The starting point for any visit to Montevideo is the iconographically unmistakable Palacio Salvo, a huge monument to South American Art Deco. (The tallest building in South America until 1935 can be visited, including its viewing platform). It dominates the equally impressive Plaza Independencia, with José Gervasio Artigas’ equestrian statue in the middle, who is considered the founder of Uruguayan independence. His mausoleum lies at the foot of the statue and can be visited (free of charge).

The old town

The Puerta de la Ciudadela, the remaining gateway to the former citadel, is a reminder of Montevideo’s past as a Spanish-colonial city founded to prevent the further advance of the Portuguese in this part of South America. The citadel was a large military fortress built by the Spanish to defend the walled city in the 18th century. The Puerta de la Ciudadela also forms the entrance to Montevideo’s old town, which juts out to the west into the bay of Montevideo like a peninsula.

If you cross the gate to the west and follow the pedestrian street Sarandí, you will first arrive at the beautiful, tree-lined Plaza de la Constitución (Plaza Matríz), which is framed on its east and west sides by the Cabildo de Montevideo, the city council building that has been converted into a historical museum, and the neoclassical cathedral.

But first you should at least take a look at or inside the Teatro Solís, on the southwest corner of the Plaza Independencia. Its building, modeled on La Scala in Milan, was inaugurated in 1856 with Verdi’s Ernani and named not after an artist, but after the navigator Juan Díaz Solís, who ‘discovered’ the Río de la Plata in 1516. Although it is the second largest theater in South America and has hosted all the world’s opera stars, it is not quite as impressive as the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, which takes first place (visits/guided tours are possible).

The pedestrian-only Calle Sarandí runs through Montevideo’s Ciudad Vieja to the Rambla Francia, the south-westernmost section of the 22 km long waterfront promenade. The streets and alleyways in Montevideo’s old town are dotted with pretty historic buildings, small stores, pubs and cafés, and during the day in particular there is a hustle and bustle here, a far cry from the open-air museum that many people imagine.

The Mercado del Puerto, the large market hall dominated by the expansive grills of the various restaurants, is a must-see when visiting the Ciudad Vieja. While for some, their mouths are watering here, others lose their appetite in the face of the monstrous portions.

The harbor

Montevideo’s harbor, which adjoins the old town to the north, is not overly interesting despite the impressive Art Deco customs building, which now houses the naval command.

The Ramblas

The Ramblas de Montevideo, which begin in the south of Ciudad Vieja, are a popular promenade for locals and visitors alike, especially towards sunset. If you have a rental car, you can drive along the various sections of the promenade and choose the best spot, e.g. for a small picnic. Although the quay wall of the old town is very popular, beautiful panoramic views can also be found elsewhere, especially if you want to have dinner in Pocitos or Punta Carretas, for example. An outstanding view over the skyline can be enjoyed from the green hill behind/in front of Montevideo’s central cemetery (Cementerio Central) in the Palermo district. The most popular beach among Montevideanos and tourists is Pocitos beach, even if the water here still has the typical color of the Río de la Plata.

Away from the Ramblas, Av. 18 de Julio is considered the artery of the city. It runs for 3.5 km from Plaza Independencia to the Obelisco a los Constituyentes de 1830, the obelisk at Parque Batlle. This was inaugurated in 1938 and commemorates Uruguay’s first constitution. The 40-metre-high granite column with a triangular base is flanked by three allegorical bronzes that stand for justice, freedom and strength. Avenida 18 de Julio crosses several beautiful squares along its course, including Plaza Fabini, Plaza Cagancha with the Columna de la Paz and Plaza de los Treinta y Tres Orientales.

If you are in Montevideo on a Sunday, you should not miss the best flea market in the city: the Feria de Tristán Narvaja on the street of the same name, which branches off to the north from Avenida 18 de Julio two blocks behind the Plaza de los Treinta y Tres.