Uruguay is not at all popular among Russian tourists, but quite a safe, calm and friendly country that is worth visiting.
How to fly
Of course, it's better to plan your trip to Uruguay on your own. It will be much cheaper, moreover, ready-made tours to this country are not popular with us. There are no direct flights from Russia, you will have to fly with connections in European cities and possibly also to Sao Paulo.
What to watch
Montevideo is the capital of Uruguay, a relatively small city, very calm. In the center you can find one- or two-story houses. There is no metro in the city, only ground transportation. The very center of the city is the Independence Square. There is no ocean in Montevideo itself, it is built on the mouth of La Plata. The water on the city beach is brown, but not because it is dirty, it has this color because of the silt dissolved in it.
Without exaggeration, mate tea can be called the visiting card of Uruguay and national pride. This drink is brewed in special containers, calabash, and drunk through a straw. Then it is brewed many times. On the embankment and in the streets of the city, you can meet people with a calabash in one hand and a thermos in the other.
Every morning, horse-drawn carriages - garbage collectors - drive through the streets. This is also unlikely to be found in a modern big city. It should be noted that Montevideo is rather dirty - people are not accustomed to throwing garbage into trash cans.
Ciudad Vieja, or the old town, is a historic center, very small in size. There is a market, a theater, and beautiful colonial buildings. And although in general Montevideo is quite safe, it is better not to walk along the streets of the old city early in the morning and late in the evening, as there are known cases of robbery.
Restaurants and food
Uruguay is famous primarily for its meat dishes. It is believed that it is here that the best meat in South America, as it is grown without the use of artificial additives and hormones. One of the national dishes is pariyya, or parisha. This is an assortment of grilled meats and sausages. The best parisha is prepared in open-air restaurants right on the market next to the port. But they only work up to 18 hours. Local wines are of excellent quality and relatively low price.
One of the most interesting museums in Montevideo is the Carnival Museum.
People
Residents of Uruguay are a very friendly people, here you will not find aggression. In addition, almost all of them are European in appearance, and there is no hatred for the "gringo", as in some other countries. Spanish differs from classical Castilian in pronunciation.
Recently, some soft drugs and same-sex marriage have been legalized in Uruguay.
Currency and prices
The national currency of the country is the Uruguayan peso. There is an official exchange rate in the country, so it will be profitable to pay with a bank card. Recently, prices in Uruguay have risen and can be compared with European ones.
What to bring
Calabash, mate tea, red wine, leather goods are traditionally brought from Uruguay.
Suburbs of Montevideo
The most famous resort in Uruguay is Punto del Este, where wealthy Argentines love to relax. This is a rather expensive resort with many hotels and restaurants.
Not far from the capital is the small town of Periapolis, which is also a resort. It is much quieter and quieter here, you can ride the cable car and swim in the ocean.
From Montevideo, you can take a ferry to Buenos Aires in just a few hours.
Uruguay is not a tourist country at all and there are not many famous sights here, but peace, tranquility and nature conquer. It is especially good to relax here after noisy megacities.
