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Things to do in Uruguay

Architecture, beaches, carnival, music, wineries. There's so much to do in Uruguay. Our secret tips ensure an amazing time—& keep travel planning simple.

Things to do in Uruguay

Architecture, beaches, carnival, music, wineries. There's so much to do in Uruguay. Our secret tips ensure an amazing time—& keep travel planning simple.

Top tours & classes in Uruguay

Explore the best of Uruguay with our curated selection of Top Picks for tours and classes. Whether you’re an outdoor enthusiast, a wine connoisseur, or a culture lover, here are handpicked exceptional experiences for you.

Additionally, discover unique places to stay that double as extraordinary experiences in themselves, offering not just a place to stay but a gateway to an array of exciting activities.

Academia Uruguay – Learn Spanish in Uruguay

If you're planning to move to Uruguay, who better to learn Spanish with than native Uruguayan teachers? Online and face-to-face options.

Balbuena Wines – Wine tasting in Montevideo

Great little wine store is a mandatory stop for Uruguay wine tasting in Montevideo with a selection of 130+ Uruguayan wines.
horseback riding in uruguay - caballos de luz

Caballos de Luz – Horseback riding in Uruguay sierras

This ‘million star’ B&B in the hills minutes from the coast offers exciting horseback riding & delicious vegetarian food.

Fly Uruguay – Plane tours & flights

Treat yourself to a scenic flight or helicopter over the Uruguay coast or fly inland to a winery or estancia. Private flights between Uruguay & Argentina.

Posada del Minero – Explore north Uruguay & the gold rush

Unique things to do in Uruguay: hike ‘flat top hills’, taste very rare wines and pan for gold in north Uruguay.
Valle del Lunarejo, Rivera, Uruguay

Trekking in Uruguay – El Gavilán, Valle del Lunarejo nature reserve

Trekking, horseback riding, nature photography, birding in one of the most outstanding protected areas in Uruguay, Valle del Lunarejo.

Wine Explorers – Private Uruguay wine tours

Private Uruguay wine tours & tastings. The unique wineries will be the highlight of your travels. Plus monthly group excursions for expats.

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Explore more things to do in Uruguay

From museums and outdoor activities to cultural gems and insider tips, our guru unveils the essence of Uruguay. Dive into authentic experiences, exploring parks, markets, and fairgrounds, and let our expert guide you through the heart of this captivating country.

Varela Zarranz – Uruguay wine history & sparkling wines

One of Uruguay's oldest wineries, Varela Zarranz is just 50 min from the capital. Winner of 150+ awards, it’s famous for its sparkling wines.
Índica Beer - Montevideo bar and brewery

Índica Beer – Great little Montevideo bar & brewery

Índica Beer is a friendly welcoming Montevideo bar and brewery making some of the best craft beer—particularly IPAs and German-style lager.
Bodega Cerro Chapeu - Uruguayan wine

Bodega Cerro Chapeu – Uruguayan wine legends

Led by a “winemaker legend”, Cerro Chapeu is a must-do Uruguayan wine destination. In the wild middle of nowhere, it is a shock to discover such an exciting, modern winery, say experts.

Academia Uruguay – Learn Spanish in Uruguay

If you're planning to move to Uruguay, who better to learn Spanish with than native Uruguayan teachers? Online and face-to-face options.

Alto de la Ballena – Pioneering Maldonado winery

A tiny Maldonado winery producing some of Uruguay’s finest wines. Alto de la Ballena pioneered wine making in Uruguay’s most up-and-coming wine region.
Nakkal Uruguay Wines

Nakkal Wines – Minimal intervention wines

Taste 100% natural Uruguay wines at one of Uruguay’s youngest, coolest and most experimental wineries 30 mins from the capital.

Almacén de la Capilla –  Carmelo winery cabaña among the vines

Don’t stay at a Carmelo Uruguay hotel when you’re in wine country. Choose a magical cabaña in a vineyard instead.

Villa Pancha Lunarejo – The place for hiking in Uruguay

Valle de Lunarejo (Lunarejo Valley) looks like nowhere else in Uruguay and is the perfect place for hiking in northern Uruguay.

Balbuena Wines – Wine tasting in Montevideo

Great little wine store is a mandatory stop for Uruguay wine tasting in Montevideo with a selection of 130+ Uruguayan wines.

Cabo Polonio – Lost island in a sea of dunes

Deserted beaches, rocky islands heaving with baying seals & tiny colourful shacks. Cabo Polonio, Uruguay is unforgettable.

Posada del Minero – Explore north Uruguay & the gold rush

Unique things to do in Uruguay: hike ‘flat top hills’, taste very rare wines and pan for gold in north Uruguay.

Fly Uruguay – Plane tours & flights

Treat yourself to a scenic flight or helicopter over the Uruguay coast or fly inland to a winery or estancia. Private flights between Uruguay & Argentina.

Wine Explorers – Private Uruguay wine tours

Private Uruguay wine tours & tastings. The unique wineries will be the highlight of your travels. Plus monthly group excursions for expats.
Bizarre Uruguay celebrations: Nostalgia Night

Bizarre Uruguay celebrations: Nostalgia Night

Could Uruguay be the only country in the world with a state-sanctioned celebration of “golden oldies”? Bring on the Bee Gees!

San Pedro de Timote – Uruguay’s most historic estancia

For 200 years, estancia San Pedro de Timote has been the pride of Uruguay. Today it's a historic country hotel where you can go riding and meet gauchos.
Montevideo Carnival

Montevideo Carnival 2024 dates

Hot off the press! The world's longest carnival is in Montevideo Uruguay and we've got the dates.

Big Bang Nature Stays – Bohemian beach domes

Unique ocean-front location to reconnect with nature—with luxury touches—on one of Uruguay's most deserted beaches in Maldonado.
Montevideo gaucho festival - by Montecruz Foto

Gaucho week in Montevideo – Easter

Traditional food, handmade goods, and South American cowboys riding wild horses. It's the Semana Criolla - Montevideo's Easter gaucho festival.

Why Uruguay celebrates “Tourism Week”—not Easter

Latin America is associated with Catholicism. As ever Uruguay is the outlier—with complete separation of church and state for over 100 years.
Vacations in Uruguay: Beaches, classic car races and a bargain therapy session

My 9-day vacation in Uruguay: Intrepid reader writes

Beaches, classic car races and a bargain therapy session. We were delighted to get this email from one reader after his vacations in Uruguay.
I love Montevideo - candombe troupe - by Jimmy Baikovicius

Is Montevideo worth visiting

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.
Yemanjá Festival at Playa Ramírez, Montevideo

Uruguay Festivals – Sea Goddess Day on February 2

It’s Yemanjá Day on February 2. Don’t miss this special festival of the Goddess of the Sea at Playa Ramírez in the Parque Rodó neighbourhood.
Horse racing in Uruguay by Jimmy Baikovicius

Uruguay’s Kentucky Derby – January 6

One of the best things to do in Montevideo is visit the horse races. Fun for the family and for architecture buffs the art-deco stadium. Fridays & Sundays.
José Ignacio

How to avoid paying top dollar at the beach in Uruguay

Some beaches are just so darn popular. Tips for when & how to get best rates on hotels and rentals in Uruguay.
Fireworks over Montevideo in New Year - Marcelo Fernandez

Montevideo over New Year? 5 things you need to know

Between Christmas & New Year, Montevideans leave town in droves. So what to do you do? There's still the beaches, tango, fireworks and... water fights!
Uruguay car rental

Great little car rental company in Uruguay

Shout-out for local car rental company, Mariño Sport, in Uruguay. I've been impressed by their great service and personal touch since 2010.
Public holidays in Uruguay

Public holidays in Uruguay

It's a good idea to know when public holidays in Uruguay are as most shops close. Public transport is also limited but to a lesser extent.
Storm of Santa Rosa -Jimmy Baikovicius

Weird weather in Uruguay – the Storm of Santa Rosa

A violent storm hits Uruguay and parts of Argentina at the same time every year. Urban myth? Or is there some truth to this weird weather phenomenon?
Guru'Guay Guide to Uruguay: Beaches, Ranches and Wine Country

“The Guru’Guay Guide to Uruguay”: Latest updates

The beauty of buying a guidebook written by a local. Post pandemic, our Uruguay travel guide is still the best resource to finding the gems.
Whale watching in Uruguay - Remco Douma

Whale-watch in Uruguay

In Uruguay you can watch whales close-up from the beach. Save yourself an expensive trip to Patagonia & feel great that your viewing generates zero stress.
Tango dancing in Montevideo

Tango dancing in Montevideo

Dance tango in Uruguay. Especially if you are a beginner or intermediate tango dancer, the tango scene in Montevideo is much friendlier than Buenos Aires.

Top things to do in winter in Uruguay

Between June and August, visit Uruguay for horse-riding, deserted beaches, great culture, live music, bonfire parties, winetasting & whale-watching.
Jaureguiberry, Canelones

The sleepy beaches of Costa de Oro, Canelones

Under an hour from the capital lie some of the Uruguay's best kept secrets, because most of the tourists are… Uruguayan.

Estancia El Ceibo – Deepest Uruguay with minimal travel

It can take hours along pot-holed roads to reach the best estancias in Uruguay. This ranch, virtually unchanged since 1849, is just an hour from Montevideo.
Aerial picture of Carrasco beach in Montevideo

Not just great culture. Montevideo has 10 fine beaches

The capital of Uruguay has beaches with fine white sand, great for paddling or swimming, kitesurfing, with fairgrounds, and wheel-chair access.
Aerial view of La Paloma shore

5 amazing beaches in Rocha, Uruguay

Without a doubt, Rocha has some of the very best beaches in Uruguay. And they're almost totally deserted for virtually ten months of the year.
Aerial picture of Punta del Este, Uruguay

8 things to do in Punta del Este

Argentines and Brazilians LOVE 'Punta'--it's Uruguay's glamour puss beach resort. So you may be surprised at some of our must-do things to do.
Uruguay Carnival: 2020 'Llamadas'

6 reasons not to miss carnival in Montevideo

Virtually unknown to people outside of Uruguay, carnival in the capital Montevideo is one of the most authentic in the world. Start planning now for 2023.

THE travel guidebooks to Uruguay & Montevideo

Praised by Lonely Planet, NYT and National Geographic, the Guru'Guay guides are the only Uruguay travel books on Amazon written by a local.
Uruguay travel

Why travel to Uruguay

Though barely on the radar to westerners, Argentines have been flocking to Uruguay for decades. So what kind of vacation awaits you?
Those unmistakable rural schools in Uruguay

Those unmistakable rural schools in Uruguay

In the 1960s, a philanthropist and an engineer set about replacing “school shacks” in the poorest, most remote parts of Uruguay. They went on to build 228.
Romantic Museum in Montevideo Old Town

Montevideo’s Romantic Museum, aka the Marble Palace

Hugely instagramable, this tiny museum hidden in Montevideo's old town depicts the lifestyle of Uruguay's most affluent at the time of independence.
Cristo Obrero Church by Eladio Dieste

Uruguay has a new UNESCO World Heritage Site

This modest church built entirely of brick has been called "a marvel of modern architecture"—and received the world’s greatest cultural recognition.

Atlántida – beachtown & UNESCO heritage site

Fine white sands, pines, 2 mysterious structures—an eagle head & a UNESCO Heritage church. The Uruguay beach of Atlántida is just 30 mins from Montevideo.
The story of the Andes crash survivors is one of the great human survival stories of the Twentieth Century.

Andes 1972 plane crash museum

The museum, in Montevideo, honours the survivors of the Andes plane crash. Yes, one of the greatest survival stories of the 20th century is Uruguayan.

Uruguay: South American birding oasis

10 reasons why Uruguay is a great choice for nature tourism in general and birding in particular—especially in a pandemic.

Estación Penitente – Magical hill-top restaurant in Minas, Uruguay

Overlooking Uruguay's Sierras de Minas, with views reminiscent of Greece. Traditional cooking, Uruguayan BBQ & wild boar. Day trip from Montevideo & Punta.
Murga, Uruguay carnival

Carnival in Uruguay – what is murga?

Murga is an instantly recognisable musical style associated with carnival. It's a uniquely Uruguayan phenomenon, with very distant roots in Cadiz, Spain.

The night sky: Best places to stargaze in Uruguay

NASA-recognised astrophotographer Fefo Bouvier tells us about the night sky in the southern hemisphere and Uruguay's best stargazing places.

José Ignacio, Uruguay: Tiny town turned world’s hot beach spot

First Argentina’s rich & beautiful, then the Hearsts and Rockefellers. How did a rocky Uruguay peninsula become the jewel of the jetset?

Punta del Diablo – where hippie meets hip

A fishing town with dirt roads is one of Uruguay's most popular beaches. Is it the brightly-painted cabins, sweeping unspoilt beaches or the hippie-chic?
25 de agosto - uruguay countryside best things to do

The extraordinary murals of 25 de agosto

The sleepiest little towns in Uruguay can be full of surprises. This one just an hour from Montevideo is home to over 100 murals by a French artist.
Las Llamadas - Uruguay carnival - by Jimmy Baikovicius

San Baltasar Carnival parade – January 6

My friend who's 'carnival royalty' says San Baltasar is like carnival was when she was a child. Your chance to see Uruguay carnival just after new year.

José Ignacio – a billionaire playground with valet parking signs in the sand

Elon Musk and a Murdoch Jr have owned houses in tiny Jose Ignacio. But we're still at the beach, in Uruguay. So streets are unpaved and service unhurried.

The sunset from Casapueblo – a Punta classic

An artist's cliff-hugging summer house literally grew and grew as he expanded it to host friends such as Brigitte Bardot.

Montevideo #1 in new travel show

The host of this brand new travel show fell in love with Montevideo. The wine, soccer, carnival, food... so many things to do.
This wonderful photo by Juan Pablo Colasso is called "Home cinema" and was taken at a beach in the east of Uruguay

A rainy day in Montevideo? Go to the movies

Montevideo has around more than a dozen movie theatres including 3 non-profit movie theatres. Movies are subtitled so no dubbing.
Murga, Uruguay carnival

What’s worth checking out in Carnival

Carnival starts late January till early March. Yes, it's the world's longest carnival. The parades and shows you must not miss, where to buy tickets, etc.

5 foods you need to try at the beach in Uruguay

Looking for the best seafood in Uruguay? The cuisine of Uruguay's most eastern province, Rocha, is chock full of fresh seafood.
Uruguay travel

Get THE architecture guide to Montevideo

A perfect traveller & photographer resource, I unearthed this little gem buried on a gov't website. Montevideo is a feast for the eyes and the soul.

Colonia, Uruguay’s UNESCO World Heritage site

Essential information so that your stay in Colonia del Sacramento fits into your travel schedule as you travel between Buenos Aires and Montevideo.
Estacion Peñarol -things to do in Montevideo

Peñarol – “New Manchester” of Uruguay

Montevideo things to do see, Peñarol Industrial Heritage Centre is recommended for history & architecture buffs, railway enthusiasts & football fans.
Candombe drummers

Experience candombe drummers in the street

To check out authentic candombe in Uruguay, you'll want to go to a street rehearsal. Where to go, how it works and what to do and what not to do.
Life Guard Hut in Montevideo - beach warning flags uruguay

What beach warning flags mean in Uruguay

What's that green cross on the red flag all about? Wondering what the lifeguard flags in Uruguay mean? Check out the beach warning code.

Best place to watch the sunset in Montevideo

7pm on a summer's evening. The sun will be going down in under an hour. Where's the best spot to kick back and watch the sun go down over the city skyline?
Carillon-in-Cerro-Colorado-5

The bell tower in the middle of nowhere

Looking for unique things to do in Uruguay? Be one of the only overseas travelers ever to climb to the top of this carillon in remote Cerro Colorado.
Driving-Uruguay-country-roads-3

Driving in the Uruguay countryside

Driving in the interior of Uruguay is a real pleasure. Calculate a little extra time and relax on some of the emptiest roads in the world.
Exploring the Uruguayan interior

Exploring the Uruguayan interior

Deepest Uruguay begins just an hour from the capital. Explore centuries-old ranches, a village with 100 murals, a Milk Festival & ghostly train stations.
Full Sailing Centre, Montevideo

Sailing lessons, boat & windsurf rental in Montevideo

At Full Sailing, you hire a boat, board, kayak or instructor by the hour. It's a perfect option in Uruguay, where most sailing clubs are members-only.

The Montevideo Marijuana Museum

The Cannabis Museum puts the country's ground-breaking legislation in context and explains, why for Uruguayans, it's not as radical as you might think.

Carmelo: The Uruguayan Tuscany

Not a huge amount to things to do in Carmelo, besides drink wine. Thank god! Visit vineyards, drink fine wine & relax in a tiny Tuscany without the hordes.

Montevideo’s Prado neighbourhood

Minutes from downtown, Montevideo's leafy El Prado district is a photographer's paradise of ghostly mansions, stately art galleries and tangled greenery.

What is candombe?

Candombe is an essential part of Uruguayan culture. Every neighbourhood has its comparsa (troupe), regardless of social class or background.
Martin Pugin, tango bandoneon player by Jimmy Baikovicius

April – anniversary of the world’s most famous tango

The world's most famous tango song is over 100 years old—and it's Uruguayan! Every year a week-long festival in April commemorates The Cumparsita.
Gaucho & Money Museums

The Gaucho Museum

Most museums in Montevideo are run by the state and free to visit. The Gaucho Museum is located in a fantastic “palacio” worth a visit in its own right.
Parque Rodo amusement park - Montevideo Uruguay things to do

Parque Rodó – beach, kitsch fairground & Sunday drummers

My favourite park in Montevideo, Parque Rodó has tons of stuff to do for adults and children alike and the best view of the sunset in the city.
Abitab sign

Buying tickets for concerts and carnival

You can buy tickets for concerts and carnival shows in Montevideo at box offices and Abitab and Red Pagos/RED UTS - the stores are found all over Uruguay.

Should I visit Punta del Este?

If you're a party-loving 20-something sun-worshipper you'll love Punta del Este Uruguay in January. Everyone else, stick to Punta off-season.

A day by the sea? Piriápolis and Punta Colorada

Piriápolis, an hour from Montevideo, is a charming Uruguay beach town, ideal for families, has an art-deco promenade and you don't need a car to get around.

Uruguay guidebooks

The Guru’Guay guides are “full of passion and soul” say our readers. That’s why they have more than 200 5-star reviews on Amazon. 

Guru'Guay Guide to Uruguay

Beaches, ranches & wine country
Buy now

Guru'Guay Guide to Montevideo

The only guide written by a resident
Buy now

Personalised Uruguay travel planning

You know you. And guidebook author and Guru’Guay founder, Karen A Higgs, literally ‘wrote the books’ about Uruguay. Together, you’re going to create the trip you’ve been dreaming about—and have fun while doing it.​

In a private 60-minute session with Karen, you’ll share your plans so far. Learn about things to do and places to stay you’ve never heard about before which are perfect for you. And come away with a personalised itinerary.

Plan your Uruguay trip with Guru’Guay 

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Food & drink

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Store

Activities

Architecture & Historic Buildings

Art, Music & Film

Beaches to Explore & Visit

Carnival

Driving & Car Hire

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Getting to Uruguay

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Staying Safe & Healthy

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