Montevideo

A capital on the Río de la Plata where colonial streets, art deco buildings and a 27 km seafront promenade meet.

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Montevideo is Uruguay's capital and largest city, on the southern coast and the northeastern bank of the Río de la Plata estuary. Buenos Aires lies about 230 km west, across the river on the Argentine side, so the two cities are easy to combine for travelers already in Argentina. The oldest district, Ciudad Vieja, holds most of the colonial buildings, museums, restaurants and nightclubs, and Plaza Independencia sits between the old town and downtown.

The city is known for its historic European architecture and for art deco buildings from the immigration-era growth, along with the Rambla, a coastal avenue about 27 km long. Visitors come for tango, candombe and murga music, the chivito sandwich and asado grilled meats. Montevideo hosted every match of the first FIFA World Cup, held in 1930. The climate is humid subtropical, with warm summers from December to February and pleasant autumn and spring weather. Two or three days covers the old town, the waterfront and a few museums.

Montevideo in five

Eat lunch at Mercado del PuertoThe historic market near Plaza Zabala now works as a food hall and draws many tourists. Try a chivito, the sandwich with sliced beefsteak, and pick a quieter hour if you want a seat.
Walk one stretch of the RamblaThe coastal avenue runs about 27 km, so choose a section rather than trying all of it. The Pocitos and Carrasco beaches sit along the coast, and the Rambla is a daily place for leisure.
Book Estadio Centenario tickets for the standsThe national stadium in Parque Batlle seats about 70,000. Its museum shows memorabilia from the 1930 and 1950 World Cup titles, and tickets also give access to the stands and pitch.Tours and tickets
Plan around Carnival weekCarnival is held before Ash Wednesday, and Carnival Monday and Shrove Tuesday are public holidays. Most shops close for the whole week.Festivals
Respect the smoking and alcohol rulesSmoking is banned in public places with a roof, under a 2006 presidential decree. Some businesses may not sell alcohol from 21:00 to 09:00.

Things to do in Montevideo

See all attractions in Montevideo

Landmark · MontevideoPort MarketPlan your visit around lunch or dinner if you want to eat.

Park · MontevideoPlaza IndependenciaGo early in the morning or late afternoon to avoid the heat; the square has limited shade.

Theater · MontevideoSolis TheaterCheck whether an English-language tour is available; tours are usually in Spanish.

Free trip plannerPlan a trip to MontevideoPut the places you like in Montevideo on a map, give them days, and let one button order each day. Free, with no account.Plan a trip

Need to know

Currency: Uruguayan peso (UYU)
Entry: Check the entry rules for your passport before you book Read more
Emergency: 911 for police and general emergencies
Tipping: About 10% in restaurants if no service charge is added
Time: UTC-3, no daylight saving

Weather by month

Rainy days

Best
Good
Mixed

JanuaryClear9 rainy daysHigh29°Low19°Hot, beach season
FebruaryClear9 rainy daysHigh28°Low20°Warm, beaches
MarchPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh26°Low18°Mild, pleasant
AprilPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh22°Low15°Mild, autumn
MayPartly cloudy8 rainy daysHigh17°Low11°Cooling, autumn
JunePartly cloudy8 rainy daysHigh15°Low9°Cool winter
JulyPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh14°Low8°Cool winter
AugustPartly cloudy8 rainy daysHigh16°Low9°Cool winter
SeptemberPartly cloudy7 rainy daysHigh17°Low10°Spring starts
OctoberPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh20°Low12°Spring, pleasant
NovemberClear8 rainy daysHigh24°Low15°Spring, windier
DecemberClear9 rainy daysHigh27°Low17°Summer, beaches

Average daily high and low in Montevideo, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.

Right now in Montevideo

Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.

Feels like: 19°
Humidity: 83%
Wind: 12 km/h
Chance of rain: 73%

Montevideo

09:03 PM

Monday, November 2

GMT-3

Today19°16°73%Monday: Rain. High 19°, Low 16°. Chance of rain 73%.
Tue18°16°63%Tuesday: Drizzle. High 18°, Low 16°. Chance of rain 63%.
Wed18°16°59%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 18°, Low 16°. Chance of rain 59%.
Thu20°17°8%Thursday: Fog. High 20°, Low 17°. Chance of rain 8%.
Fri20°14°75%Friday: Drizzle. High 20°, Low 14°. Chance of rain 75%.
Sat15°13°73%Saturday: Drizzle. High 15°, Low 13°. Chance of rain 73%.
Sun15°12°24%Sunday: Cloudy. High 15°, Low 12°. Chance of rain 24%.

Updated 06:38 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

Money

Mid-market rate1 USD = 40.29 UYU

Amount

Converted to

UYU · Uruguayan Peso

Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API

What's on in Montevideo

Concerts, festivals and big events in and around the city

Events calendar

Coming up

Day trips by train

Before you go to Montevideo

eSIM for MontevideoOffline maps for a walking cityRead the guide

Money and cards in UruguayPesos, cards and tipping costsRead the guide

Stays in MontevideoOld town, downtown and beach areasRead the guide

Travel insurance for UruguayCover for falls, illness and lost bagsRead the guide

Rules for Montevideo, checked

Smoking is banned in public places with a roof, under a 2006 presidential decree.
Check the current customs limits with Uruguay's customs office (DNA) before you bring goods in or buy souvenirs to take home.
Check the entry rules for your passport on the foreign ministry website before you book flights.

Plan around Montevideo

All of Uruguay

Regions, entry rules, transport and money for a Uruguay trip

Read the guide Entry rules for Uruguay

Who needs a visa and what to check before you book

Read the guide Getting around Montevideo

Buses, taxis and the Rambla as a walking route

Read the guide Money and costs in Uruguay

Currency, cards and typical prices for a city trip

Read the guide Where to base yourself

Old town, downtown and beach areas compared for a short stay

Read the guide Music in Montevideo

Tango, candombe and murga, with the venues that host them

Read the guide

Montevideo FAQ

Is Montevideo worth visiting?

Yes, for two or three days of old-town streets, museums, the Rambla and tango venues. Buenos Aires lies about 230 km west across the river, so the two cities can be combined.

When is the best time to visit Montevideo?

Autumn from March to May and spring from September to November are the most pleasant. Spring can be windier and more changeable. Summer from December to February is warm, and many residents spend the season in the city, at its beaches.

What is Carnival like in Montevideo?

Carnival is held before Ash Wednesday, with open-air stages, decorated streets and the Desfile de las Llamadas parade in the south of downtown. Carnival Monday and Shrove Tuesday are public holidays, and most shops close all week.

What should I eat in Montevideo?

Try the chivito, a sandwich with sliced beefsteak, and asado grilled meats. Torta frita, a round pan-fried cake, is widely eaten. Many restaurants serve Italian gnocchi on the 29th of each month.

Do I tip in Montevideo?

Tipping is about 10% in restaurants if no service charge is added. Check the bill first, since some places add one.

How many days do you need in Montevideo?

Two to three days cover Ciudad Vieja, Plaza Independencia, the Rambla and one or two museums. Add a day for Estadio Centenario or the beaches in summer.