When in Montevideo
Many Argentinians come to the Uruguayan capital of Montevideo for its miles of incredible beaches and the visitor will be missing out if they don't sample the delights of the Rambla, a long stretch of road along the riverfront that offers many stopping off points fro bathing, tanning, drinking and eating.
The vast majority of the city's inhabitants are of Spanish or Italian descent and there is a much calmer feel about the people and the place than in Sao Paolo or Buenos Aires. Montevideo is itself quite small in comparison with these cities and remains very run down in places, even away from the slums on the outskirts of town. Nevertheless, those looking to sample a less hectic variety of South American life will find much to enjoy.
The old town, or ciudad vieja, must be visited. It is great fun pottering around the crumbling streets, picking up some atmosphere. In the quarter's centre is the Plaza Independencia, which is lined with palm trees and contains the large statue of José Artigas, the 19th century independence fighter. His tomb lies beneath the statue. The square also contains a variety of interesting structures, including the independence building.
The Mercado Del Puerto, established in 1868, was once one of the world's great harbourside markets. Today it is no longer the commercial centre it once was but is still great fun, with a huge range of market stalls and eateries to have a go at. In addition, there is much entertainment to be had from the artists and street performers and musicians.
Art lovers must make sure they visit the Museo Torres García on Sarandi at some point during their stay. It houses a huge number of works by Joaquín Torres García, the modernist Uruguayan painter, who specialised in cubist and abstract work. Entry is free.
Those flying in to Montevideo will often have to do so via a change of planes at Buenos Aires. The Aeropuerto Carrasco lies 10 miles to the east of town, from where regular buses will take you in to the Terminal Rio Branco, just north of the city centre.
Terminal Tres Cruces offers buses to many parts of the country as well as to Argentina and Brazil. However, the most popular way of reaching Buenos Aires is via hydrofoil, with many services each day. Trains are non-existent.
Buses are the easiest way of getting around town and are on the up. Tickets are available from the driver or conductor and services stop at around 23:00.
Winters are rarely cold, with average temperatures in June, the coldest month, of around 6C. January and February are the warmest months, when averages get up to 28C.
|
Introduction
