What to visit in Montevideo in 3 days

Many Argentine travelers decide to cross the river and travel to the capital of Uruguay to take advantage of a long weekend getaway. In this post we share what to visit in Montevideo in 3 days.

What to visit in Montevideo in 3 days

Day 1

  • Morning

We recommend starting to walk around the city through the historic quarter, also known as the Old City. It is a place to get lost in its streets, everything there smells old and everything has a story to tell. It involves a walk into the past. In the historic centre of Montevideo we find colonial, baroque and classic buildings of great architectural and patrimonial value such as the Solís Theater.

The Old City shows us the Montevideo culture through its art. In the pedestrian Sarandí is concentrated most of the galleries and exhibitions and on the street are grouped street artisans who unfold their art in the open air. It is very common to cross with musical shows on the cobbled streets. During the day it works as a financial center and at night it becomes ideal to go have a beer or dinner in their restaurants.

Another option to visit are the museums of the area where proposals are exhibited for the most diverse tastes. The old town has a wide and varied offer: Museum of Carnival, Museum of Pre-Columbian and indigenous art, Museum of Decorative arts, Gurvich Museum, etc.

  • Afternoon

Before starting the afternoon tour, we suggest you have lunch at the emblematic Port Market building. The most important dishes of the market are the roast and the chivito that can be accompanied with the distinctive drink of the place, the “half and half”.

Then you can continue with a shopping ride along the main avenue of the country, the 18 of July that crosses the district of the center and Cordón. There you will find hundreds of shops that offer all kinds of products. From clothing stores and local designer items to major international brands, handicraft markets, antique shops and souvenirs. As in the Old City, Avenida 18 de Julio is a veritable architectural promenade. The city’s rich building heritage includes styles of neoclassicism, eclecticism, art Nouveau, Art Deco and modern architecture.

  • Night

Between Thursdays and Saturdays of each week, Montevideo presents an interesting nightlife made up of bars, clubs and nightclubs. The main neighborhoods where the nightlife is centered are Pocitos, Parque Rodo, downtown and Old town.

For those interested in witnessing Uruguayan music shows we recommend reading the post Tango and Milongas in Montevideo.

Day 2

  • Morning

A good way to continue knowing the city and its attractions in a short time is through the city’s tourist Bus. The system is the same as the big European cities, Hop On Hop Off, where you can get off and tour the different neighborhoods and also receive information about what you are seeing in different languages. The tour includes the following neighborhoods; Old City; Center; Aguada; Prado; Tres Cruces; Parque Batlle; Pocitos; Punta Carretas and Parque Rodo. In this post we share more information about the tourist Bus.

  • Afternoon

You can have lunch at the Agricultural Market in Montevideo. It is one of the newest attractions in the city. The building where it worked for a century a traditional fruit and vegetable market was restored and opened in 2013 as a gastronomic and shopping promenade.

If the weather helps, a good option is to keep getting to know the city by bike. One of the most recommended rides for cycling is La Rambla from where you can see spectacular images of the Montevideo coast. The Rambla de Montevideo allows you to enjoy walks for more than 30 kilometres of coast on the river of La Plata.

If, on the other hand, you get a rainy day and decide to go to a shopping mall to pass the time and take advantage to make some purchases some of the options of shopping center that the Uruguayan capital offers is the Montevideo shopping or the Punta Carretas shopping.

  • Night

In the evening you can attend a show in one of the great halls and theatres of the city, such as the Solís Theater, the Sodre and the Sala Zitarrosa.

Another option is to enjoy a dinner of the excellent Uruguayan gastronomy with its emblematic wine Tannat in the different gastronomic establishments of the city. The neighborhoods of Punta Carretas and Pocitos stand out for their great gastronomic offer with dishes for all tastes.

Day 3

  • Morning

Being on a Sunday in Montevideo and not walking around the Tristan Narvaja Fair is like not having gone to the Uruguayan capital. The biggest and most popular street fair became one of the city’s typical walks and a Sunday classic. The supply of items is as wide as extravagant. Without a doubt, it is one of the main postcards of Montevideo. In this post we share more information about the Tristan Narvaja Fair. 

You can also explore the public parks that are another of the great attractions of Montevideo: Parque Rodo, Parque Prado, the Botanical garden or the Japanese garden are some of the options to explore.

  • Afternoon

By noon you can opt for a visit to one of the wineries in the rural area of Montevideo. The agencies Daniel Reyes and LB Tour organize daily visits to Bodegas Bouza, Juanicó and Carrau, three of the most important in the country. Other options are visits to rural farms and the town of Santiago Vázquez located on the mouth of the Santa Lucía River.