Montevideo Travel Guide

Uruguay's only real metropolis has its share of glitzy shopping avenues and modern office buildings. But few visitors come here specifically in search of urban pleasures. This city of 1½ million doesn't have the whirlwind vibe of Rio de Janeiro or Buenos Aires, but it's a fine old city with sumptuous, if worn, colonial architecture, and a massive coastal promenade that—as it passes fine beaches, restaurants, and numerous parks—recalls the sunny sophistications of the Mediterranean. In fact, if you've been to Buenos Aires, Montevideo may strike you as a smaller, more manageable, less expensive incarnation of Argentina's capital.