Palace Saved
Like that middle brother of three children, to Uruguay It is not easy to stand out boxed in as it is between the two most important countries in the region: ** Brazil and Argentina .** If on top of that, as happens to Montevideo, Buenos Aires is only a few hours away by ferry, the eclipse is accentuated.
But calm down because the capital of the little country does not need to do anything crazy to attract attention and, surprise! It's not just football mate , nor pharmacies where marijuana is sold.
Main Square of Montevideo
DAY 1
09:00 a.m. Having a good breakfast is going to be fundamental to see all the wonders that it offers us Montevideo. That's why we started the adventure at ** Café Gourmand ** _(Calle Constituente, 1869) _, one of the trendy places and worth it despite it. Of french style , it will be very difficult for you to only eat one of their irresistible pain au chocolat .
10:00 a.m. If you are into selfies in iconic sites , the Plaza Independencia is your place. In this square is the singular Salvo Palace, an unclassifiable building that also has a twin in Buenos Aires: the Barolo Palace . There is also a huge statue of the revolutionary José Artigas and, just below it, a mausoleum to learn about his heroic life. From Plaza Independencia we are going to go along the Gateway from the Citadel to Montevideo oldest, the Old City.
French chic breakfast at Café Gourmand
Old City It is the historic center and the most magical area of the city. The best thing is to go through the coquettish Sarandí pedestrian street and stop at the Torres Garcia Museum _(Sarandí, 683) _ to discover the work of the artist that gives it its name, Joaquin Torres Garcia.
To explore Old City we will take Sarandi , where the colonial-type buildings that characterize the area begin to appear, until reaching the Mother Church (Plaza constitution) . Stopping to see it is mandatory.
One of the most fascinating things about Ciudad Vieja is the variety of ecosystems it has despite not being a very large neighborhood. In few streets you travel from a little fishing village to another from the interior passing through landscapes similar to an 18th century colonial villa . And all adorned with an intoxicating silence and tranquility.
Stay a little longer impregnating yourself with the spell of Ciudad Vieja, that we are queuing for eat in the Market of the Port.
48 hours in Montevideo
2:00 p.m. In the Port Market _(Rambla 25 de Agosto with Pérez Castellano) _ there are numerous stalls/restaurants where everyone prepares almost exclusively the typical Uruguayan dish: the roast. The morning has been intense and a day is a day so treat yourself to savor the delicious meat they offer, you don't know if you will taste this delicacy again.
4:00 p.m. La Rambla is the next destination. The people of Montevideo are very much in love and proud of this ideal promenade that they have in front of the Silver river . Here they go running, meet up to drink some mates -which we highly recommend- or just walk around. If it's bad be careful: the waves reach the road!
To the delicious Uruguayan barbecue!
7:00 p.m. we have already met Old City and the Rambla but the triad of sophistication will not be completed until we go to the Solis Theater _(Buenos Aires with Bartolomé Mitre) _. The capital of Uruguay is full of theaters but perhaps the most famous is the Solís. Theatrical performances, monologues, dance, music... You can see their programming in advance.
**9:30 p.m. For dinner we will visit Francis ** _(Luis de la Torre with José María Montero) _, a spectacular restaurant with dishes for all tastes. Opt for the fish -there is the genre of the day- or for the tasty rice dishes. If you are very into salads, the one with greens and goat cheese will melt you.
11:30 p.m. You don't really know a new city if you don't get tangled up in its night. That's why it's a good idea to scroll to Brawn (Cannelloni with Acevedo Diaz) , a bar where you can taste the best local craft beers. If you are one of those who get homesick when they travel, don't worry: they also serve imported beers to make you feel a little closer to home.
Old City
DAY 2
9:00 a.m. Today's breakfast will take place at ** Medialunas Calentitas ** (September 21 with Roque Graseras), a franchise also present in Argentina and Paraguay. You will understand its success when you try the specialty that gives the house its name.
10:00 a.m. If there is something that is lived with great passion in Uruguay, that is football and, whether you like it or not, leaving Montevideo without visiting one of the most important monuments of the beautiful game would be sacrilege.
We speak, of course, of the mythical Centennial Stadium (Avda. Dr. Américo Ricaldoni). The final of the first World Cup was held in this coliseum in 1930. It is an emblem of the city and it also has a museum that opens from Monday to Friday.
Centennial Stadium
11:00 a.m. . One of the most beautiful things Montevideo is the fairs, street markets where everything is sold . There are fairs every day of the week and in all the neighbourhoods, but the best known is the one on Sunday in the Tristan Narvaja street. Lose yourself in the atmosphere and buy something: it is rumored that the stallholders unknowingly put up high-value items for sale.
12:30 p.m. The Tristan Narvaja street is not far from legislative Palace (Avda. de las Leyes), headquarters of the House of Senators and Representatives . Although the mediatic José Mujica is no longer the president of the country nor are there a couple of lions at its doors, the palace is well worth our attention. There are guided tours from Monday to Friday for only three dollars (about 2.40 euros).
1:30 p.m. This fruitful morning just needs the icing on the cake in the form of great food. The plan is to have lunch in a bookstore. What if that is possible? In Purer Verse _(Sarandí, 675) _ Of course, yes. The bookstore is beautiful -imperial staircase included- and well stocked. Enjoy the food served in the restaurant on the first floor surrounded by books and shelves.
3:00 p.m. C With enough time before they close we go up to the viewpoint of the Intendancy (Avda. July 18 with Ejido). This panoramic view of the city is open until 4:00 p.m. daily and is free. From there we will go to the nearby Juan Pedro Zabini Square _(Avda. 18 de Julio con Río Negro) _ and we will enjoy something that not many know. In the afternoon, dozens of elderly -and not so elderly- they congregate in the square to dance tangos for hours. It's totally free, so go wild and learn the typical local dance, the most common ones will be happy to help you.
Purer Verse
6:00 p.m. . Time to buy gifts! In Montevideo They go to the malls a lot but we are not going to offer you something so impersonal, but rather we will take you to the outlet of hands of uruguay _(San José with Paraguay) _, "a non-profit organization that employs artisan women in rural areas," they explain on their website.
They mostly have wool clothes, but if you're not convinced, you can also go to the ** Mercado de los Artesanos ** _(Plaza Cagancha, 1365) _, an establishment that offers a wide variety of typical Uruguayan handmade items. And you can chat with the artisans themselves!
8:30 p.m. To close our Montevideo adventure, we must succumb to one of the greatest pleasures of its inhabitants. Probably during these fun hours of adventure you will have seen many food trucks on the streets.
These food stalls prepare hamburgers, hotdogs and, above all, the spectacular choripán : a hot dog open in half inside a bread to which you can add bacon, melted cheese and all kinds of spices and dressings for only 3 euros! Good, tasty and cheap.