Where to Stay in Montevideo
Where to stay in Montevideo, a list with the best areas so you can enjoy and be close to many attractions.
Montevideo is the capital of Uruguay and, although it is a small city with a population of less than 2 million, it is still extremely attractive. It has all kinds of activities for all tastes: parks, museums, beaches, with the company of its super friendly and kind people, unmissable gastronomic options and a variety of services for you to enjoy an unforgettable stay.
Each place has a particularity that we want to tell you so that you know where to go before booking accommodation in the city. Here we want to tell you how each one is, taking into account that the most popular are Centro, Pocitos, Ciudad Vieja, Malvín or Carrasco.
As far as transportation is concerned, it has an excellent bus service, as well as remises, taxis or hired cars with a previously agreed rate before getting in the car. It does not have a metro or train, so you must take into account the time of each journey.
But let’s see in detail where to stay in Montevideo:
Old City
As you may have noticed, its name denotes that it is the oldest area of Montevideo, where it preserves the famous Gate of the Citadel that was part of the wall that surrounded the city in 1724 when Montevideo was founded. You can see it in the Independence Square.
Here you will find buildings from the 1800s such as the Cabildo, the Metropolitan Cathedral and the famous Solís Theater. There is also the Port Market attached to the Port of the city, with a wide range of gastronomy and products so that you can get at very good prices. Nearby is the Museum of Pre-Columbian and Indigenous Art (MAPI), the Carnival Museum and Plaza Zabala.
During the day, it is an area very visited by tourists, in addition to having all the public buildings, banks, shops and companies that require residents to come here as well. The problem is at night, since it is recommended to be very careful where you walk, just for safety. They advise not to go into the Plaza Matriz and, instead, walk through the Peatonal Sarandí. The ideal is to choose hotels, residences or hostels that are close to the most visited places in the neighborhood, such as the pedestrian streets, the Rambla Costanera Sur or the squares.
It is a very picturesque and old place, which will captivate your attention, as well as having many nearby activities to do. Just pay attention, it is something we must do everywhere!
Montevideo Downtown
Located around Avenida 18 de Julio, its beginning is from Plaza Independencia, where you will see the Mausoleum where the remains of José Artigas, the nation’s hero, rest.
Here you can see the Salvo Palace with its Eclectic Art Deco and the Tango Museum, visiting shops and galleries you will arrive at Fabini Square, La Cagancha and the Municipal Administration Building, where on its 23rd floor there is the ViewPoint with a view of the city that you will not want to miss!
It is the neighborhood with the largest accommodation offer in the city, with a wide variety of prices and rental options. Without a doubt, it is one of the most recommended areas for your pocket and because of its location so close to everything.
Tres Cruces
In ancient times, it was a merely residential neighborhood, but now it has the Bus Terminal, which transformed it into a highly trafficked area.
For this reason, it is the most strategic site in terms of mobility, since it forms a confluence with the main arteries of Montevideo. From here, you can quickly move to and from wherever you want.
In addition, you will find much cheaper prices than in the areas we mentioned before, in addition to having more chances of getting a room in inns, shared homes or hotels.
You can tour the area and visit the Democracy Square where the country’s flag is erected, the Obelisk Monument to the Constituents of 1830, the monuments to Alberto Candeau and Fructuoso Rivera, among others.
South and Palermo
These are two neighborhoods parallel to the coast, close to Avenida 18 de Julio and the center. Palermo is a neighbor of the Rodó Park and South of the Old City.
With an old architecture, they have large houses from the beginning of the previous century and the end of the 19th century. They have streets full of trees and both border the Rambla.
If you arrive in the South during Carnival time, you will be able to see the famous Drum Calls, the traditional parade of the city. But don’t worry, on weekends you can also enjoy the sound of their drums!
Walking the South neighborhood, you will be dazzled by its houses of different colors, you will be able to visit the Monument to Carlos Gardel that stands in the Medellín Square, see the English Temple, the Spain Square and the remains of Half World (an old tenement where families lived black women in precarious conditions).
Strolling through Palermo you will find the University of Labor, the Central Cemetery where the remains of very important personalities rest, the United States Embassy and much more.
In both neighborhoods, it will be easy for you to find a place to stay, with very cheap prices at any time of the year, but, as in Ciudad Vieja, nights are not recommended to go out because they do not have good lighting.
Rodó Park
This site offers an immense variety of accommodation, as it has more apartments, shared houses, hostels and hotels.
It surrounds the homonymous Park with two important recreational centers: one for children and the well-known Rodó Park that is for adolescents and adults, with a variety of amusement park-style attractions.
It is an area where you will have many walks and trails to walk during the day, in addition to visiting the lake or visiting each of its corners; and at night, you will have many places to eat and have fun.
It is an excellent area to stay with the family, since it has activities for all ages.
Punta Carretas
Located before Pocitos and passing the Rodó Park in the East of the city. At the end of Pocitos is the Punta Brava Lighthouse and La Estacada Beach.
Here you will breathe fresh air directly from the sea, strolling along its coastal promenade, you can see the Fishermen’s Club, the renowned Punta Carretas Shopping (formerly a prison and now a shopping center) and the Uruguay Golf Club. In addition, it has extensive green areas, sports spaces open to the public and public soccer fields as well.
If you are attracted by mysteries and magical places with myths, legends and stories, we recommend you visit the Pittamiglio Castle.
Without hesitation, it is an excellent place to stay, since it is a safe, quiet neighborhood with a lot of activity during the day and at night. It has a variety of lodging options for all budgets and tastes!
Pocitos
A neighborhood with the highest population density and one of the best known for its incredible Los Pocitos beach, with pronounced waves and white sands. Its Rambla has a variety of huge buildings with different styles of architecture.
Cradle of the “night life”, it has a huge number of restaurants, dance venues, barbecues and bars.
As for accommodation, prices here are usually higher no matter what time you visit, but it stands out for its excellent accommodation opportunities.
Buceo and Malvín
These are the neighborhoods that follow Pocitos, beach areas and very elegant, located southeast of Montevideo, on the Rambla. Its beaches are the most frequented during the summer. These are very quiet neighborhoods, full of homes of various styles, and the further south you go, the more elegant and luxurious they are.
In both places you will find a very good accommodation offer, with hostels, apart-hotel and hotels; being Buceo cheaper than Malvín. Likewise, you can find very good offers throughout the year, being close to the coast and all the places of attraction you want (restaurants, shopping centers, bars). For these reasons, they are excellent places to stay!
In the case of Buceo, it was initially a spa that ended up becoming a neighborhood, so you can visit the small Port, the Uruguayan Yacht Club, the Montevideo Shopping, as well as bars and restaurants.
Malvín, on the other hand, is a residential area of a high economic level, being one of the places most required by locals to live for its tranquility and security, added to its La Honda and Malvín beaches, one of the busiest. In addition, here is the Natural Reserve on Isla de las Gaviotas, where you can see a variety of 25 different birds.
Carrasco
It is the safest and quietest neighborhood in the city, but also the most expensive.
Here, you will find palaces, mansions and huge houses, as well as having its own shopping center: Portones Shopping.
Initially, it was thought of as a garden neighborhood, by Carlos Thays, a well-known French architect. Over the years, it was transformed into an urban sector.
With a variety of restaurants, bars and cafes, it has endless services so that residents and visitors do not have to travel too far to do their shopping.
Accommodation prices are very high throughout the year, but it is still a beautiful place to stay.
Here you can visit the beaches of Carrasco, Miramar, La Mulata and the Nautical Club, as well as visiting the Church of Stella Maris, the Rivera, Lavalleja and Roosevelt parks, among others.
BONUS TRACK
As in any other part of the world, in Montevideo there are times of the year when prices are higher, such as in the summer season from December to March, and Easter (or Tourism Week). But, the variety of styles and places to stay is so great that you will have no problem going to a beautiful and cheap place at the same time!
To know more about what to do in Montevideo, we leave you here our Tours around the city.
