Montevideo – Uruguay

Montevideo – Uruguay is the capital city of Uruguay and also the country’s largest. It is the main port of the country which is part of the reason why Montevideo is the economic hub of Uruguay.

It has various museums, historical landmarks and charming villages where travelers are always warmly welcomed by the residents.

Location

Montevideo – Uruguay is located on the northern coast of Rio de Plata, about two hundred and thirty kilometers or roughly around one hundred and forty miles off Buenos Aires.

Getting There

You can fly in to Montevideo – Uruguay via the Montevideo International Airport situated approximately fifteen kilometers off the city centre. From the airport, you can easily catch a bus to get to the city centre.

You can also take a ferry ride from Buenos Aires and the trip usually takes three hours.

Buses from neighboring cities are also available if you will be coming from any one of these.

What to See

Architectural structures in the city are abundant, each one depicting either the Neo-Classical design pattern or the more modern designs of contemporary architecture.

The Palacio Salvo Legislative Palace, and Estévez Palace are such examples of structures in the city that have the Neo-Classical design pattern.

The old town of Ciudad Vieja has more historical buildings that you can view.

The Parque Prado is considered as the most beautiful of all six parks in Montevideo – Uruguay. Here, you can visit the rose garden, botanical garden and the Rural del Prado, which is used for farm animal and cattle fairgrounds during specific times of the year.

At the back of the botanical garden is the Presidential Residence. Museums that you can visit here include the Montevideo Cabildo which used to be a government office back in colonial times

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Also of particular interest is the Palacio Taranco which was built in the early parts of the twentieth century. Designers of this building were also the designers of the Petit Palais and the Arc de Triomphe both located in Paris.

Today, the Palacio is home to the Museum of Decorative Arts.

Brief History

It was the Spanish Governor of Buenos Aires who first established the settlement in Montevideo between the years 1724 and 1726. The settlement was first designated as San Felipe y Santiago de Montevideo which was later made short to simply Montevideo.

A couple of years after it was founded, Montevideo – Uruguay became the main city of the area located on the northern section of Rio de Plata.

During the nineteenth century, Montevideo was occupied by British forces in the Battle of Montevideo but was later regained by the Spanish forces.

However, for eight years following this recapturing of Montevideo by Spanish forces, the city came under heavy siege through the leadership of Oribe who gained support from Buenos Aires.

At the end of the hostilities some time in the latter years of the nineteenth century, the city started rebuilding itself.

Cost

Accommodations in Montevideo – Uruguay are varied. You can find affordable bed and breakfast inns, hostels and hotels as well as more luxurious hotel suites. Budget accommodations range from USD 25 to USD 58.

More luxurious rooms cost about USD 99 up to USD 183.

Other Information

Montevideo – Uruguay has several festivals celebrated each year, most notable of which is the Montevideo Carnival which is in conjunction with Carnival Week being celebrated throughout the country.