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Uruguay is not a popular destination among travelers and it has been chosen by most visitors to pair with a trip to Argentina. Located just one hour from Buenos Aires, Uruguay can be an easy-to-arrive destination which you will never regret to visit.
You may know about Uruguay as the winner of the first football World Cup or have heard about Suárez and Cavani. I am pretty sure you know we legalized cannabis. And probably someone told you about the story of the uruguayan rugby players that survived the plane crash in the Andes.
Maybe that is all you know about the country... Don't worry, here you have some usefull information for your trip. Safe travels!
A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION
HISTORY
For thousands years, in the nowadays called Uruguayan territory, used to live the Charrúas, indigenous semi-nomadic people. They sustained themselves through fishing, hunting, and gathering. Since Portuguese and Spanish settlers arrived they were force to strongly alter their way of life, their land was invaded and lots of them were killed.
Then the region of present-day Uruguay was a zone of contention between the Spanish and Portuguese empires since the 16th century. Portugal founded Colonia del Sacramento and Spain founded Montevideo.
Since 1811 Artigas, "the father of Uruguayan nationhood", launched the orientales struggled for their independence. It lasted until 1828 but Artigas had left defeated to Paraguay in 1820. The first nation's constitution was adopted on 18 July 1830.
GEOGRAPHY
Uruguay is a water-rich country in Southern South América between
Argentina and Brazil. To the south, it fronts the Río de la Plata and to
the southeast the Atlantic Ocean. Most of Uruguay is a rolling plain
and its highest hill, Cerro Catedral, is 513 metres tall.
It can be divided into 4 regions: the countryside, the littoral,
Montevideo, and the coast.
MODERN TIMES
Uruguay is small but globalization, technology, bussiness and economic development are common words in this country. International big companies settle their offices in the capital city and famous Hollywood stars choose to spend their leisure time over here.
In 2013 Uruguay became more popular when same-sex marriage was legalized and it was the first country in the world to legalize marijuana on a nation-wide level.
PLAN YOUR TRIP
HOW TO GET TO URUGUAY
By plane
There are several airports in the country although you will probably arrive at Carrasco International Airport which is considered one of the most efficient and traveler-friendly airports in Latin America and the world. You can take a bus or a taxi (expensive!) from there to the city centre.
By boat
If you are in Buenos Aires (Argentina) you can easily take a ferry to Colonia del Sacramento or straight to Montevideo. The ferry cost depends on the company, the dates and the route. Travel to Colonia is cheaper than the trip to Montevideo and it's also faster (1 hour vs. 4 hours). The most popular companies are Seacat Colonia, Buquebus and ColoniaExpress.
TYPICAL COSTS
1 USD = $31 approx. >> Check the currency rates here
Acommodation
Hostels and backpacker-style lodges are getting more and more popular in Uruguay but maybe not as cheap as you wish. Expect to pay from $300 for a bed in a dorm and $1200 for a private room for 2. Hotel rooms starts in $700. Couchsurfing is also a good alternative.
Meals
As in every place of the world, eating in the street or sitting in a fancy restaurant can really make the difference. If you chose midium restaurants expect to pay $300 for a meal and a soft drink. It would be the same price for a Mc Donalds or Burger King meal. You can also buy ready to go sandwiches or empanadas (pie) in a kiosk, supermarket or even in the street for $30. If you can cook your own food the cheapest things to buy are rice, pasta and sandwiches. Vegetables and meat are a little bit more expensive. A bottle of 1.5 litres of water cost $30.
Transportation
There are no metro or subway in Uruguay, there are some train services from Montevideo to 25 de Agosto (Florida) but as the AFE web page has some translation mistakes, it is better for you to ask a local. In the capital city, Montevideo, there are plenty of bus lines which connect the whole city. There are also buses connecting the different states of the country.
Within Montevideo the prices vary regarding the kind of bus and the time. (You need a special card for 1 and 2 hours trip).
Boleto común o 1 hora / Single ticket or 1 hour: $28
Boleto de 2 horas / 2 hours ticket: $44
Boleto céntrico / centric ticket: $ 20
Boleto diferencial / differential ticket: $44
A ticket from Colonia to Montevideo costs $330 and from Montevideo to Rocha costs $400. See more rates here.
Activities
There are plenty of thing to do for free: spending a day in the beach, try some mate with tortas fritas, dance in Carnival, walk Montevideo's or Piriapolis's Rambla, visit historic quarters in Montevideo and Colonia, move your body in the outdoor public gyms or read a book in the shade of several parks.
Here you have some rates for great experiences in Uruguay:
Experience the gaucho lifestyle on an estancia (Countryside): from USD 70
Enjoy the dunes adventure (Cabo Polonio): from $200
Visit Casapueblo (Maldonado): $240
Have lunch at Mercado del Puerto (Montevideo): from $300
Guided tour Teatro Solis (English, French or Portuguese) (Montevideo): $60
RECOMMENDATIONS
WHAT TO EXPECT
Despite being a small country, Uruguay has a lot to offer: beaches, colonial towns, countryside and vineyards and modern cities with a exceptional culinary culture.
It is also true that there are some things you won't like about the country. Uruguayans are known as solidary people but there are some facts I am not proud of:
- Impuctual: if you expect someone at 10, wait until 10:30.
- Dirty: you will see rubish in the streets, garbage containers vandalized as well as non artistic graffiti in people houses.
- English: there are no signs in english and just a small part of the population can speak the language. If you need some help ask young people or executives in the street.
- Taxis: it won't happen in a bus but some taxi drivers might take advantage of your unknowledge and take a longer route to charge you more. They are totally safe though.
TOP DESTINATIONS
Montevideo: the capital city where a visit to its historic quarter and port is a must do. Go out at night in Parque Rodó or Pocitos. Take a bus to El Prado and visit some free museums and parks.
Colonia del Sacramento: a portuguese style colonial town to fall in love with. Cobblestone street, cafes and the lighthouse are some of the main attractions.
Punta del Este: a glamourous coastal city in Maldonado chosen by some famous stars to enjoy their holidays. Gorlero street and the giant hand sculpture in the sand are the most popular places to visit. Private parties and a frenetic nightlife await you.
Cabo Polonio: located in Rocha, Cabo is a hamlet with no electricity or running water, accessible by walking through the dunes or by 4x4 . The lighthouse, the remarkable landscape and the surfing waves catch the attention of hundreds of travelers every summer. Also you can visit a near town and find Bosque de Ombúes (Ombu Forest).
Punta del Diablo: also located in Rocha, it was named by the magazine "Lonely Planet" as one of the top 20 places to visit and invest. From December through February the 400 inhabitants village comes to life to show its beautiful and stunning white sand beaches to more than 20.000 travelers. Also, if you have the time, you can visit the "Centro de Tortugas Marinas" (Center for Sea Turtles) in La Coronilla (a nearby town) and the "Fortaleza de Santa Teresa" (Fortress of Santa Teresa) just 10 km away.
Costa de Oro: a group of beaches and towns from Pando Creek to Solis Grande Creek. The Costa de Oro (Golden Coeast) has more than 20 beaches and the most trendy are Atlántida and Costa Azul.
FOOD AND DRINKS
If you seat in a fancy restaurant, uruguayan food has no much difference with European cuisine. Spanish and Italian immigrants influences are still strong, for example it is very common to eat pasta on Sunday.
However there are some traditional dishes you should definitely try before you leave:
Local meat
Chivito: one of our best dishes. An amazing steak sandwich with bacon, mozzarella, fried egg, mayonnaise, olives, tomato and letucce. You can always put some more ingredients on or take some of them out.
Asado: a specific variety of meat called "tira de asado" prepared on a special grill called "parrilla".
Milanesa napolitana: beef schnitzel with tomate sauce, ham and mozzarella usually served with french fries.
Chorizo al pan: uruguayan sausage in two breads with tomato, lettuce and mayonnaise.
Fast food
Empanadas: a half-moon shape pie, delicious as no other!
La Pasiva's Pancho: a hot dog with a special flavour served at La Pasiva Restaurant.
Desserts
Flan con dulce de leche: creme caramel served with milk caramel.
Martin Fierro: quince paste and cheese.
To drink
Mate: a traditional South American infused drink prepared by steeping dried leaves of yerba mate in hot water and served with a metal straw called "bombilla".
Uruguayan wine: for those wine lovers, you will not be disappointed with our awarded wines.
HOW TO GET
INFO
COSTS
TOP D
FOOD
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