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Montevideo

Uruguay travel guide

What to see in Montevideo

The capital, relaxed and by the river, with a twenty-kilometre rambla and the Mercado del Puerto.

Updated 18 October 2026 · How we make our guides

  • 5 must-see places
  • Best time: from September to May
  • Typical food: Torta frita
Photo: Eduardo Ruggieri · CC BY-SA 3.0

Montevideo highlights

The places you can’t miss. In the app we sort them by day and close to each other.

  1. Ciudad Vieja

    Plaza Independencia and the Citadel Gate.

  2. Mercado del Puerto

    Grill houses cooking over embers.

  3. Rambla

    A riverside walk.

  4. Teatro Solís

    The country’s main theatre.

  5. Palacio Salvo

    An emblematic building.

Day trips from Montevideo

We take you straight to the best-rated tour on GetYourGuide, with its reviews and dates.

Some links are affiliate links: if you book through them, Bagintravel may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

When to travel to Montevideo

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Montevideo are from September to May.

  1. Jan no warnings
  2. Feb no warnings
  3. Mar no warnings
  4. Apr no warnings
  5. May no warnings
  6. Jun with warnings
  7. Jul with warnings
  8. Aug with warnings
  9. Sep no warnings
  10. Oct no warnings
  11. Nov no warnings
  12. Dec no warnings
  • from June to August

    Cool winters

    From June to August it’s cold and windy; the beach towns are almost shut.

    What to do: For the beach, December to March; Montevideo and Colonia, all year round.

Typical food of Montevideo

The dish you have to try there and how to make it at home, to whet your appetite before the trip (or to go back to Montevideo from your kitchen).

Torta frita
Photo: Jerowiki · CC BY-SA 4.0

Torta frita

The fried dough made in Montevideo on rainy days, by tradition, and eaten with mate. It’s eaten plain, with sugar or with dulce de leche.

  • Serves 6
  • 45 min

Ingredients

  • 500 g flour
  • 1 teaspoon of baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 50 g beef dripping or butter
  • 250 ml warm water
  • Oil for frying
  • Sugar

How to make it at home

  1. Mix the flour with the baking powder and salt, add the melted fat and the water, and knead into a smooth dough.
  2. Leave to rest, covered, for 20 minutes.
  3. Divide into balls, roll them into thin discs and make a hole in the centre.
  4. Fry them in hot oil until puffed up and golden on both sides.
  5. Drain and sprinkle with sugar.

The trick: The hole in the middle stops them puffing up like a balloon.

Where and what to eat

To eat like a local: a parrilla or a bodegón. The dishes you can’t miss are in the Uruguay guide.

Frequently asked questions about Montevideo

What to see in Montevideo?

Ciudad Vieja, Mercado del Puerto, Rambla, Teatro Solís and Palacio Salvo.

What to see in Montevideo in one day?

Don’t miss Ciudad Vieja, Mercado del Puerto, Rambla, Teatro Solís and Palacio Salvo. To split it into days and areas without crossing the city back and forth, the Bagintravel app plans your trip in a minute.

What’s the best time to travel to Montevideo?

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Montevideo are from September to May.

What day trips can you take from Montevideo?

Montevideo.

What is the typical food of Montevideo?

Torta frita. The fried dough made in Montevideo on rainy days, by tradition, and eaten with mate. It’s eaten plain, with sugar or with dulce de leche.

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More in Uruguay

Guide reviewed 18 October 2026. Places, areas and seasons: the same data the Bagintravel app uses. Sources and method.