Travel to Uruguay: Medical insurance mandatory
There’s been some confusion around whether it’s necessary to have health insurance to enter Uruguay since recent changes to travel requirements. We explain.
Uruguay is the most gay friendly country in South America and tied 5 ranked most friendly in the world with Austria, Denmark, Sweden and the UK according to the Spartacus International Gay Guide. Uruguay became the third country in the Americas to legalise same-sex marriage in 2012. In late 2014, Montevideo launched its first gay-friendly advertising campaign.
In 2005, the capital Montevideo became one of the few cities in the world to have a homomonument—a rose-colored granite in the shape of a triangle inscribed with the words: “To Honour Diversity is to Honor Life”. It’s tucked in a little plaza in the Old City of Montevideo (which got a makeover in 2019).
It feels in keeping with Uruguayans’ lack of frivolity where politics and social justice is concerned, that Montevideo’s Pride is currently known as the Diversity March and takes place in the mercilessly cold month of September (ok, I exaggerate but you should be aware that September is winter in Uruguay).
The march—known as the Marcha por la Diversidad in Spanish—held annually on the last Friday of September. Traditionally it starts at the Plaza de Independencia and ends on the steps of the Intendencia of Montevideo.
I remember joining the march around 2001 and we were a few hundred souls. Even ten years ago, marchers numbered less than a thousand. However the last decade has seen significant changes and when Uruguay become the first country in Latin America to pass marriage equality laws in 2013, the 2018 march was the most numerous ever with around 200,000 of attendees from all walks of life. It was something else.
Perhaps as Fernando Frontán wrote regarding the history of the march*, Uruguay will be ready for “Pride” as a celebration soon.
You’ll be glad to know that Punta del Este as recently started a Pride celebration—in the height of Uruguayan summer—yay! Dates are usually in February.
Every September, the Intendencia of Montevideo and the Ministry of Tourism promote an month-long sexual diversity agenda with events, talks, conferences and fairs.
This being Uruguay, the programme will only likely be out at the end of August, or even the first days of September itself (sigh…).
The gay scene in Uruguay is not huge, with evening venues opening Wednesday to Sunday. Gay venues are welcoming of people of all sexual stripes.
There are several typical gay nightclubs—with names like Chains—just like those you can find in any other city. You might as well be anywhere in the world.
So to really check out REAL gay Uruguayez, the Guru recommends:
Il Tempo is open Thursdays to Sundays (and Wednesdays during the warmer months) on a typical Uruguayan schedule. Saturday nights is “ladies night” (but not exclusively so). The action starts after midnight with an all-women show starting not earlier than 3am and often at 4 in the morning. Much of the clientele moves en masse from Small to Il Tempo. On Sundays there’s a talent show. What makes it perhaps quintessentially Uruguayan-gay is that the talents are often accompanied by mums, dads and grandparents.
Il Tempo, Gonzalo Ramirez 2121, Parque Rodó.
Many thanks to Carolina at Friendly Point for her advice regarding this article.
Cover photo: Jimmy Baikovicius
*History de la Marcha de la Diversity in Uruguay, interview with Fernando Frontán, in the Spring 2014 edition of Friendly Map Magazine (in Spanish)
[Article first published: July 22 2015; last updated date above]
Travel to Uruguay: Medical insurance mandatory
There’s been some confusion around whether it’s necessary to have health insurance to enter Uruguay since recent changes to travel requirements. We explain.
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The 1917 Constitution granted women the right to vote. Another Uruguay first. Though the story is of course more complicated.
Montevideo is often overshadowed by Buenos Aires. Three well-travelled bloggers tell what made them fall in love with South America’s off-the-radar capital.
A 2023 survey reveals that Uruguayan attitudes to immigrants are very different to other polarised parts of the world.
…and 5th friendliest in the world, says the Spartacus International Gay Guide. Yep, homosexuality has been legal here for EIGHTY years.
I’ve lived all over the world. Here’s my evaluation based on my experience living and travelling in Uruguay for the last 20+ years.
Latin America is associated with Catholicism. As ever Uruguay is the outlier—with complete separation of church and state for over 100 years.
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8 Responses
Aloha from Hawaii: Enjoying your interesting website! (:
Thanks, David! Greetings from wintery Montevideo!
Thinking very seriously about Montevideo as our new home as expat North Americans of Italian, Scots-Welsh descent.
Is Montevideo friendly to very low-key gay expats? I am an epidemiology researcher specialising in HIV & STD prevention. I am not looking to date but to socialize on occasion. Is there an affordable gay neighborhood in Montevideo I should check out when visiting?
Thank you for your kind reply. I am thinking of relocating in a year and will improve my Spanish by then.
Jaimie
Hi Jaimie, if you have read my article about gay-friendly Montevideo you will have seen that it is indeed just that, receptive to the gay community. Also as mentioned, the gay community is very small and integrated, so there is no gay neighbourhood. I might recommend you pick one of the more up-and-coming hip neighbourhoods like Parque Rodo, Barrio Sur, Palermo or Ciudad Vieja to live, but it really depends on your personal preferences and life style. Definitely think about taking Spanish classes online before you arrive, ideally with someone with a Uruguayan accent. It takes a long time to learn a language so at least weekly classes starting now will be a minimum preparation. This small language school in the Old City offers Spanish classes via skype. I would definitely suggest that you check out Uruguay before relocating. Good luck, Karen
Gracias por todo.
De nada 🙂
Hola, un gusto conocerte por este medio. Me llamo Jorge Müntzell. Por favor necesito ubicar a un amigo Gay en Montevideo. PLEASE! (Vivo e Buenos Aires actualmente) Hace muchos años no se nada de él y agradecería si tu comunidad, amistades o conocidos me ayudaran a encontrarlo. Se llama Andrés Di Landro (ó Dilandro). Datos que recuerdo de él: Su padre vende géneros para tapicerías. Tiene una hermana (no recuerdo su nombre), Nos conocimos hace unos 20 años donde con mi ex mujer María Fernanda, alquilábamos una pensión cerca de calle Cuareim donde había una comisaría a la vuelta. El tiene problemas en el cual a veces necesita comer una cucharadita de azúcar. Te dejo mi MAIL y desde ya te agradezco si decidís ayudarme a encontrarlo y le pasas estos datos . (j.muntzell@gmail.com) +549 1156670100 es mi móvil en Argentina. GRACIAS! Un gran abrazo. Jor.
Suerte con la busqueda, Jorge.