Arriving into Montevideo was nice. The sun was shining, there was a pleasant breeze in the air, and the blue ocean was skilfully playing a supporting role as the cities residents were in full flow. I liked it immediately.
The southernmost capital city in the Americas, Montevideo gets pleasant year-round weather, and locals enjoy a quality of life unparalleled in all of Latin America. It’s no wonder then that nearly half of Uruguay’s entire population call it home.
First impressions are usually more right than wrong, and this was certainly the case for me and Montevideo. The main road into and through the city passes right along the coast, and I smiled the whole drive through as throngs of locals ran, walked, skated and played in the wonderful public spaces created by the local council. After parking our vehicle we partook in the festivities, playing both rugby and football until dusk fell.
The next morning I felt properly inspired and donned my runners and did my own training in a park close to where we had parked. When in Montevideo and all that…It really was bliss, as the perfect temperatures allowed exercise but not discomfort, all with a deep blue ocean backdrop to relax the senses.
Later that morning we drove into the old town. We luckily found a secure parking for our not so city-friendly camper van, so had the peace of mind to leave it there for the afternoon. It was lovely to stroll the historic streets, so well preserved, clean and carefully looked after. We stopped for an outdoor lunch in one of the many great dining options close to the Mercado Central. There really was such a friendly vibe amongst the visitors, workers and passing locals.That evening, we went back to the coast and watched as the kids enjoyed one of the many beautiful parks and playgrounds that surround Montevideo.
Our next day saw us revisit central Montevideo. Again we leisurely wandered around, picking up some souvenirs, local football jerseys for the kids, and generally just embracing the easy-going and happy nature of the place. Again we ate wonderfully well, set to the backdrop of other happy visitors all around. The evening brought a visit to the local amusements on the city coast. While I would not usually be the biggest fan of such attractions, in true Montevideo style they were tastefully and respectfully constructed, and did not negatively impact the wider-area.
A trip to the city beach was called for the next day. Given the city if completely flanked by beautiful beaches, it was a hard choice to make. We settled on the Playa Ramirez due to its convenient location relative to our camper van parking. The beach itself was clean and appealing, the water crystal clear, and the outside temperature ideal. We also had plenty of entertainment via the volleyballers, footballers and calisthenics enthusiasts tics surrounding us. Again it seemed we had no choice so organised our own two a side football game to not feel out of place!
There must be a snag or cost to such a wonderful city I hear you say. Well there was..the cost! This was easily the most expensive place we had visited on our adventure thus far. While not paying for accommodation, we noticed how eating-out compared pretty closely to getting a meal in Dublin or Madrid. Parking a vehicle there for an hour would leave you with no change from $5. You would find yourself checking the receipt upon leaving a grocery store, just to be sure that the computer had not double counted half of the items you had bought.
Yet even with these elevated prices, Montevideo is a wonderful city to visit. It is often said that you get what you pay for in life, and this was certainly true for our visit. We spent a few days in perfect temperatures surrounded by beautiful nature, welcoming locals and quality cuisine.
As capital cities go, Montevideo certainly flies under the radar. It does not have the scale of Sao Paulo, the bustle of Buenos Aires or the museums of Mexico City. Yet it more than makes up for any perceived lacking with an amazing location and a rich culture just waiting to be explored.
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