Touruguay - About Uruguay

Practical Information

Climate

Uruguay's climate is subtropical and quite humid...

The History of Uruguay

Today, Uruguayans are - generally speaking - European descendants. But it's been different...

Architecture

As you walk through Montevideo's city centre, you'll feel and see the influences of Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, French and British emigrants in the architecture...

Food and Beverage

In addition to the architecture, there are other similarities between Uruguay and Argentina...

Carnival

Uruguay is the country that celebrates the longest Carnival in the world...

Tango

Most people think of the word "tango" as Argentina...

Arrival at the airport in Montevideo

All flights arrive at Carrasco International Airport, a brand-new airport inaugurated in October 2009 and located near the beautiful suburb of Carrasco. Montevideo’s city center is a 40-minute drive away. Touruguay offers transfers and exclusive VIP services at the airport.

Mosquitoes and medical care

Mosquitoes appear mostly in the summer - but also in spring and autumn - in Uruguay. Uruguay is one of the few Latin American countries where the Zika virus is not prevalent. However, Uruguay does have the infamous Aedes mosquito that could transmit dengue. Although dengue is not common in Uruguay, we advise that you use an anti-mosquito spray. The medical care in Uruguay is best in the main cities and in the tourist areas. Before traveling to Uruguay, make sure you have a medical insurance policy.

Drinking water and food hygiene

In general, Uruguayans drink water cleaned by a filter or mineral water and we recommend that same for visitors. It’s not a problem to brush your teeth with tap water and if you ingest small amounts of water, there is nothing to worry about.

We recommend you cook meat thoroughly, especially in the summer when bacteria can multiply rapidly. Clean salads and raw vegetables and fruits thoroughly.

Language

The official national language is Spanish. English is often understood in the larger cities and tourist centers.

Vaccinations

If you go to Uruguay, be sure to be properly vaccinated.

DTP (diphtheria, tetanus, and polio)
Hepatitis A

Safety

Uruguay is one of the safest countries of South America. The country has relatively low rates of serious crimes such as murder and armed robbery. However, as a traveler, you always have to be alert, especially for pickpockets.

Location

Uruguay means "river of the painted birds" in the Guaraní. On the world map, Uruguay is tiny. With just 176.215 km2, Uruguay looks like ‘the little brother’ sandwiched between ‘Latin Giants’ Argentina and Brazil. From east to west, it measures 480 km and from north to south, it measures 540 km. Yet, it is still about 4.5 times bigger than The Netherlands.

Uruguay

Area: 176,215 km2

Population: 3.5 million

About 3.5 million people live in Uruguay and almost half (1.3 million) live in Montevideo. The thinly populated interior mainly consists of a Pampa area: grassy plains where cows and sheep peacefully graze. The ‘Cerro Catedral’ is the highest point in Uruguay. This hill is situated in the southeastern part of Uruguay and has an elevation of 514 m, making it the "lowest highest point" in South America.

The climate in Uruguay is subtropical and pretty humid. Summers are long and hot and the winters are short and mild. In the summer months, the UV radiation is very strong and it is not advisable to be in the sun between noon and 4 o’clock. Outside these hours, we advise you use sun cream with a high UV factor.

The winter lasts from June to August. Temperatures below zero are rare. However, it can feel quite cold in the winter because of the high humidity.

In the summer months (December, January and February) temperatures are between 25 and 30 degrees Celsius. Extreme temperatures, above 35 degrees, are rare. November and March are pleasant months with temperatures usually between 20 and 26 degrees. Uruguay has seasons, but not as pronounced as in some other countries. In the autumn and winter months, some trees lose their foliage but Uruguay remains green year round. Uruguay does not have a pronounced rainy season but has very heavy rainfall from time to time. Uruguay is also known for strong winds, which can - due to lack of natural barriers - become tornadoes.

	Average maximum temperature (ºC)	Average minimum temperature (ºC)	Average number hours of sunshine per day	Average number of days of precipitation per month	Average sea temperature (ºC)
January	28	17	9	10	22
February	28	16	8	10	22
March	26	15	8	10	22
April	22	12	6	8	19
May	18	9	5	9	16
June	15	6	5	9	12
July	14	6	5	10	10
August	15	6	5	9	10
September	17	8	7	9	11
October	20	9	8	10	14
November	23	12	8	11	17
December	26	15	9	10	20

Currently, Uruguayans are – mostly – of European descent. But this has not always been the case. The original indigenous population in Uruguay were the ‘Charrúa’, ‘Chaná’ and ‘Guaraní’ that lived off of hunting and fishing. The Portuguese were the first invaders. In 1680, they founded the town of 'Colonia do Sacramento’. This is the oldest town in Uruguay and is nominated by UNESCO as a World Heritage site. The city is strategically located, with the Argentine city of Buenos Aires across the ‘La Plata’ river. Not much later after the Portuguese established Colonia, the Spanish colonized Montevideo. They beat the Portuguese, and from that moment Uruguay – just like Argentina, Paraguay and Bolivia - belonged to the Spanish ‘Río de la Plata’ empire. The Spanish colonizer called Uruguay ‘Banda Oriental’. The settlers murdered almost the entire indigenous population and the remaining died from diseases that the Spanish brought from Europe.

In the early part of the 19th century, Great Britain attacked Montevideo but the Spanish managed to drive them out. The struggle between the Spanish, English and Portuguese seemed to work in favor of the national fight for independence, led by the great Uruguayan freedom fighter, José Artigas. He is seen as a folk hero and the driving force for independence.

The period that followed was not a time of peace. A series of civil wars dominated the country. Peace was restored only when José Batlle y Ordónez was elected president and the country soon grew into an exemplary democracy. The new president introduced the eight-hour workday and enacted unemployment benefits and retirement benefits as part of reforms known as 'Batllismo'. Furthermore, he carried out constitutional changes to reduce the power of the large landowners

In the early seventies, guerilla activists instigated several armed actions. The army intervened and brutally administered Uruguay between 1973 and 1985. Thousands of opponents of the regime were arrested and tortured. In 1984, politicians and soldiers came to an agreement to hold elections. On 25 November 1984, Julio María Sanguinetti of the Colorado party was elected as the new president. Democracy in Uruguay was again restored.

In 2005, the political environment in Uruguay changed. The conservative President Jorge Batlle Ibáñez was replaced by the leftist, progressive Dr. Tabaré Vázquez. Vázquez is the current president of Uruguay. In 2009 Vázquez was replaced by the controversial rebel leader, Pepe Mujica, who - like Vázquez - is a member of the Frente Amplio (FA) (Left Front). He became world-famous by introducing a series of liberal laws. Same-sex marriage, abortion and the production, consumption and sales of marihuana were legalized. In 2014, Mujica was followed up by Vázquez again.

Walking through downtown Montevideo, you can see and feel the influences of Spanish, Italian, French and British emigrants in the architecture. Just like in Buenos Aires, Montevideo has a number of neoclassical buildings, such as the Palacio Legislativo. The Palacio – which has been a national monument since 1975 – was built between 1908 and 1925 and was designed by Italian architect Vittorio Meano. Other striking buildings that feature European architecture are, amongst others, the Solis Theatre, located on the main square of Montevideo in Plaza Independencia and Palacio Salvo. Art-deco and art-nouveau styles also feature prominently in Montevideo’s architecture. Montevideo is even one of the capitals with the largest number art deco buildings in the world. It is characterized by the use of fractional and crystalline forms, cubist blocks and symmetry. The Banco de la Republica Oriental de Uruguay is an example of an art-deco building in the historical center. These classical buildings, combined with some post-modern buildings - such as the World Trade Center and the Antel telecommunications tower - makes Montevideo a very diverse city. The Antel Tower, 158 meters high, is the tallest skyscraper in the country.

Compared to neighboring Buenos Aires, Montevideo is a quieter capital. Locals and tourists rest and refresh along the Rambla. This kilometers-long promenade runs along the coastline of Montevideo and is the ultimate place to cycle, skate, hike or watch the beautiful sunset.

In addition to the architecture, there are other similarities between Uruguay and Argentina. The love for the 'asado' (barbecue) for example. The Sunday afternoon barbecue is a popular ritual in both countries. Families and friends sit together all afternoon in the garden to eat, often with a good glass of wine. Typical Uruguayan wine is the Tannat. This wine is made from the blue tannat grape. In the south of France this grape also grows and there it is used to make stiff, red wines. In Uruguay, where the sun is even more visible, the grape ripens better, making the wine quicker to drink and tastes fuller. Besides wine, Uruguayans also like to drink a cold (local) beer. The local 'Patricia', 'Zillertal' and 'Pilsen' beers are very popular.

The barbecue is indispensable in a Uruguayan house. Even most apartments have a built-in barbecue on the balcony, or in some cases an 'indoor barbecue'. The difference between a barbecue in Uruguay and Argentina is the way the barbecue is lit. Uruguayans prefer using wood while Argentines use coal. In Uruguay, the wood is first burned in a basket at the side of the barbecue and then the smoldering wood is laid under the barbecue grill.

Not only at home but also in many restaurants 'asado' is served. The word 'asado' has a double meaning. On the one hand it means 'barbecue', in the broadest sense of the word. On the other hand, it is a type of meat, i.e. the one that is used most for the barbecue: the part of the cow's ribcage. A good place to taste 'asado' is the 'Mercado del Puerto'. This is a kind of huge internal market at the harbour, full of delicious eateries and barbecue stands.

Además del asado, el chivito es un manjar típico uruguayo. Es una especie de hamburguesa, pero con lomo tierno. Los uruguayos realmente hacen de este una fiesta decorando el panecillo con queso, tocino, huevo frito y ensalada.

Uruguayan cuisine has many similarities with Argentinian cuisine, where meat predominates. And like the Argentineans, Uruguayans regularly eat empanadas (a kind of puff pastry envelopes filled with meat, cheese or vegetables). Fresh pastas and pizzas are also very popular. A fine remnant of Italian emigrants.

Another nice fact about food and drink is that every 29th of the month in Uruguay (and also in Argentina) it is 'El dia de Gnocchi' (National Gnocchi Day). People then eat en masse this delicious pasta dish, which consists of soft potato dough pillows with a sauce of their choice. This day was created with the idea that at the end of the month you don't have much left to spend. Gnocchi is not expensive.

After all, you shouldn't be surprised to see people walking the streets of Uruguay with thermos jugs and a weird kind of round cup under their arms. These are used to drink 'mate'. This is a kind of tea - derived from the mateplant - that is also drunk in Argentina and some other South American countries. Nowhere is the level of consumption as high as in Uruguay.

Mate consists of a mixture of dried and sieved shredded green leaves, the yerba and is drunk from a special cup, made of gourd. Three quarters of this cup is filled with yerba and then refilled with hot water. With an iron filter straw, the bombilla, the mate is slurped inside. On the beach, in the shop, walking, riding, cycling, Uruguayans drinking mate OTHER. It is also a social matter. Instead of 'a cup', or a cup of tea, Uruguayans let the mate-cup go around. For moderation drinking is even a verb created, 'mateando'.

Uruguay is the country that celebrates the longest Carnival in the world. No less than forty days! The spectacle starts mid/end of January and continues until March. It is not celebrated as exuberantly as in Brazil, for example, nor is it the case that you are immersed in only Carnival festivities for 40 days. But if you want, you can enjoy a beautiful performance in Montevideo every night. There are beautiful dance parades and traditional parades with impressive costumes and floats. There are also theatre and theatre performances and street stages called tablets. Candomble is one of the most important aspects of the Uruguayan carnival. The African music, based on drums, comes from African slaves who came to Montevideo from 1750 onwards. Through the music and the practice of religion and rituals, they found a piece of their identity that had been taken away from them. UNESCO has named Candomble the World Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

If you go to Uruguay outside the carnival period, you can always visit the carnival museum (Museo del Carnaval). The museum is located in an old warehouse in the port of Montevideo.

Most people immediately think of Argentina when they hear the word 'tango'. However, this is not entirely justified. The tango was born around 1880 in the poor neighbourhoods of Montevideo. During this period, coloured people and gangsters came together at the Felipe Academy (a dance centre in Montevideo) to dance and make music. This is where the tango originated. Only then did it spread to other areas and countries.

The world's most famous tango song, La Cumparsita, also comes from Montevideo. This famous melody was written around 1915 by the 17-year-old student Gerardo Matos Rodriguez. In 1917 the song was first played in La Giralda, a café that today serves as the ground floor of the mythical Palacio Salvo in the centre of Montevideo. The music was played at the time by the orchestra of the famous Argentine tango pianist and composer, Roberto Firpo, who had gotten hold of the melody. After that, 'La Cumparsita' was only played again in 1924 during a musical in Buenos Aires. This musical soon died a silent death, but La Comparsita, with lyrics by Contursi, became a hit.

In honour of the famous tango tune, Montevideo organizes every year in April 'the week of La Cumparsita' (La semana de la Cumparsita).

A nice place to watch and listen to tango is the FunFun bar in the old town of Montevideo. This is an authentic tango salon with regular tango shows.