Things I Have Learned in Montevideo, Uruguay

“Montevideo is like Buenos Aires without the LA vibe.” Anthony Bourdain

Over half of the country’s 3.3 million people live in the capital, Montevideo.

Montevideo is not a city for vegetarians. Salads are few and far between. (translation-Did we make a barbecue today?)

The chivito is Uruguay’s classic sandwich. Chivo means “goat” in Spanish so it means baby goat but the sandwich is made with steak, ham, cheese, and sometimes other ingredients, like lettuce, tomato, and fried egg. We had a scaled down version.

Walk past any small eatery in Montevideo you’ll see two, three, even four people sharing a single sandwich.

Jacinto, open since 2012, is a much talked-about eatery led by Lucía Soria, an Argentine chef who trained under renowned chef and restaurateur Francis Mallmann before moving to Uruguay. Her restaurant is just off Plaza Zabala (near our hotel) in the historic heart of the city, She invents fresh and modern versions of old Uruguayan classic dishes,

The Carnaval Museum is located in the Old Town. it was free on the Sunday that I was there.

I loved the display of old carnaval photos, the music and especially the amazing costumes.

Uruguayans hold the democratic process very highly. They remember the years of dictatorship and the upcoming election is very important.

Everyone is out supporting their candidates and trying to get your vote. It is inspiring to see.

.La Rambla is the longest continuous sidewalk in the world on the banks of the Rio De La Plata. Joggers, cyclists and families are out enjoying the view.

One of the popular tourist attractions in Montevideo is the classic sign on La Rambla.

We stayed in the Ciudad Vieja or the Old Town at the Alma Historica Boutique Hotel. All the rooms are different.

We were in the Torres Garcia room which of course led us to his museum. The hotel is cool and staff is very helpful.

Joaquin Torres Garcia is perhaps Uruguay’s most famous artist, despite spending most of his life abroad in France and Spain.

García created curious portraits of historical icons such as Beethoven, Da Vinci and Dostoyevsky as well as cubist paintings similar to those of Picasso. The gift store is a good place for souvenirs.,

Jose Gurevich was born in Lithuania 1927 and moved to Uruguay when he was four years old. He was a well-renowned painter, muralist and sculptor who died at the very young age of forty seven. His museum features drawings from his life in Lithuania as well as Uruguay.

The main area of the Ciudad Vieja is the Plaza Independencia. General Artigas lead Uruguay to independence. His mausoleum is built under the square and directly below a huge iron statue of him riding a horse. It’s a really cool, unexpected mausoleum. Uruguayans know how to commemorate their independence struggle and heroes.

Architectural landmarks include the stunning Palacio Salvo, a towering masterpiece by the Italian architect Mario Palanti. The Art Deco facade may look vaguely familiar if you’ve done any sightseeing in Buenos Aires. That’s because Palacio Salvo is the graceful sister of Palacio Barolo, his other best-known work,

The Teatro Solis, yet another impressive example of Montevideo’s architecture. Built in 1856, the theater was renovated from 1998-2004, when it was reopened to the public. The theater is recognized globally for its phenomenal acoustics,

The Palacio Legislativo (the Parliament) is a huge imposing neoclassical building overlooking the city.

Mercado Agricultura de Montevideo (MAM) is a working market in a beautiful early twentieth century building.

There is plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables and beef.

One thing you notice in Montevideo is that people are obsessively drinking yerba mate.They all have thermoses or that beautiful mate cup with a silver straw (bombilla) which is sold all over Uruguay. You can find bags of many varieties of yerba mate in the market. Finding yerba mate to try in a cafe is difficult. Yerba mate is bitter and an acquired taste. I had already had it in Argentina and bought the mate cup and yerba mate there. It seemed like if I wanted some in Montevideo, I was going to have to get someone to share theirs with me.

Soledad was our wonderful guide in Uruguay. She is knowledgeable, smart, funny and can change plans when needed. She was also very helpful with getting the necessary bandages for my finger and she was right. It was exactly what the doctor told me when I got home.and have to do for the next few months.

Fly safe,

JAZ