Uruguay: Travelling

Entry Requirements

Passport and Visa Service: Foreign ministry - Listing of consular and diplomatic representations.

For Further Information

Check IATA Travel Website for visa requirements and health advices.

Organising Your Trip

Transportation From Airport to City Centre:

Airport	Distance	Taxi	Bus	Train	Car Rental
Montevideo - Carrasco Intl (MVD)	15 km / 10 miles	USD 20-25 / 20-30 min	USD 2.50 / 30 min	-	Available

Means of Transport Recommended in the Rest of the Country

Train reservation services: State railway office.

Major airlines

Name	Type	Domestic Flights	International Flights
PLUNA		Yes	Yes
Listing of airlines		Yes	Yes

You Can Consult The EU Air Safety List. Look Also at the rating of the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Visiting

Different Forms of Tourism

Historical: Montevideo is the capital of Uruguay and also the biggest city. It gathers the cultural, business and economic activities of the country. It is a modern and animated city with some interesting architectural buildings, especially along the avenida 18 de Julio.
Cultural: There are lots of museums worth visiting in Montevideo. You shouldn't miss the "Museo del Gaucho". Two other museums will also attract visitors: the historical houses of Casa Lavalleja (National Historical Museum) and Casa Rivera. The visit of the Mercado del Puerto (harbor market) is a must. It is located in the old town, at the crossing of Piedras and Castellanos. Build under an old train station from the beginning of the 20th century, it still holds the original central clock. It is one of the popular centers of gastronomy in Uruguay and a great place to gather friends on weekends to enjoy an excellent asado.
Nature: Punta del Este is one of the most select seaside resorts in all of south America.
Religious: At Paysandu, you can see the cathedral, whose walls have kept the bullets of the triple alliance war embedded. At that time, the city belonged to the Paraguayans.
Thermal: The region that gave its name to the city of Salto is the most populated northern Uruguayan urban center, but it is also a well known center in the region for its thermal sources all around, touristic resorts and converted swimming pools.
Beach: The Carmelo and Mercedes beaches are ideal spots for boat cruising, sailing, fishing and fun water activities. For the farniente followers, the beaches of Punta del Este and their crystal clear waters definitely are the places to go. With its numerous seaside resort and its crowds of tourists, the Montevideo east side area is one the most westernized places in the country. The great Atlantida Resort is located just east from the capital city, and you will find Piriapolis just a couple of beach towel rows further. From there, you might explore the surrounding countryside and hike up the 130 feet of the Cerro Pan de Azucar, or even visit Minas, a charming small town surrounded by wooded hills.
Outdoor Activities: Several activities can be chosen, see the website of Ministry of Tourism
Shopping: The craft industry concerns products dealing with the gaucho's image and life, with mostly leather and wool work. Furthermore, there is an important offer of semi precious stones (agata, amethyst, etc) coming from the northern areas in the country. There is a store chain in the main malls concentrating all the diversity of craft industry in Uruguay.

Top Highlights in the Main Cities
Jose Artigas Mausosleum
Salvo Palace
Constitution square
Iglesia Matriz
Gaucho and currency museum
Harbor market

Top Highlights of the Country
Historical district of colonia del sacramento
Defense Museum
Atlandida
Piriapolis
Cerro Pan de Azucar
Minas
Punta del este
Gorriti island
Lobos Islands

Tourism Organisations: Ministry of Tourism

Living Conditions

Health and Safety

Health Precautions: No requirement concerning vaccination for international flights.
For Further Information on Sanitary Conditions: Ministry of public health.

Emergency Numbers

Any type emergency

911

Time Difference and Climate

Time and Time Difference: It is %T:%M %A In Montevideo (GMT-3 in winter, GMT-2 in summer)
Summer Time Period: Summer time from October to March

Map of the Time Zone

Time zone

Type of Climate: Uruguay is the only Latin American country to be wholly located in a temperate climate zone. Heats period is January and the coldest temperatures are reached in July, with a mean difference of twelve degrees Celsius. Temperatures vary between 15 and 32 degrees Celsius.
Hotel reservation websites: National meteorology Office
General climate information website
Professional meteorological data website.
International meteorological website.

Average Annual Temperatures and Rainfall

Climate

Eating

Food Specialties: Most restaurants in Uruguay are grill restaurants: as a matter of fact, beef is the main ingredient for the preparation of all dishes in Uruguay.
Asado: barbecued beef
Asado de tira: beef ribs
Lomo: fillet of beef
Costillas: sheep
Milanesa: veal chops
Chivito: sandwich with beef, salad and eggs.
Puchero: beef with vegetables, bacon, beans and sausages.
Cazuela: homemade stew
Dulce de leche: desserts
Caña, grappa: beverages
Beers are excellent in Uruguay.
Drinks: Concerning soft drink, sodas and fizzy beverages are widely consumed.
Local beers are called "Patricia", "Pilsen" and "Cilertal" (an AMBEV monopoly). Whiskey is the most consumed alcoholic beverage. There is also an interesting amount of wine consumption due to a high local production.
Dietary Restrictions: There are no culinary restrictions. The only thing to mention is that horse meat is not locally produced and is therefore it is all imported.

Paying

Domestic Currency: Uruguayan Peso
ISO Code: UYU
To Obtain Domestic Currency: The currency is the Uruguayan peso ; 1 peso = 100 centimes. The currency is issued in bills of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1,000 pesos and in coins of 1 and 2 pesos and 10, 20 and 50 centimes.
Possible Means of Payment: Most businesses will accept credit card payment. Furthermore, the country benefits from a wide banking network as well as an ATM network that accepts most international credit cards (VISA, MASTER, DINERS, AMEX, and others).

Speaking

Official Language: Spanish
Other Languages Spoken: 94% of the citizens speak only Spanish. Therefore, Spanish is the common language used in politics and in cultural and economic fields. English is used occasionally in commercial activities. Other languages, such as French, Portuguese or German are not used very often.
Business Language: Spanish, English

Useful Resources

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