Montevideo itinerary: 1 to 3 days
Plans for one to three days in Montevideo, day by day: the Solís Theatre, the Citadel Gate, Plaza Independencia and Palacio Salvo, with an afternoon in Pocitos, first, then the Museo Torres García, the Cabildo and Palacio Taranco in the Ciudad Vieja, and Parque Lecocq and the National Museum of Visual Arts as you add days. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 3 days
Montevideo in 1 day
Day 1
Solís Theatre
Uruguay's main theatre, opened in 1856 on Plaza Independencia, with a horseshoe auditorium visited on guided tours.
Ciudadela, Montevideo
The Puerta de la Ciudadela, a stone gateway that is one of the last pieces of the colonial walls, leading into the Ciudad Vieja.
Plaza Independencia
Montevideo's main square, between the old and new city, with the mausoleum and equestrian statue of José Artigas.
Estévez Palace
Former seat of government on Plaza Independencia, a 19th-century palace now housing a museum of Uruguay's presidents.
Palacio Salvo
Eclectic tower of 1928, once the tallest building in South America, with guided tours that climb to the top.
Pocitos
Upscale beach neighbourhood along the Rambla, with a long sandy beach, cafés and apartment towers.
Montevideo in 2 days
Day 1
Solís Theatre
Uruguay's main theatre, opened in 1856 on Plaza Independencia, with a horseshoe auditorium visited on guided tours.
Ciudadela, Montevideo
The Puerta de la Ciudadela, a stone gateway that is one of the last pieces of the colonial walls, leading into the Ciudad Vieja.
Plaza Independencia
Montevideo's main square, between the old and new city, with the mausoleum and equestrian statue of José Artigas.
Estévez Palace
Former seat of government on Plaza Independencia, a 19th-century palace now housing a museum of Uruguay's presidents.
Palacio Salvo
Eclectic tower of 1928, once the tallest building in South America, with guided tours that climb to the top.
Palacio Legislativo
Marble neoclassical seat of Uruguay's parliament in Aguada, with richly decorated halls that can be seen on guided tours.
Pocitos
Upscale beach neighbourhood along the Rambla, with a long sandy beach, cafés and apartment towers.
Day 2
Plaza Fabini
Leafy square on Avenida 18 de Julio, known for El Entrevero, a bronze sculpture of horsemen in battle.
Museo Torres García
Museum in the Ciudad Vieja devoted to painter Joaquín Torres García and his Constructive Universalism.
Montevideo Cabildo
Colonial town hall of the late 18th century on Plaza Matriz, now a museum of the city's history.
Mercado del Puerto
Old iron port market in the Ciudad Vieja, now filled with restaurants grilling Uruguayan asado over wood fires.
Plaza Zabala
Square in the Ciudad Vieja with an equestrian statue of Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, the city's founder.
Palacio Taranco
French-designed palace of 1910 on Plaza Zabala, now the Museum of Decorative Arts with period rooms and furniture.
Montevideo in 3 days
Day 1
Solís Theatre
Uruguay's main theatre, opened in 1856 on Plaza Independencia, with a horseshoe auditorium visited on guided tours.
Ciudadela, Montevideo
The Puerta de la Ciudadela, a stone gateway that is one of the last pieces of the colonial walls, leading into the Ciudad Vieja.
Plaza Independencia
Montevideo's main square, between the old and new city, with the mausoleum and equestrian statue of José Artigas.
Estévez Palace
Former seat of government on Plaza Independencia, a 19th-century palace now housing a museum of Uruguay's presidents.
Palacio Salvo
Eclectic tower of 1928, once the tallest building in South America, with guided tours that climb to the top.
Palacio Legislativo
Marble neoclassical seat of Uruguay's parliament in Aguada, with richly decorated halls that can be seen on guided tours.
Pocitos
Upscale beach neighbourhood along the Rambla, with a long sandy beach, cafés and apartment towers.
Day 2
Plaza Fabini
Leafy square on Avenida 18 de Julio, known for El Entrevero, a bronze sculpture of horsemen in battle.
Museo Torres García
Museum in the Ciudad Vieja devoted to painter Joaquín Torres García and his Constructive Universalism.
Montevideo Cabildo
Colonial town hall of the late 18th century on Plaza Matriz, now a museum of the city's history.
Mercado del Puerto
Old iron port market in the Ciudad Vieja, now filled with restaurants grilling Uruguayan asado over wood fires.
Plaza Zabala
Square in the Ciudad Vieja with an equestrian statue of Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, the city's founder.
Palacio Taranco
French-designed palace of 1910 on Plaza Zabala, now the Museum of Decorative Arts with period rooms and furniture.
Day 3
Parque Lecocq
Large park and wildlife reserve northwest of the city, with animals in open enclosures and picnic areas.
Central Cemetery of Montevideo
Cemetery of 1835 in Barrio Sur, with marble monuments, sculpture and the tombs of many national figures.
National Museum of Visual Arts (Uruguay)
Uruguay's main art museum in Parque Rodó, with works by Blanes, Figari, Torres García and other Uruguayan artists.
Watch: Montevideo
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Montevideo
December to March is Montevideo's warm season, with beach days along the Rambla, while March to May and October to November are mild and quieter. June to August is cool, damp and windy. Carnival is long here, usually running from late January into February or March, with murga theatre and candombe drum parades through the Barrio Sur and Palermo neighbourhoods.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Montevideo on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Montevideo on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Montevideo on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Uruguay from Airalo
- Last day: leave your bags in Montevideo with Radical Storage and keep sightseeing
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Montevideo
- The Solís Theatre can be visited only on guided tours at set times; check the day's schedule at the box office or online.
- Many museums in Montevideo are closed on Mondays, and the Cabildo is also closed on Sundays.
- The Rambla runs about 20 km along the shore from the Ciudad Vieja past Pocitos; walk or cycle part of it, especially at sunset.
- Buses use the STM card or cash; taxis and ride-hailing cars are inexpensive for longer trips such as Parque Lecocq.
- The Mercado del Puerto, near Plaza Zabala, is the place for a parrilla lunch; it is busiest at weekend lunchtimes.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Central Cemetery of Montevideo: Hoverfish, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ciudadela, Montevideo: Hoverfish, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Estévez Palace: Stelios Karavias, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mercado del Puerto: Rodrigo Pissano, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Montevideo Cabildo: Fulviusbsas, Public domain
- Museo Torres García: Hoverfish, CC BY-SA 3.0
- National Museum of Visual Arts (Uruguay): Hoverfish, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Palacio Legislativo: Felipe Restrepo Acosta, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Palacio Salvo: Coolcaesar, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Palacio Taranco: MaxiCiccone, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Parque Lecocq: Davecart, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Plaza Fabini: Herr stahlhoefer, Public domain
- Plaza Independencia: Wesborland at English Wikipedia, Public domain
- Plaza Zabala: https://www.flickr.com/photos/blmurch/, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Pocitos: No machine-readable author provided. Shant~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 2.5
- Solís Theatre: Felipe Restrepo Acosta, CC BY-SA 4.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
