Montevideo is the capital city of Uruguay. It is Uruguay’s largest city with a population of around 1,326,000. Today, Montevideo is a beacon of South America as it offers the highest standard of living anywhere on the continent. The city has many alluring characteristics, perhaps the most valuable for tourists is that Montevideo is extremely pedestrian friendly, meaning you can walk around and enjoy all the magnificent sights Uruguay’s capital has to offer.

Tourist Sightseeing

The best tourist hotspots in Montivideo start with entering the city in style. La Puerta de la Ciudadela is the gateway to Ciudad Vieja (Old City). At every angle you will find interesting buildings. Then head on over to the Plaza de la Constitucíon, the largest square in the old city. Near by is the cathedral, the Town Hall and the Museo Histórico Nacional (National Historical Museum).

The Plaza Independencia is between the old and the new city, you can’t miss it, it has a monument of revolutionary leader José Gervasio Artigas and the country’s tallest building, the Palacio Salvo. Nearby is the Teatro Solís.

Avenida 18 de Julio is very busy, here you will find many of Montevideo’s theatres, museums and art galleries.

Maldonado is the capital on Maldonado Depatment. It is acknowledged as being one of the nicest parts of Uruguay in terms of beaches and climate.

Rivera is a Northern city on the border with Brazil. In fact, the border splits Rivera and the Brazilian city, Santana do Livramento. The population of Rivera is listed as 65,000 but combined with Santana do Livramento, the total population is around 200,000. The most prominent tourist attraction in Rivera is the Plaza square, which lies between the two nations and celebrates peaceful relations between Uruguay and Brazil. The square was built in 1943.

Paysandú is a city found on Uruguay’s Western border with Argentina. It has a population of 97,000. Paysandú has a very diverse mix as the city is home to many Italians, Swiss, German, Ukranian and other cultures. Paysandú is very important to Uruguay in terms of industry. The city and region provides sugar, woolen fabrics, leather and Eucalyptus.

Salto is located in the North West of Uruguay, very close to the border of Argentina. Salto’s is one of Uruguay’s biggest cities with a population that currently stands at around 100,000 people. Salto is known for it’s friendly inhabitants who like to party and socialize in the evenings. One popular attraction which draws tourists to Salto is the thermal pools nearby.