Vacations On Montevideo 🇺🇾
Travel notes complete with a map of 12 places I enjoyed and film photographs I took.
I have never been to South America before, and Uruguay might not be the most obvious destination to start. But the country is ranked first in the Americas for democracy, as well as one of the leading countries in major indexes for safety and freedom. To be honest, that’s not how I normally choose a destination to go on vacation. But coming from a country highjacked by a regime that kills political prisoners, you start to cherish such things.
Being a slow traveler, in three weeks I only traveled the coastline of Uruguay. It was enough to shazam a whole playlist along the way. Some people cover the entire continent in the same amount of time. Yet, since digging places in Uruguay appeared to be much harder than in Europe, I hope these travel tips will assist you with where to eat, what to see, and what to bring home. Consider it a helpful starting point, akin to advice from a trusted friend.
In this first article, I cover Montevideo. The guide to the Uruguayan Atlantic Coast is coming later.
If you find this guide helpful, I would greatly appreciate it if you could share it with your friends who might benefit from it 💙 And if you've already been to Montevideo and have additional recommendations, please feel free to leave them in the comments section below this post.
PS If you are viewing this post in your email app, consider opening it in browser by clicking the post’s title — it’s just too long to fit into an email.
The guide
All the places from this guide, complete with descriptions, are marked on the Google map. Feel free to use it on your phone and share it with friends.
PS Look for some little extra bonus at the end of each section 😏
Montevideo
The capital city of Montevideo is home to 2 million Uruguayans, more than half of the country’s population. Literally, 4 out of 5 people in the streets hold a cup of mate and an insulated water bottle, either under their arms or in a dedicated bag. Somehow, they manage to do it while carrying shopping bags or a baby stroller.
I loved the abundance of the early 20th-century low-rise residential architecture in Neoclassical, Art Deco, and Medieval Mediterranean styles. I highly recommend taking a random walk around Cordón and Pocitos barrios.
Overall, I found Montevideo to be a very chill city in terms of a vibe. It’s the opposite of flashy and loud. Yet, the city is full of gems hidden behind the century-old facades. Oh, and unlike the vibe, the weather was very windy.
Food and drinks
Generic-looking meat restaurant on the ground floor of a skyscraper business center?… Well, that’s where I ate the best steak in my life. They call it Baby Beef Garcia, and it’s recognized as a milestone in the Uruguayan grilled-meat tradition. My expectations about meat in Uruguay were at an all-time high, and Garcia exceeded them by far. I ended up going to Garcia 3 or 4 times for that steak. Seriously, it’s that good.
Apparently, the restaurant was founded in 1967 and has another outpost in the Carrasco barrio of Montevideo.
If Baby Beef Garcia is the first wonder of Uruguayan cuisine, then the chivito runs in a solid second place. Akin to pizza fritta in Naples or francesinha in Porto, chivito falls under a category of forbidden food in my hierarchy of hedonistic sins. It’s a sandwich usually filled with steak, bacon, cheese, eggs, olives, tomato, lettuce, and other ingredients. Served with fries, of course. You’d be surprised how smoothly it goes, no biggie.
A 19th-century food market filled with open-fire meat restaurants. It’s hot in there. I went for an asado de tira at Cabaña Veronica. It was my first time drinking beer (Norteña) served in a 1-liter glass bottle immersed into an ice bucket, an experience I then repeated throughout the trip. Surprisingly, the souvenir shop I Love Uruguay happened to be pretty good, featuring lots of locally made crafts. I ended up buying a thick woolen overshirt made in Uruguay.
A contemporary food market located inside a century-old furniture factory, featuring a dozen gastronomic booths. I enjoyed tacos at La Milpa and craft beers at OPB in the internal open courtyard.
A lively craft brewery with numerous taps and wood-fired oven pizzas.
A mellow bar in a beautiful one-story neoclassical building with a selection of creative takes on the local specialties. Best baked provolone served with tomato chutney and pesto.
Bonus💥 A bunch of places that I haven’t had a chance to experience yet, but would definitely check out next time (in no particular order): Café Brasilero, Las Misiones, Jacinto, Índica Beer, Baar FunFun, Candy Bar, Toledo, Mercado de la Abundancia, Misión Comedor, Bar Marbella, Parrillada El Alemán, República Rotisería, La Pulperia, Baco Vino y Bistro, Bar Arocena.
Views
Going to bookstores filled with books in a language you don’t speak might seem weird, but just being inside Escaramuza is pure joy. Plus, they have plenty of albums in English and a lively cafe in the backyard.
National Museum Of Visual Arts
With Uruguay being a small country, it might be hard to find many Uruguayan artworks outside the country. This museum has the largest collection. Besides, its facade covered with suspended tiles colored in Mondrian palette is an artwork of itself. It doesn’t hurt to drink a specialty coffee at the Lab in the garden afterward, too.
Yet another beautiful bookstore. It doesn’t have a cafe, but it’s still a joy to just wander around.
The city’s major landmark, completed in 1928, is indeed an architectural wonder. It also inspired ‘The Tower of Montevideo’ by Damon Albarn.
Bonus💥 A few places that I haven’t had a chance to experience yet, but would definitely check out next time (in no particular order): Facultad de Arquitectura, Diseño y Urbanismo, Montevideo Shopping Center, La Fuente de Eladio Dieste.
Stays
A newly built 5-star hotel at an astonishingly affordable price. The interiors are top-notch both visually and in terms of quality.
A short getaway from Montevideo, La Baguala is a rural colonial-style hotel surrounded by peaceful forrests, beaches, and equestrian pastures.
Bonus💥 A few places that I haven’t had a chance to experience yet, but would definitely check out next time (in no particular order): Casa Roberto.
If you find these travel notes helpful or exciting, I would greatly appreciate it if you could share this article with your friends who might benefit from it 💙
If you've already been to Montevideo or are planning to go and have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below.
Check out my other travel notes too!