalle and its Estádio Centenário - the home of Uruguay's football team and site of the 1930 FIFA World Cup. A third alternative is to walk towards the city center and the old town along 18 de Julio, it's around 4 km to Plaza Independencia.
Separate traffic lights for pedestrians are rare, in general, there is just one traffic light for all traffic. Jaywalking and crossing the street outside of zebra crossings is very common. Cars are fairly respectful of pedestrians especially in the old town and elsewhere where they drive slowly. On the other hand, you're not in Northern Europe, and at the Rambla where highway speeds seem to be common, stepping out in the front of cars is an utterly bad idea!
You can walk around without worry almost anywhere, and there are lots of side streets and areas you can explore: be aware that the port area, just off the main tourist and port terminal areas, is considered dangerous by locals as much as by the police. Parts of the city may appear run-down, but do not confuse this with it being a bad neighborhood. Along with Buenos Aires, this is one of the few cities in South America where poverty is not overly prevalent. That being said, there is simply not enough money in Uruguay to construct lots of new, modern buildings, so buildings are kept in use for long periods of time.
Taxis are plentiful but not too cheap. It helps to know a little Spanish. Taxis are metered and upon the end of your ride, you are shown a chart depicting distance and cost (though on some vehicles this chart will be on the window between you and the driver). Generally, there are two fare schedules. The first is for Monday-Saturday from morning to mid-evening. The second fee schedule is for Sundays and late at night, and is slightly more expensive. Tipping is not expected, but you might round up to an even number to be polite. It is also not uncommon to sit on the front. If you are interested in a more private and secure option, you can hire a Transfer Service. This kind of services work with prior recruitment, often have a wide range of vehicles and can be paid by credit card.
Car rental is cheaper if booked ahead but be aware that places like the airport and the ferry terminal charge higher rates then the same agencies in other locations around the city. A few phone calls and a cheap taxi ride to a location other than the air or sea ports will save you half the rate for the same car at the same company. If moving around by car, be aware that signs and lane markings are often poor or non-existent, and it's hard to see how many lanes the street really has. Drivers often yield to pedestrians, and you should not drive to close to the car in front of you as it, even while driving at high speed, might suddenly brake to let a pedestrian cross.
There's no rail traffic in the city itself. Administración de Ferrocarriles del Estado (AFE) operates local trains to suburbs and towns northwest of Montevideo in the departments of Canelones, San José and Florida. These trains depart from a terminal about 500 m north of the majestic former central station - Estación Central General Artigas - that was abandoned in 2003.
Less windy days are good for bike rides along the beach promenade. If something on your bike breaks, head for one of the Bicipuntos service points. Most city streets do not have designated bike lanes, so cycling around can be challenging, especially on weekdays. However, a bike is a good way for getting around the parks in and around the city.
Bikes can be rented at reasonable rates at some hostels and at Plaza Matriz in the old town.
The Independence square is a symbol of Montevideo and lined by several prominent landmarks.
Probably half of what Montevideo has to offer visitors is concentrated in the area immediately west of Plaza Independencia — the old town.
Sights located along or near Avenida 18 Julio from Plaza Independencia to the football stadium, in other words, the commercial center of Montevideo.
Sights located in the Parque Rodó and Punta Carretas districts and eastwards along the Rambla which features seemingly endless beaches.
Sights north of central Montevideo. The area with most points of interest here would be Parque Prado and its surroundings with interesting residential buildings from the early 19th century.
A good selection of medium level restaurants is to be found in Pocitos and Punta Carretas in the south of the city.
There's a wide choice of places in Montevideo for going out for a drink. However, before midnight there is very little going on, and while bars are open before that you might be the only patron. In the old tow,n it is not hard to find cafés and dance and music locals where you can experience the local culture. The street Bartolemé Mitre in the pedestrian area of the old town has plenty of cafés and bars to choose among, but prices tend to be higher than elsewhere in Montevideo. Many establishments have a happy hour and by good weather, you can enjoy your drink outside. The streets of 25 de mayo (Bacacay) and Sarandi are pedestrianized and have a range of bars and restaurants with good atmosphere. A little bit to the east, the streets San Jose and Sariano run parallel to Avenida de 18 Julio. On both of those streets, you can find good places to spend the night. Finally, the district of Pocitos is also a popular place for drinking and partying with several popular bars.
LOCAL TIME
6:51 pm
April 20, 2021
America/Montevideo
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UYU
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