Montevideo Travel Guide

Montevideo is the capital city of Uruguay, on the east bank of the Rio de la Plata. Though sometimes overlooked beside nearby Buenos Aires, Montevideo is the cultural and political center of the country. The city has a vibrant cultural scene, natural places, rich cuisine and historic neighborhoods, making it a cosmopolitan city with a nostalgic touch ideal for enjoying Uruguayan culture. It was home to 1.3 million people in 2011, more than ten times the size of the next largest Uruguayan city. The metro area has around two million — half of the population of Uruguay — but the friendliness and helpfulness of the residents will make you think you're in a much smaller city.

Montevideo is on the north bank of the Rio de la Plata.

Buses are the only form of mass public transit available in town, so it's likely you'll use them at some point.

Montevideo used to be safer before, however it is still asafe citycompared to e.g. Brazilian cities.Pickpocketingoccurs downtown so backpacks and handbags should preferably be worn so that you can see them. Robberies are known to happen, including "smash and grab" attacks where the robber smashes a car window, grabs a bag or other item from the seat, and runs.

Many hotels in central Montevideo are dated and badly maintained, but this does not apply to all hotels there. The ones near Plaza Independencia are of high standard and popular among foreign dignitaries. Districts to find good hotels include Parque Rodó, Punta Carretas, Pocitos, Buceo, Punta Gorda and Carrasco.