Montevideo Information

Tips

• Places where to eat and things to do during the day:

“The Chivito Canadiense” is not a goat, it´s beef!

At noon

You can´t leave Uruguay if haven´t had a “Chivito”! It´s a really good beef sandwich. Now, where can you get a good “Chivito”? Anywhere!, either in a pizzeria or a shopping street.

The famous “Carritos” (Movil fastfood) on the streets have become a folklore in Montevideo, you can´t leave without having gone through one. It is also an economical choice because with $ 100 pesos (USD 5) you can enjoy an excellent, tasty and huge “Canadian Chivito”. In a few words, we recommend a good “CHIVITO CANADIENSE” in one of the many fastfood restaurants around town, don´t worry and eat with confidence since they are well managed and they have all sanitary requirements.

Lot´s of Meat

Port Market
Another must do for our gastronomic tour: The Port Market. Is a warehouse type building of XX century flooded with grills and barbacues where we find the best meet in town. Hundreds of kilos of roast beef flaunting to be tasted by tourists. Give a try to an exquisit barbecue, this consists of various cuts of meat (beef, Chicken, Pig, lamb, and lots more like water pig, Ñandú, Mulita, Jabalí,etc) in addition to traditional salads. After eating you will be stuck on your chair because of all the meat you have injested (remember that in Uruguay or New Zealand there are more cows than people), we will have to pay around $ 500 pesos (about USD 25) for our meal and the famous drink “Medio y Medio” Roldo´s, an exquisite white sparkling wine original from Montevideo.

“The GRAMAJO”

- Old Town -
“The Gramajo” is another national landmark, it´s a jumble of fried potatoes with onions, peppers, ham with many seasonings and other ingredients. Every place prepares it differently from the others and makes a delicious dish to serve with Patricia beer, the traditional beer of locals. Gramajos´are easy to find at any bar in the old city and cost around U $ 100 a USD 5.

Our Tours

COLONIA DEL SACRAMENTO - HISTORICAL HERITAGE OF HUMANITY

Our journey begins visiting the typical villages of New Helvetia (Swiss Colony) knowing the Nirvana Hotel, “Plaza of the founders”, the Shrine of Our “Lady of Schoenstatt”. Then continue on to a farm where we will taste artisanal products of this region the cradle of the dairy in Uruguay. 40 Minutes after we will arrive to Colonia del Sacramento (a UNESCO Heritage Site.). Colonia was founded and rulled by the Portuguese empire for over 300 years and was the "apple of discord” between Portugal and Spain until 1777 when the Treaty of San Ildefonso to Colonia left it in the hands of the Kingdom of Spain.
Visit the Street of Sighs, the Church of the Blessed Sacrament, San Pedro Bastion, Polvorín, Faro, Museums Spanish and Portuguese, etc. On Museums tickets are not included). Rambla Costanera, Real de San Carlos with its ancient bullring, the Church of San Benito, Port. Return to the Centre and free time for exploring the beautiful landscapes and picturesque streets. Lunch (optional). In appropriate time we will come back to your starting point.

PUNTA DEL ESTE – PIRIAPOLIS

THE PEARL OF THE ATLANTIC
Our tour begins on the “United Nations” Boulevard, Avda Giannattasio, Route Interbalnearia, through the chain of beaches and resorts that will take us to PIRIAPOLIS, one of our best destinations in Uruguay where we will visit: the beautiful Rambla Costanera, th “Hotel Argentino” and climb to Cerro San Antonio where we will have a magnificent panoramic view. Next place on our trip is Punta Ballena with its beautiful scenic area. After we will get to Casapueblo, home of the famous artist Carlos Paez Vilaro, free time to visit. (Tickets not included). We will continue our ride to get to Punta del Este, also called the Pearl of the Atlantic that has international fame and everyone talks about it. Tour of residential neighborhoods to admire the mansions and gardens that hide their famous owners on the “Brava” and “Mansa” beaches. Our ride will take us to “La barra”. After this we come back to the city center to visit the port and free time for lunch (optional) or enjoy the afternoon on the beach. Will also have free time to walk Gorlero St (main street of Punta del Este). Remember going through the Conrad hotel, one of the five biggest 5 stars Hotels of South America. On our return we will drop you at the Hostel again.

MONTEVIDEO

OVERVIEW OF THE CITY TOUR

Our walk will allow us to visit the Old Town, “Plaza Matriz” that has the first Fount with potable Water Source in Montevideo, Metropolitan Cathedral, The Cabildo, Club Uruguay, Solis Theatre, Plaza Independencia with a monument dedicated to General “José Gervasio Artigas” and his Mausoleum, “The old Gate”, Palace of Justice, Palacio Salvo. After this you will see our main street “18 de Julio St”, main commercial artery of downtown. Plaza Fabini, Legislative Palace and Senators representatives of Uruguay, magnificent marble building surrounded by multicolored Avenue of the Laws. (Visit to the building subject to approval). We continue our stroll through the old residential area with his monuments: Prado, Last Charruas and diligence, Presidential residence, Government House, Obelisco, 1830, Batlle y Ordóñez Park, Athletics Track, “La Carreta” Monument, Stadium Centenario. Continue to the residential neighborhood of Carrasco, Carrasco Lawn Tennis. Also a brief tour to admire the magnificent residences. Return to the downtown area to see our beautiful Rambla “United Nations”. The beaches of our city, passing through the neighborhoods of “Punta Gorda” with a stop at “Plaza Virgilio” where we will have a panoramic view. Malvin, Puerto Diving with Yates “Yacht Club”, Pocitos Beach, Punta Carretas Golf Club. Return to your hotel.

DIA DE CAMPO (A day in a Farm)

You will find 600 acres of green grass and hills that make the ideal landscape for your eyesight. It is a special place to stay and enjoy the best lands on our country just 45 minutes from Montevideo. This Farm, attended by its owners, is a unique place for the family to live and learn how people live and the country style where you can enjoy various activities and typical adventures. Horse riding trails, hills and diverse landscapes of the countryside, canoeing on the lakes and streams, fishing, Mountain bicycles rides, native bird watching, walk through the apple orchards and peach trees or a visit to the animals reserve are only some of the activities offered to guests. For rainy days the room offers entertainment for adults and children such as board games, pool, ping pong, Satellite Tv, Music and games. The beauty of this place combined with the typical local cuisine and homemade brear or cakes make an excellent proposal!

ACTIVITIES AND SERVICES

Outdoor pool, indoor heated pool, restaurant, Direct TV, game room, horse riding, biking, hiking mountains, therapeutic massage (optional), walk to the extensive local white-sand beaches on Rio de la Plata just 10 minutes from the farm (optional), volleyball, soccer field, children's garden games and board games.

DIA DE CAMPO

Activities and services: Lunch and snack and activities like; horse riding, heated indoor swimming pool and outdoor swimming pool, walks through the establishment
Not included: drinks

Visit to Wineries

Our visit to wineries will be to learn wich are the most famous and typical wineries in our country.

We have the option of knowing historical wineries and the ones with the highest production of wine also.

There is a tour called “Tour of the vineyards”, were you can learn about the history of each vineyard and what kind of process they have on each place before this exquisite wines are ready for the final consumer.

Culminating the visit there are 3 types of wines that you will taste accompanied by typical chopped sausages and cheese. All of this is designed and arranged in order to spend a pleasant moment in a unique atmosphere.

Another option is to visit a boutique managed as a family business. A small production winery but of very fine quality, located only 13 kilometers from the city of Montevideo. This hotel offers visitors to see the facilities where they can see part of their production, as well as the vineyards. Also, they are one of just a few establishments in Uruguay where “Tempranillo” is grown, a red strain originated in La Rioja, Spain.

This winery has achieved several awards for quality and good taste, something that marks a bright future ahead.

Also as a classic point in the itinerary of the vineyards tour we have the the wine tasting of their famous “Cava” accompanied by a classic preparation of chopped homemade cheese and other dairy farm products.

Things to do by Night

Diner and drinks

“We eat together”

We have a different menu everyday like a typical Uruguayan barbecue, Mexican tacos (Uruguayan style), a Chinese “chop suey” with a chinese who serves it, Hamburguers from Hamburg, Italian pasta that I stole from the Nona, Homemade Steak or Roasted Chicken and many others ... Cost of meals are USD 7 with drinks included: wine, beer or a soft drink like Coca Cola. If you would like to eat out, there are many restaurants and Pizza places nearby.

Suggestions and Recommendations

Clothes and Climate

Montevideo is warm and humid and it Rarely reaches 0 degrees at the worst winter season. Normally in winter it ranges from 8 to 17 degrees. In summer the temperature rarely reaches 35 degrees and has an average of 23 to 33 degrees.

Internal transfers

How to get to the city

Flying, swimming or walking ... To Montevideo you can come as you want, you got a few different combinations and transportation options, according to where you come from and the way you´d like to choose.

Taking the river - Titanic without Di Caprio

From Buenos Aires you can come by ferry directly from port to port. The price is the same as coming by plane. The advantage is that you will get off in the city center. The ride takes about 3 hours.

Another option is by ferry to “Colonia del Sacramento”, or its most common name “Colonia” as we say. This final option takes about 4 or 6 hours to get to Montevideo depending on the ticket you have bought (1Hour Boat or 3 Hours Boat) as you go from Buenos Aires to Colonia and then by Bus to Montevideo. Final price by ferry to Montevideo is USD 40 us dollars more less.

Don´t Panic!

There is a cheapest option, which requires 8 or 9 hours. There are several services that run from the city of Tigre, in the province of Buenos Aires. To go to this city from Buenos Aires you have to take the train line “San Martín”, until the last stop. Once you get there you have to get to the “Tigre – Ferry Station” to catch a boat to “Carmelo” (a small city in the district of Colonia) and from there a Bus to Montevideo. This romantic little boat ride between the islands of the “Delta del Tigre” on the “Uruguay river” costs about USD 35 round trip.

Ferry Terminal in TIGRE
http://www.tigretienetodo.com.ar/sm% 20aviso% 20lineas% 20delta.htm 4.3 - Terrestrial

Dodging blocked bridges ...

You can come by Bus from almost anywhere in the country or neighboring countries. From Argentina will be more difficult (bridges between Argentina and Uruguay are blocked by Environmentalists of Gualeguaichu on the Argentinean side) if routes are blocked by a protest or if you get to the border and Immigration takes long time of paperwork and waiting. After that the ride can be entertaining.

Access to Uruguay

Flying

Local and International companies come to Montevideo and usually charge about USD 100 for a ticket to Montevideo from Buenos Aires, about USD 200 from San Pablo, USD 250 from Rio de Janeiro and about USD 300 from Santiago de Chile. If you come from Europe, the cheapest option is to get to Buenos Aires first, and then Montevideo. If you don´t like to come this way we think that the cheapest option is Iberia from Spain to get a one way ticket to Uruguay. However most flights stop first at Buenos Aires and most flights might have to change planes for a domestic flight at the airport and in some cases you have to go to another airport (Jorge Newbery) and from there you will catch your final flight to Montevideo.
Combined transport (air- bus/ ferry-bus)

As we said earlier you can buy the ticket directly, or separately. For example you can grab a ferry to Carmelo or Colonia del Sacramento from Buenos Aires o Tigre (Bs. As) and from there a Bus (that is included on the price) will take you to Montevideo. The final price if you do it separately is almost the same, the only difference is that you can make a “Pit Stop” to visit a little village and then proceed to Montevideo.
Useful information about the companies providing the service and links

www.coloniaexpress.com

www.buquebus.com

• How to get to the hostel from the airports and terminals
• Getting to the hostel

You have to say "A la Plaza Independencia " and that´s it!
Doesn´t matter where you come from: any Charrúa, dog, dolphin, sea lion or alien who has walked at least once in Uruguay will know where is the “Plaza Independencia”, because it is located at the city center and it´s the main square of the country, where most important things happened and continue to happen …
Transport
In Montevideo we don´t have trains or streetcars, only buses and taxis, so don´t panic; You are not gonna get lost. In addition the people here are very kind good and indicate you, with certainty, where and how to go to anywhere. Just try and ask to someone with confidence and you will see what happen. Taxi
From the bus station will cost between USD 4 and USD 5 us dollars. From the airport it goes out from USD 40.-
Buses
From the Bus Station you can catch any of this buses: CA1, 21, 180, 64, 330, 187, 188 and will take 15 minutes more less to get one.
From the Airport anyone who says “Montevideo” will take 40 minutes to get to the city center, depending on the Bus Company that you might catch, but generally is around that.
Costs (All currencies)
The BUS “CA1” from the bus station cost $ 10 pesos (around USD 0,50 us) and all the other ones cost $ 17 pesos, approximately USD 0,75 cents of dollar. The ones that come from the airport are $ 35 to $ 50 pesos (Between US 1,75 usd and US 2,5 aprox).
Additional Information - Recommendations and tips of language.
If you are going to catch a bus from the Airport you might ask:
"I have to go to the Plaza Independencia. Which bus will take me there? " If you will take a taxi you might say:
"Plaza Independencia: Take Italia Avenue and then 18 de Julio St. please". The Plaza is located between “The President Tower”, the door of Old City, “Salvo Palace”,” Solis Theatre” or the most famous 5 stars Hotel in Montevideo that we are not going to mention but everyone knows about.