Must-see attractions in Montevideo

  • A visitor looks at a painting by Colombian artist Fernando Botero during an exhibition of painters from Uruguay, Mexico and Colombia at the Museum of Visual Arts in Montevideo on March 22, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Miguel ROJO        (Photo credit should read MIGUEL ROJO/AFP/Getty Images)

    Museo Nacional de Artes Visuales

    Montevideo

    Uruguay’s largest collection of paintings is housed here in Parque Rodó. The spacious rooms are graced with works by Blanes, Cúneo, Figari, Gurvich,…

  • 'Parilla' Barbeque Restaurant In The Mercado Del Puerto, Montevideo, Uruguay. (Photo by: Julio Etchart/Majority World/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

    Mercado del Puerto

    Montevideo

    No visitor should miss Montevideo’s old port market building, at the foot of Pérez Castellano; the building's impressive wrought-iron superstructure…

  • Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay, South America

    Museo del Gaucho

    Montevideo

    Housed in the ornate Palacio Heber, this museum eloquently conveys the deep attachments between the gauchos, their animals and the land. Its superb…

  • (GERMANY OUT) Teatro Solis (Solis Theatre), Uruguay's oldest theatre, built in 1856, located in Plaza Independencia.   (Photo by Rolf Schulten/ullstein bild via Getty Images)

    Teatro Solís

    Montevideo

    Just off Plaza Independencia, elegant Teatro Solís is Montevideo’s premier performance space. First opened in 1856, and completely renovated during the…

  • View of the Palacio Salvo in Montevideo, Uruguay, on May 29, 2008. The Palacio Salvo, built in 1928 and designed by Italian architect Mario Palanti, has now set up as a symbol of the country's prosperity years in the 20th century.  AFP PHOTO/Miguel Rojo   MORE IN IMAGE FORUM / AFP PHOTO / MIGUEL ROJO        (Photo credit should read MIGUEL ROJO/AFP/Getty Images)

    Palacio Salvo

    Montevideo

    On the east side of the Plaza Independencia, the 26-story structure with the crazy beehive hairdo is Palacio Salvo, the continent's tallest building when…

  • Saturday flea maket at Plaza Constitucion

    Plaza Matriz

    Montevideo

    Also known as Plaza Constitución, this leafy square was the heart of colonial Montevideo. On its west side stands the Iglesia Matriz, Montevideo’s oldest…

  • Montevideo, Uruguay Parliament Building

    Palacio Legislativo

    Montevideo

    Dating from 1908, and still playing host to Uruguay’s Asamblea General (legislative branch), the three-story neoclassical parliament building is also open…

  • Plaza Independencia

    Montevideo

    Montevideo's largest downtown plaza commemorates independence hero José Artigas with a 17m, 30-ton statue and the subterranean Mausoleo de Artigas, where…

  • Museo de los Andes

    Montevideo

    Opened in 2013, this unique museum documents the 1972 Andean plane crash (made famous in the book Alive!) that cost 29 Uruguayans their lives and…

  • Casa Rivera

    Montevideo

    Former home of Fructuoso Rivera (Uruguay’s first president and Colorado Party founder), this neoclassical 1802 building is the centerpiece of Montevideo’s…

  • Museo del Carnaval

    Montevideo

    This museum houses a wonderful collection of costumes, drums, masks, recordings and photos documenting the 100-plus-year history of Montevideo’s Carnaval…

  • Castillo Pittamiglio

    Montevideo

    On the Rambla between Punta Carretas and Pocitos is this eccentric legacy of local alchemist and architect Humberto Pittamiglio. Its quirky facade alone…

  • Mausoleo de Artigas

    Montevideo

    In the middle of the downtown Plaza Independencia is the Mausoleo de Artigas, whose above-ground portion is a 17m, 30-ton statue of the country's…

  • Museo de Artes Decorativas

    Montevideo

    The Palacio Taranco, a wealthy 1910 merchant’s residence designed by famous French architects Charles Girault and Jules Chifflot, is filled with ornate…

  • Museo Naval

    Montevideo

    Along the eastern waterfront in Buceo, this museum traces the role of boats and ships in Uruguayan history, from the indigenous Charrúa’s canoe culture to…

  • Museo Figari

    Montevideo

    One of Ciudad Vieja’s newest museums is devoted to Uruguayan painter Pedro Figari, whose landscapes and portraits masterfully convey a sense of Uruguayan…

  • Museo Gurvich

    Montevideo

    In the heart of Ciudad Vieja's main pedestrian thoroughfare, this museum is devoted to Lithuanian-born Constructivist artist José Gurvich (1927–74), who…

  • Museo de Arte Precolombino e Indígena

    Montevideo

    This museum displays a permanent collection of artifacts and information about Uruguay’s earliest inhabitants, along with rotating exhibits focused on…

  • Puerta de la Ciudadela

    Montevideo

    At the west end of the Plaza Independencia is the Puerta de la Ciudadela, a stone gateway that is one of the only remnants of the colonial citadel…

  • Museo del Fútbol

    Montevideo

    A must-see for any fútbol (soccer) fan, this museum displays memorabilia from Uruguay’s 1930 and 1950 World Cup wins. Visitors can also tour the stands.

  • Espacio de Arte Contemporáneo

    Montevideo

    This gallery makes thought-provoking use of the cells of a 19th-century prison, creating an avant-garde space for revolving exhibitions of contemporary…

  • Museo y Archivo Histórico Municipal

    Montevideo

    This free historical museum on Ciudad Vieja's main square displays 18th-century paintings of Montevideo and other artifacts from the city's early days.

  • Museo Torres García

    Montevideo

    This museum showcases the work of 20th-century Uruguayan painter Torres García, and has revolving exhibitions featuring other contemporary artists.

  • Iglesia Matriz

    Montevideo

    Opposite the Cabildo on Plaza Matriz is the Iglesia Matriz, Montevideo's oldest public building. It was begun in 1784 and completed in 1799.

  • Museo Blanes

    Montevideo

    Housed in an old mansion in the suburb of Prado, this museum shows the work of Uruguay’s most famous painter, Juan Manuel Blanes.

  • Palacio Estévez

    Montevideo

    The 18th-century Palacio Estévez, on the south side of the Plaza Independencia, was the Government House until 1985.

  • Torre Antel

    Montevideo

    For great views out across the city, take the elevator to the top of Montevideo’s most dramatic modern skyscraper.

  • Cabildo

    Montevideo

    Opposite the Iglesia Matriz is the Cabildo, a neoclassical stone structure finished in 1812.

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