Things to Do in Montevideo

Named for its distinctive promontory rising over the sea, Montevideo's Punta Gorda neighborhood is known for its beaches, the winding Darwin’s Ladder staircase—named for the famed scientist, who spent time studying the soil here—and its waterfront park. Visit to enjoy views of the ocean, or bring a swimsuit and go for a dip at Playa Verde.

Many don’t know that Montevideo was host to the very first World Cup final in 1930 at the Estadio Centenario. Today, part of the stadium is home to the Football Museum (Museo del Fútbol), which not only honors the beginning of soccer’s biggest tournament, but also celebrates international and Uruguayan soccer throughout history and in the current day.

There’s a wide array of pieces of history from the world’s most popular sport on display at the museum, including trophies, posters, signed jerseys, and original match programs and tickets. Blown up old photos from some of soccer’s most historic moments and newspaper clippings bring visitors through the history of the game. A highlight is the actual match ball from the first World Cup final.

The museum celebrates Uruguay’s strong soccer culture and the country’s many accomplishments in the sport, including dozens of trophies and a certification that a local Montevideo football club was the first in South America. There’s also plenty of soccer history from all over the world, including a signed jersey from Brazilian legend Pelé.

The museum has a gift shop loaded with cool soccer souvenirs. Visitors are also able to enter the Estadio Centenario itself, where not much has changed since the 1930 final. For an extra fee, it is possible to go up the stadium tower, which boasts panoramic views of Montevideo.

The Montevideo Metropolitan Cathedral (Catedral de Montevideo sits in the historic Old City, and serves as the seat of the city's Roman Catholic archdiocese. This National Historic Landmark is the mother church for all of South America and is replete with details like intricately tiled floors and elegant chandeliers.

El Prado is an affluent residential neighborhood in the north of Montevideo with tree-lined streets filled with historic homes including Residencia de Suarez (the presidential residence), and the peaceful Parque El Prado, the city’s main green space where a creek runs through grassy fields and a botanical garden grows over 1,000 plant species.

Located on The Rambla in Montevideo, it’s difficult to miss Pittamiglio Castle (Castillo Pittamiglio). The building’s red-brick towers, with giant protruding ships and fortress-like architecture, stand out among the modern skyscrapers. Designed by Humberto Pittamiglio and built in 1911, the castle is a tribute to the science of alchemy and its interior is full of obscure symbols with deep meanings.

In 1724, when the Spanish founded Montevideo, they fortified the settlement with granite walls thick enough to house canons. More than 100 years later, the walls came down except for one towering slab, the Gateway of the Citadel, which stands at Independence Square (Plaza Independencia) the border between the Old CIty and the New City.

In 1972, a charter plane departed Montevideo en route to Santiago de Chile and crashed in the Andes Mountains. The story of this tragic event is the subject of the Andes Museum 1972 (Museo Andes 1972. The exhibitions here honor the Uruguayans who perished in this disaster and tell the harrowing tale of the 16 travelers that survived.

Composing part of the border between Argentina and Uruguay, this 180-mile (290-km) long estuary is formed by the confluence of the Uruguay and Paraná Rivers. After multiple explorations by various Spanish navigators, the waterway came to be known as the Rio de la Plata (River of Silver) for the promise of riches thought to lie upstream.

Directly south of Montevideo’s center, the neighborhood (or, “barrio”) of Barrio Sur is closely connected to its large Afro-Uruguayan community, who settled here after slavery was abolished. It is the home of the “Candombe,” the Uruguayan music and dance style that comes from African slaves and is recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage of humanity.

Hugging Montevideo’s southeast coast, Carrasco is one of Montevideo's most exclusive residential suburbs. A long, sandy beach fronted by an elegant promenade form the neighborhood’s lively core, while tree-lined streets feature an eclectic mix of early 20th-century mansions, antiques shops, and bookstores. Enjoy a day at the beachside General Lavalleja Park and picnic alongside Carrasco Creek.

Dive into Latin America’s ancient history at the award-winning Pre-Columbian and Indigenous Art Museum (MAPI). Small but comprehensive, with more than 700 artworks and artifacts in its permanent collection; it’s one of Montevideo’s most important archaeological museums.

The eclectic artworks of Montevideo-born artist Joaquim Torres-Garcia—Uruguay’s most prolific and influential modern artist—take center stage at the Torres García Museum (Museo Torres García). One of Montevideo’s most visited art museums, its vast collection features Garcia’s work, alongside temporary exhibitions from local contemporary artists.

The local government presides from Montevideo City Hall (Palacio Municipal, a tremendous government building in the heart of the city. The main draw here is the 22nd-floor viewing deck, known as the Mirador Panoramico de Montevideo. You can peer across the city all the way to the ocean. And you can't beat the price of admission: it's free.