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U r u g u a y I
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| Uruguay may be pint-sized but it's certainly big-hearted when it comes to attractions. It contains one of South America's most interesting capitals, charming colonial towns and a cluster of internationally renowned beach resorts. | |||||||||||||||||
| Facts for the Traveler | |||||||||||||||||
| Visas: Most foreigners require
a visa, except nationals from neighboring countries, Western Europe, Israel,
Japan, South Africa and the USA. All visitors need a tourist card, which
is valid for 90 days and extendable for a similar period. Health risks: Hepatitis Time: GMT/UTC minus 3 hours Electricity: 220V, 50 Hz Weights & measures: Metric |
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| When to Go | |||||||||||||||||
| Uruguay's main attraction is its beaches, so most visitors come in summer. Along the littoral, summer temperatures are smotheringly hot, but the hilly interior is cooler, especially at night. | |||||||||||||||||
| Events | |||||||||||||||||
| The country's show-stopper is the annual Carnaval, which takes place on the Monday and Tuesday immediately preceding Ash Wednesday. Montevideo's staid reputation takes a battering during this time as a brace of drummers and costumed revelers advance along its streets. Holy Week (Easter) or La Semana Criolla offers traditional activities like asados (barbecues), horse-breaking, cowboy stunt riding and folk music. | |||||||||||||||||
| Money & Costs | |||||||||||||||||
| Currency: Peso Uruguayo (U$) Annual inflation in Uruguay hovers around 15%, but steady devaluations keep prices from rising rapidly in dollar terms.Costs are slightly lower than in Argentina, especially with respect to accommodation and transportation. Budget travelers can get by on US$15 a day; those looking for a bit more comfort and nutrition should expect to spend closer to US$30 a day. Cambios in Montevideo, Colonia and Atlantic beach resorts change US dollars cash and travelers' checks (the latter at slightly lower rates or modest commissions). Banks are the rule in the interior. Better hotels, restaurants and shops accept credit cards, but Uruguayan ATMs reject North American or European credit cards. There is no black market. In restaurants, it's customary to tip about 10% of the bill. Taxi drivers do not require tips, although you may round off the fare for convenience. |
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| Getting There & Away | |||||||||||||||||
| Montevideo is the main gateway for flights to and from the country. The international departure tax is US$2.50 to Argentina, US$6 to other South American countries and US$12 to elsewhere. For domestic flights the departure tax is around US$1. Road and bus services across the borders with Brazil and Argentina are good. Unfortunately, there are no rail services linking these countries. A ferry and hydrofoil service runs between Colonia and Buenos Aires. Ferry passengers embarking at Montevideo pay a US$5 port terminal and departure tax, while those at Colonia pay US$3. | |||||||||||||||||
| Getting Around | |||||||||||||||||
| Since the military airline TAMU has suspended services, there are no domestic flights within Uruguay except for the domestic leg of international flights from Punta del Este via Montevideo to Brazil. Buses are reasonably priced and there are frequent services to all sizeable destinations. Traveling by car poses few problems once outside hazardous Montevideo, although the country's winding roads and hilly terrain require some care. Local transport is predominantly by bus and metered taxi. | |||||||||||||||||
| Attractions | |||||||||||||||||
| Montevideo The capital and only large city sprawls along the banks of the Río de la Plata, almost directly opposite Buenos Aires. It's a picturesque place of colonial Spanish, Italian and Art Deco styles. Most attention is focused on the Ciudad Vieja, the old city built on a peninsula close to the port and harbor, and the commercial center, located around Plaza Independencia to the east.  To get your bearings in the city center, take a walk from Plaza Independencia, the grandest of Montevideo's squares, through the Ciudad Vieja to the port. On the plaza is the black-marbled Mauseleo de Artigas, topped by an enormous statue of the national hero, and the 26-story Palacio Salvo, the tallest building in South America when built in 1927 and still the tallest in the city today. The Plaza Constitución, neoclassical Cabildo and the Iglesia Matriz, the oldest public building (1799) in the city, are further west.  Other important sights in the area include the Museo Histórico Nacional, which consists of four different homes filled with historical effects, and the Museo del Gaucho y de la Moneda, which houses an impressive display of artefacts from Uruguay's gaucho (cowboy) past. Also, don't miss the Mercado del Puerto, once the finest port in South America, and now a colorful, lively center filled with markets, restaurants, artists and street musicians. The Feria de Tristán Narvaja is an outdoor market peddling groceries, antiques and souvenirs. A handful of sandy beaches stretch along the metropolitan waterfront and are popular excursions for the city's residents on summer weekends. Inexpensive accommodation, eateries, nightclubs and theaters are found in the Ciudad Vieja, while the best shopping is along Avenida 18 de Julio, which runs eastwards from the old city. The Uruguayan Littoral West of Montevideo, and covering the portion of Uruguay which fronts the Río de la Plata and the Río Uruguay, is the country's most important agricultural area. Its outstanding attraction is the lively colonial city of Colonia (del Sacramento), an under-appreciated gem of narrow cobbled streets flanked by whitewashed buildings. The boating, fishing and swimming are good along the beaches of Mercedes, and there are many excellent museums in Paysandú, Uruguay's second largest city. The Uruguayan Riviera  The area east of Montevideo is one of the most Westernized places in Uruguay with innumerable beach resorts, plenty of water activities and lots of well-groomed, narcissistic tourists sporting hibiscus shirts. Immediately east of the capital is the major resort of Atlántida, and Piriápolis is a mere flick of the towel away. From here, you can venture into the surrounding countryside and climb the 493m (1617ft) Cerro Pan de Azúcar or visit Minas, a lovely town set in wooded hills. The largest and best known of the resorts is Punta del Este, one of South America's most glamourous and exclusive destinations. The place is awash with yacht and fishing clubs, golf courses, casinos and beautiful holiday homes. If that's not enough, there are excellent bathing beaches, perfect for swimming and sunbathing. Just offshore are Isla Gorriti, which has more superb beaches and the ruins of an 18th-century fortress, and Isla de Lobos, a nature reserve that is home to a large sea-lion colony. |
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| Activities | |||||||||||||||||
| Yachting, boating, fishing and watersports are excellent at Carmelo and Mercedes. There are also sandy beaches and pellucid waters at the resort of Punta del Este, and thermal baths at Termas de Guaviyú. Short walks abound around Piriápolis, while dune walking is a popular pastime in the remote Cabo Polonia. |
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