Things to Do in Montevideo: Our Top 10 Highlights in Uruguay

Where to Stay in Montevideo?

We recommend planning at least one night in Montevideo on your Uruguay trip. Two days are enough to explore the most important things to do in Montevideo.

We recommend these two neighborhoods for staying overnight:

• Ciudad Vieja: Montevideo’s center and historic district
• Pocitos: Upscale neighborhood near the beach

If you’re only in Montevideo for a very short time, we’d suggest staying in the Ciudad Vieja — you can reach most of Montevideo’s attractions on foot from there. That said, we felt a little uneasy in some of the side streets in the old quarter.

Pocitos is a nicer place to stay. We like the atmosphere there a bit more, especially because you’re right near the beach. The fact that it’s not super centrally located is easy to overlook.

Our Hotel Recommendations in Ciudad Vieja

Our Hotel Recommendations in Pocitos

The Best Things to See in Montevideo — with Map

On our map, we’ve clearly marked all 10 highlights in Montevideo for you. You can also download the map and view it offline.

Now let’s dive into our Top 10 highlights!

To explore several of them in one go, we recommend a guided tour of Montevideo. It’s a great way to get to know the city center and the most important things to do in Montevideo.

Book the guided half-day tour of Montevideo

Our Top 10 Highlights in Montevideo

In the capital, you’ll find many of the most beautiful places to visit in Uruguay. Here’s what you simply can’t miss.

Plaza Independencia

Plaza Independencia is the main square in Montevideo and forms the gateway to the Ciudad Vieja, the historic center.

The standout of the square is the statue of General José Gervasio Artigas, one of the most important figures in Uruguay’s fight for independence.

Beneath the statue is a mausoleum where his remains are kept. Visiting the mausoleum is free.

Beyond that, the square impresses with its size and the tall buildings such as the Palacio Salvo. The city gate is also a popular spot for photos.

You can visit the Palacio Salvo — we recommend doing so with a guided tour so you can learn more about the palace.

Book tickets and a guided tour of Palacio Salvo

Teatro Solís

Right next to Plaza Independencia stands the Teatro Solís — the most well-known theater in the city and one of the top points of interest in Montevideo.

We don’t find it all that impressive from the outside, but the interior is really cool. Catching a show here is definitely worth it. We should mention, though, that we find the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires a bit more impressive.

You can buy tickets for an event at Teatro Solís on Tickantel or at the theater’s box office.

If you just want to see the halls, you can also take a guided tour. On Wednesdays these are free; otherwise you pay 400 UYU (about 9 euros). Payment is cash only. There are no tours on Mondays.

Ciudad Vieja

Montevideo’s old town sits on a narrow strip of land that almost feels like a small peninsula. The area around the Mercado del Puerto, the Ciudad Vieja’s market hall, is the most charming part. Montevideo’s port is also nearby.

The two pedestrian streets Calle Pérez Castellano and Sarandí are where most of the action is. You’ll find plenty of bars, restaurants, and street musicians that keep the atmosphere lively. We love the vibe and the architecture in the old quarter.

Mercado del Puerto

The Mercado del Puerto is our personal favorite spot in Montevideo. Unlike many other market halls, people here aren’t pushing and shoving — instead, you sit back and relax at one of the bars and typically enjoy a big grilled platter.

The market hall is known for its great grill restaurants, but there are other food options as well. Dancers and musical groups regularly come through the Mercado, so with a bit of luck you’ll be treated to some great entertainment while you eat.

Port of Montevideo

To be completely honest, the port of Montevideo isn’t really a highlight — but every tourist ends up walking over there anyway. In front of the port grounds stands a wide, imposing building that houses the navy.

Behind it is the port itself, where ferries and cruise ships dock. If you’re into ships, the walk to the port is definitely worthwhile. Not only do sleek cruise ships dock here, but you’ll also spot old wrecks floating in the water.

Rambla de Montevideo

While the port lies to the north of the old town, the long waterfront promenade runs along the southern side: Montevideo’s Rambla starts at the tip of the Ciudad Vieja and follows the entire coastline of Montevideo.

You can drive or bike along it and take leisurely walks. We especially love the stretch right by the old town — you can sit on the walls along the waterfront and watch the sunset. Seriously one of the best moments of our visit.

Montevideo Sign

If you follow the Rambla about 8 kilometers from the Ciudad Vieja, you’ll arrive at the wide beach of the lovely Pocitos neighborhood. A little further along is the Montevideo sign.

We’re not usually big fans of these letter signs, but the one in Montevideo is genuinely beautiful — behind it you have the beach and some stunning buildings.

The trip to the sign is also worth it just to sit on the lawn surrounding it, have a little picnic, and soak in the view.

Playa de los Pocitos

Pocitos beach is, for us, the most beautiful beach in Montevideo. It has soft sand, is easy to reach from the city center, and the scenery is simply gorgeous.

Don’t expect crystal-clear water at Montevideo’s beaches, though — the city sits on the Río de la Plata, whose waters aren’t a brilliant blue.

Since the river flows into the Atlantic just past Montevideo, the water here is a mix of seawater and river water. It’s a bit nicer in the summer, while it becomes noticeably murkier in winter.

Cerro de Montevideo

One of the less-visited things to do in Montevideo is heading up the city hill, located north of the city center.

At around 130 meters, it’s the highest point in the city, and at the top there’s a fort with a military museum. Admission is 50 UYU (about 1 euro).

From the top you get a great panoramic view of Montevideo, and since Uruguayans really do love their letter signs, you’ll also find one up here — the city’s name with the coastline as a backdrop.

Candombe

Experiencing Uruguayan culture is a must during your stay in Montevideo. One of the most deeply rooted traditions is Candombe — a traditional dance and rhythm that is central to Uruguay’s carnival.

Candombe is played year-round by musicians on the streets of Montevideo, so you’ll very likely come across it without even having to look for it.

The most authentic way to experience Candombe is at Montevideo’s carnival. It runs for an astonishing 40 nights, from mid-January to early March. During this time, tablados — the carnival shows — take place every evening all over Montevideo.

If you’re visiting Montevideo at a different time of year, the carnival museum is really worth a visit. Here you can learn more about Candombe and the carnival. Admission costs 150 UYU.

General Tips for Montevideo

Now you know the top attractions in Montevideo. To make sure you’re fully prepared for your sightseeing, here are a few more helpful pointers for your trip.

You’ll find more useful travel advice for Uruguay and Montevideo — covering topics like withdrawing money and the best time to visit — in a separate article.

Getting Around Montevideo

Montevideo’s infrastructure is good. All the highlights in the center are within walking distance. Only for Pocitos and Cerro de Montevideo do you want to take a bus or a taxi/Uber.

To find the right bus connection, you can usually rely on Google Maps in Montevideo. It will show you the bus number and stops. A single bus fare costs about 52 UYU, paid in cash to the driver.

Something that threw us off at first is that buses here don’t really have stop buttons. When you want to get off, you simply walk up to the front door near the driver, and the bus driver will stop at the next station. If you’re exiting through the rear door, there is a button there to request a stop.

Taking a taxi or Uber is more comfortable and faster than the bus, but also a bit more expensive.

Getting to Montevideo

You have several options for getting to Montevideo: by plane, bus, or boat.

By Plane to Montevideo

Montevideo is home to Uruguay’s international airport, located about 20 kilometers from the city center. You can find flights to Montevideo on Skyscanner.

Search for flights to Montevideo on Skyscanner

You can get from the airport to Montevideo by Uber, taxi, bus, or transfer.

You can buy tickets for public buses on the Urubus website. They run to the Tres Cruces bus terminal. It’s best to book a transfer that takes you directly to your hotel in advance online.

Book your Montevideo airport transfer

By Ferry to Montevideo

Many tourists travel to Montevideo from Buenos Aires. From the Argentine capital, you have two options for getting to Montevideo by ferry.

1. Take a direct ferry from Buenos Aires to Montevideo (approximately four hours)
2. Take a ferry from Buenos Aires to Colonia del Sacramento (about 1.5 hours) and continue from there by bus (about two hours).

The providers Colonia Express and Buquebus offer several daily ferry connections.

Note: Check carefully which terminal you depart from and arrive at, as there are several ferry terminals in both Argentina and Uruguay. In Buenos Aires, it’s best to book from a terminal close to your hotel in Buenos Aires.

By Bus to Montevideo

In some cases, you may arrive in Montevideo by bus. For example, if you make a stop in Colonia del Sacramento after your Argentina trip, you’ll take a bus from there to Montevideo.

From Brazil, such as from Porto Alegre, there are long-distance buses to Montevideo.

All buses go to the central Tres Cruces bus terminal. If your accommodation in Montevideo is along the bus route, the drivers are usually kind enough to let you off at an earlier stop.

Safety in Montevideo

How safe is Montevideo? That’s probably a question every traveler asks before heading there — because in major cities in South America, safety is always a very important topic.

In Montevideo, though, you don’t need to worry too much. Along with Santiago de Chile, Montevideo is considered one of the safest cities on the continent.

During the day, you can explore Montevideo’s attractions without any problems. There are, however, some deserted alleyways in the old town that we’d recommend avoiding.

At night, as everywhere in South America, you should get around by Uber or taxi. While we never heard of any muggings in Montevideo, you shouldn’t let your guard down. Play it safe and don’t walk around alone at night.

As everywhere in the world, always keep a close eye on your bags and valuables and never leave them unattended.