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To Get There
Carrasco International Airport is about 12 miles from downtown Montevideo and a taxi ride costs about $30. Visas are required for stays longer than 90 days. Visitors must pay a $20 departure tax.
To Get Around
The city’s heart is Plaza de la Independencia and Avenida 18 de Julio is the most important commercial district. The business and financial district is located in Ciudad Vieja, the old city.
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To Stay
We recommend the Belmont House Hotel (Ave. Rivera 6512, Tel: 5982-600-0430, www.belmonthouse.com.uy), a boutique hotel with 24 rooms and 4 suites, all of them with garden views. It is a short distance from downtown Montevideo, but far enough to avoid its bustle. For a larger hotel, opt for the Radisson Montevideo Victoria Plaza Hotel (Plaza Independencia 759, Tel: 5982-902-0111, www.radisson.com). It is located in the heart of the commercial and financial district.
To Eat
Among one of Montevideo’s best restaurants, Baserri (Julio Herrera y Reisig 957, Tel: 400-0262) offers good seafood dishes and a pleasant environment. La Silenciosa (Ituzaingó 1426. Tel: 915-9409), is known for its beef dishes.
To Drink
For a relaxing drink, head to The Bridge Bar (Radisson Montevideo Victoria Plaza Hotel) at the lobby level.
To Unwind
Cerro Fortress, built to protect the old city, is accessible by ferry from the port of Montevideo and offers spectacular views of the city. The fortress features a museum and a golf course. For a literary tour, visit what is considered an institution in Montevideo, Librería Linardi y Risso (Juan Carlos Gómez 1435, Tel: 915-71 29, www.linardiyrisso.com). It offers a magnificent selection of recent publications as well as used books and first editions of the great Latin American writers such as Rubén Darío and José Santos Chocano, as well as antique books.
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What to Buy
Local crafts and alpaca wool products are good items to bring home. Also, if you speak Spanish, buy an original-language copy of novels by Juan Carlos Onetti, author of “No Man’s Land.”