A 3-Day Guide to Montevideo, Uruguay

Carrasco International Airport, known as one of the most efficient airports in Latin America, will likely be your point of entry if you're flying in. If you're coming from Buenos Aires, the three-hour Buquebus ferry is the easiest way to make the journey across the Rio de la Plata. Take a taxi to your hotel and drop off your bags. The best area to stay in is the Punta Carretas-Pocitos neighborhood – close to everything and with plenty of food and drink options nearby.

Grab lunch at Garcia or its neighbor La Perdiz for a taste of the local parrilla (grill), then burn those calories going for a walk on the nearby Rambla (promenade). If the weather is nice, you will likely see the locals hanging out drinking mate (a typical, portable tea-like beverage), exercising, sunbathing at the beach or playing a soccer match. Take a photo of the iconic Montevideo Letters and, if you still have the energy, walk 10 more minutes to the Puertito del Buceo marina to catch the sunset.

Go back to your hotel and get some rest – Uruguayans don't have dinner until 9pm (even that is considered early) and night life doesn't start until midnight. Venture to the Parque Rodo neighborhood for a broad selection of lively bars. Baker's and Inmigrantes are two of my personal favorites.

Start your day with coffee and bizcochos (pastries) and head out to explore the historic neighborhood of Ciudad Vieja. Plaza Independencia is a great place to start, with one of Montevideo's most emblematic buildings, the Palacio Salvo, on one end and the old city gate on the other one. Walk to the monumental Teatro Solís, then to the quaint Plaza Matriz and the Metropolitan Cathedral. Take a stroll on Solís Street, where you will find a variety of shops and handcrafts. Depending on the day and the time, you might spot newlyweds coming out of the nearby Registro Civil. Getting hungry? Head over to the nearby Mercado del Puerto for lunch.

In the afternoon, take a taxi or a bus to the residential neighborhood of El Prado, where you will find the Botanical Garden, the Rosedal (rose garden) and the Museo Blanes, where you will find the works of Juan Manuel Blanes, one of Uruguay's most important artists. Need a coffee stop? I recommend Café Suarez right across from the President's Residence.

Hopefully you're hungry from all the walking, because it's time to try the national dish of Uruguay – the chivito. This steak sandwich will put you in a food coma and it will be worth it. Chivitería Marcos it's a favorite for both locals and visitors.

On the third day, I recommend exploring beyond the city. If you are into wine, head over to Bodega Bouza to learn about the country's rich winemaking history and taste the signature red: tannat.

If you'd rather spend the day by the sea, take a day trip to Uruguay's seaside crown jewel, Punta del Este. There are tours that depart from Montevideo, or you can take the two-hour bus or do the easy 90-min drive yourself. See the famous fingers sculpture, eat some seafood by the marina or relax at the beach.

Another day-trip option is the UNESCO World Heritage site of Colonia del Sacramento, about two and a half hours from Montevideo by car, also available in tour version. Let the cobblestone streets transport you back to colonial times, when Uruguay was being disputed between the Portuguese and Spanish empires. If you're heading to Buenos Aires next, you can take the ferry from there.