Almost half of Uruguay’s population live in Montevideo and it’s easy to see why. A city with a thousand faces, Montevideo is whatever you want it to be; beach, port, historic city or contemporary capital.
The southernmost capital city in South America, Montevideo was founded fairly recently in the early 18th century. The one place all Montevideo tourist guides will urge you to visit is the Port Market where the scents of the trademark South American grilled meat and the sounds of guitars and traditional drums fill the air. Visitors will also want to see the sights of the old town or ‘Ciudad Vieja’ starting at Plaza Independencia just east of the old town gate and continuing around Zabala and Constitucion Square. In colonial times this area was a closed-in, partially walled network of streets. Now only the gateway remains and Ciudad Vieja is known as the hottest nightlife spot in the city.
Once you’ve had your fill of the architecture and the many museums that showcase different facets of the city, take a relaxing stroll along the Rambla, heading further south to sample the beaches and shopping at the barrios of Pocitos and Punta Carretas.