Uruguay may not be the most ubiquitous country to visit on one’s South America travel itinerary, but that’s exactly why I went. Montevideo was a city that I knew little about and yearned to know more.
It actually wasn’t until I was booking my plane ticket between Brazil and Argentina that I found the most cost-effective flight option had a connection in Montevideo.
By flying Pluna, Uruguay’s national carrier, I was able to stop over in Montevideo at no additional charge en route to Buenos Aires.
I decided to stay for two nights in the small walking city. After much research, I opted to stay in Montevideo’s ‘Old City’ where the best of the city’s architecture can be found.
Hotel Plaza Fuerte, my hotel of choice, sits in the heart of the Old City with wrought-iron balconies and an antique lift-style elevator with folding wooden doors and an elaborate wrought-iron cage. Entering Hotel Plaza Fuerte after walking Av. 18 de Julio, Montevideo’s main street, and seeing the flashing lights of the boutiques and restaurants really made me step back in time from the modern world’s buzz.
All things considered, Old City doesn’t lack any buzz. During the day, it’s quite sleepy, but at night the neighborhood takes on a whole new life with hundreds running the narrow streets and drinking their cerveja while queuing up for the clubs. One-off street parties are also quite popular in the Old City at night, where herba mate, a local tea drunk in a gourd, can be purchased as well as sandwiches like the chivito.
On day two, I walked Montevideo’s Rambla, a 14-mile stretch of roadway that wraps the peninsula of Montevideo, surrounded by the Rio de la Plata, the river separating Uruguay from Argentina. Walking the roadway allowed for great vistas across the river and opportunities for exploring markets, cafes and restaurants along the side streets.
At night I enjoyed myself at a small club, appropriately named ‘Small Club’ where they hosted a game of telegrams. Every patron was given a number to wear on their shirt and scraps of paper. Questions or comments could then be entered into a box with the appropriate number for whom you want to ask a question/make a comment. My Spanish is substantially less than par, but the game was great way for me to meet locals.
Departing for the international airport seemed to have come much too soon, but in reality I did explore the whole city. Montevideo is a great weekend stopover, coming from Brazil or Argentina of course. As the seasons are reversed in the southern hemisphere, I was exploring Montevideo in Uruguay’s winter.
Next time I’m in the area I’d love to see the vibrancy of this city in the summer and take the 2-hour bus to Punta del Este, the new ‘It’ Riviera of South America.
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© Cheapflights Ltd (Story and photos by Joshua Clark)
