festivites
Here are some major festivities and holidays in Uruguay:
1. Carnaval - celebrated in February or early March, this is an important cultural festival that lasts for more than a month. It features colorful parades, music, dancing, costumes, and street parties. The biggest celebrations take place in Montevideo, but there are also many smaller events held throughout the country.
2. Semana Santa - also known as Holy Week, this is a religious holiday that takes place in the week leading up to Easter Sunday. Many Uruguayans attend mass and other religious services during this time.
3. Día de los Muertos - celebrated on November 2nd, this holiday honors deceased loved ones with offerings of flowers, food, and other items. Families often visit cemeteries to clean and decorate graves, and share meals and memories of their loved ones.
4. Navidad - Christmas is celebrated on December 25th, with family gatherings, gift-giving, and festive meals. Many people attend midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.
5. Año Nuevo - New Year's Eve is celebrated with fireworks, parties, and traditional foods such as panettone and cider. Some people also participate in the tradition of wearing yellow underwear for good luck in the new year.
Overall, these holidays and festivities are celebrations of culture, religion, family, and community, and provide opportunities for Uruguayans to come together to enjoy music, food, and traditions.
seasons
Uruguay experiences two main tourist seasons:
1. Summer Season (December to February): This is the peak tourist season in Uruguay as it is characterized by warm weather, long days, and plenty of outdoor activities. Popular destinations during this time include Punta del Este, La Paloma, and Piriápolis. It's recommended to book accommodations in advance and expect higher prices.
2. Winter Season (June to August): This is the low season in Uruguay due to its colder weather. Montevideo and Colonia del Sacramento tend to be more popular during this season, offering a more relaxed atmosphere and cultural experiences. It's recommended to pack warm clothes and check for seasonal museum or theater events.
It's important to note that shoulder seasons (March to May and September to November) can also provide a great experience with milder temperatures and fewer crowds. It's recommended to plan ahead, especially during Easter, Semana de Turismo (April), and Feria de la Vendimia (March/April).
visa
Here are some special VISA rules for citizens of certain countries who want to visit Uruguay:
1. No visa is required for stays up to 90 days for citizens of most countries, including the United States, Canada, and European Union member states.
2. Citizens of some countries, such as China, India, and Cuba, need a tourist visa to enter Uruguay. The cost of the tourist visa varies depending on the country but typically ranges from $40 to $70 USD.
3. Some countries, such as Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan, require a consular visa to enter Uruguay. The cost of the consular visa varies depending on the country, but it typically ranges from $80 to $150 USD.
4. Citizens of some countries, such as Nigeria and Ghana, need to apply for a visa before traveling to Uruguay. The cost of the visa application varies depending on the country, but it typically ranges from $60 to $100 USD.
It's important to note that visa requirements and costs can change at any time, so it's best to check with the Uruguayan embassy or consulate in your country for the most up-to-date information.
souvenirs
1. Mate gourd and bombilla - A traditional Uruguayan cup used for drinking mate tea and a metal straw. Average price: $20-$50. Where to buy: Ferias de Tristán Narvaja in Montevideo, or souvenir shops in Punta del Este.
2. Leather goods - Uruguay is known for its high-quality leather products, including bags, shoes, and jackets. Average price: $100-$300. Where to buy: Mercado de los Artesanos in Montevideo, or leather shops in Colonia del Sacramento.
3. Tannat wine - A red wine that is Uruguay's signature varietal. Average price: $10-$30 per bottle. Where to buy: Wine shops in Montevideo or supermarkets such as Tienda Inglesa.
4. Alpaca wool products - Sweaters, scarves, and hats made from soft alpaca wool. Average price: $50-$100. Where to buy: Mercado de los Artesanos in Montevideo, or artisan markets in Punta del Este.
5. Woodwork crafts - Handcrafted items such as cutting boards, bowls, and cheese platters made from local wood species. Average price: $30-$80. Where to buy: Feria de la Plaza Matriz in Montevideo, or artisan markets in Piriapolis.
Note that prices can vary depending on the quality of the product and where you purchase it. It is always best to shop around and compare prices before making a purchase.
If you have 1 week
Great to hear that you're in Uruguay! There are so many places to visit and things to do in this beautiful country. Here is a one-week itinerary that I have come up with:
Day 1: Visit Montevideo - Start your trip by visiting the capital city of Uruguay, Montevideo. Take a walking tour to explore the old city, visit the iconic Palacio Salvo building, and check out the street art at the colourful neighbourhood of Barrio Sur.
Day 2: Wine Tasting in Canelones - Head to the nearby region of Canelones, known for its wine production. Visit some of the best vineyards in the area, such as Bodega Bouza or Juanicó, and enjoy a wine tasting session while learning about the winemaking process.
Day 3: Explore Colonia del Sacramento - Take a day trip to Colonia del Sacramento, a charming colonial town on the banks of the Río de la Plata. Explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site's cobbled streets, museums, and galleries. Visit the lighthouse for panoramic views of the city, and check out the famous Calle de los Suspiros (Street of Sighs).
Day 4: Relax in Punta del Este - Travel to Punta del Este, a popular resort town located on a peninsula between the Atlantic Ocean and the Río de la Plata. Enjoy the beautiful beaches, take a stroll along the scenic seaside promenade, and indulge in delicious seafood at one of the many excellent restaurants.
Day 5: Visit Piriápolis - Take a day trip to the small beach town of Piriápolis, located just a short drive from Punta del Este. Visit the beautiful hilltop San Antonio Temple, and take a hike up the Cerro del Toro mountain for breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape.
Day 6: Cabo Polonio - Travel to Cabo Polonio, a remote beach town on the eastern coast of Uruguay. This car-free village is known for its rustic charm and beautiful natural setting. Take a guided tour of the lighthouse or explore the sand dunes on horseback.
Day 7: Aguas Dulces - End your trip with a visit to Aguas Dulces, a small fishing village located along the Rocha coast. Relax on the tranquil beaches, go fishing with the locals, and enjoy some of the best seafood in Uruguay.
I hope you have enjoyed this itinerary and that you'll have a wonderful time exploring Uruguay!
If you have 2 weeks
Wonderful! Let's get started on planning your dream two-week itinerary. As you're based in Uruguay, I have a few suggestions for places you might like to visit.
Firstly, I would recommend visiting Machu Picchu in Peru. This ancient Incan citadel is one of the most famous landmarks in South America and is truly awe-inspiring. You can hike along the Inca Trail to get there, which is an adventure in itself, or take a train ride through the Andes Mountains. The scenery alone is worth the trip, but once you arrive at Machu Picchu, you'll be blown away by the sheer scale and grandeur of this incredible site.
Another place I would suggest visiting is Easter Island, located off the coast of Chile. This remote island is famous for its mysterious moai statues, which were carved by the Rapa Nui people many centuries ago. You can explore the island on foot, soaking up the unique culture and history of this special place. It's also a great spot for surfing and other water sports if you're looking for something more adventurous.
Lastly, I would highly recommend a trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina. This vibrant city is bursting with life and energy, and there's so much to see and do here. You can take a tango class, indulge in some of the world's best steak, and explore the colorful neighborhoods of La Boca and San Telmo. There are also plenty of museums and galleries to check out, as well as beautiful parks and gardens where you can relax and soak up the sun.
Overall, these three destinations offer a great mix of history, culture, and adventure, and I think you'll love exploring them all. Plus, they're all relatively close to Uruguay, so you won't have to spend too much time traveling between them. Have a fantastic trip!
Culture
Uruguayan culture is strongly European and its influences from southern Europe are particularly important. The tradition of the gaucho has been an important element in the art and folklore of both Uruguay and Argentina.
Abstract painter and sculptor Carlos Páez Vilaró was a prominent Uruguayan artist. He drew from both Timbuktu and Mykonos to create his best-known work: his home, hotel and atelier Casapueblo near Punta del Este. Casapueblo is a "livable sculpture" and draws thousands of visitors from around the world. The 19th-century painter Juan Manuel Blanes, whose works depict historical events, was the first Uruguayan artist to gain widespread recognition. The Post-Impressionist painter Pedro Figari achieved international renown for his pastel studies of subjects in Montevideo and the countryside. Blending elements of art and nature the work of the landscape architect has also earned international prominence.
Uruguay has a small but growing film industry, and movies such as Whisky by Juan Pablo Rebella and Pablo Stoll (2004), Marcelo Bertalmío's Los días con Ana (2000; "Days with Ana") and Ana Díez's Paisito (2008), about the 1973 military coup, have earned international honours.
The folk and popular music of Uruguay shares not only its gaucho roots with Argentina, but also those of the tango. One of the most famous tangos, "La cumparsita" (1917), was written by the Uruguayan composer Gerardo Matos Rodríguez. The candombe is a folk dance performed at Carnival, especially Uruguayan Carnival, mainly by Uruguayans of African ancestry. The guitar is the preferred musical instrument, and in a popular traditional contest called the payada two singers, each with a guitar, take turns improvising verses to the same tune.
Folk music is called canto popular and includes some guitar players and singers such as Alfredo Zitarrosa, José Carbajal "El Sabalero", Daniel Viglietti, Los Olimareños, and Numa Moraes.
Numerous radio stations and musical events reflect the popularity of rock music and the Caribbean genres, known as música tropical ("tropical music"). Early classical music in Uruguay showed heavy Spanish and Italian influence, but since the 20th century a number of composers of classical music, including Eduardo Fabini,, and Héctor Tosar, have made use of Latin American musical idioms.
Tango has also affected Uruguayan culture, especially during the 20th century, particularly the '30s and '40s with Uruguayan singers such as Julio Sosa from Las Piedras. When the famous tango singer Carlos Gardel was 29 years old he changed his nationality to be Uruguayan, saying he was born in Tacuarembó, but this subterfuge was probably done to keep French authorities from arresting him for failing to register in the French Army for World War I. Gardel was born in France and was raised in Buenos Aires. He never lived in Uruguay. Nevertheless, a Carlos Gardel museum was established in 1999 in Valle Edén, near Tacuarembó.
Rock and roll first broke into Uruguayan audiences with the arrival of the Beatles and other British bands in the early 1960s. A wave of bands appeared in Montevideo, including Los Shakers, Los Mockers, Los Iracundos, Los Moonlights, and Los Malditos, who became major figures in the so-called Uruguayan Invasion of Argentina. Popular bands of the Uruguayan Invasion sang in English.
Popular Uruguayan rock bands include La Vela Puerca, No Te Va Gustar, El Cuarteto de Nos, Once Tiros, La Trampa, Chalamadre, Snake, Buitres, and Cursi. In 2004, the Uruguayan musician and actor Jorge Drexler won an Academy Award for composing the song "Al otro lado del río" from the movie The Motorcycle Diaries, which narrated the life of Che Guevara. Other Uruguayan famous songwriters are Jaime Roos, Eduardo Mateo, Rubén Rada, Pablo Sciuto, Daniel Viglietti, among others.
By mid-2015, the Uruguayan bands Rombai and Márama of the emerging subgenres "cumbia cheta" and "cumbia pop" enjoyed great success all over Latin America even before publishing their first albums; particularly in their home country and in Argentina, where in a given moment they had together nine songs at the Spotify Top Ten ranking. Other Uruguayan bands of success are: Toco Para Vos, Vi-Em, Toco Para Bailar and Golden Rocket.
Uruguayan food culture comes mostly from the European cuisine culture. Most of the Uruguayan dishes are from Spain, France, Italy and Brazil, the result of immigration caused by past wars in Europe. Daily meals vary between meats, pasta of all types, rice, sweet desserts and others. Meat being the principal dish, due to Uruguay being one of the world's largest producers of quality meat.
Typical dishes include: "Asado uruguayo" (big grill or barbecue of all types of meat), roasted lamb, Chivito (sandwich containing thin grilled beef, lettuce, tomatoes, fried egg, ham, olives and others, and served with French fries), Milanesa (a kind of fried breaded beef), tortellini, spaghetti, gnocchi, ravioli, rice and vegetables.
One of the most consumed spreadables in Uruguay is Dulce de leche (a caramel confection from Latin America prepared by slowly heating sugar and milk). And the most typical sweet is Alfajor, which is a small cake, filled with Dulce de leche and covered with chocolate or meringue, it comes in various types, fillings, sizes and brands. Other typical desserts include the Pastafrola (a type of cake filled with quince jelly), Chajá (meringue, sponge cake, whipped cream and fruits, typically peaches and strawberries are added).
Mate (drink) is the most typical beverage in Uruguay, being a portable beverage that Uruguayans take to all manner of places.
José Enrique Rodó (1871–1917), a modernist, is considered Uruguay's most significant literary figure. His book Ariel (1900) deals with the need to maintain spiritual values while pursuing material and technical progress. Besides stressing the importance of upholding spiritual over materialistic values, it also stresses resisting cultural dominance by Europe and the United States. The book continues to influence young writers. Notable amongst Latin American playwrights is Florencio Sánchez (1875–1910), who wrote plays about contemporary social problems that are still performed today.
From about the same period came the romantic poetry of Juan Zorrilla de San Martín (1855–1931), who wrote epic poems about Uruguayan history. Also notable are Juana de Ibarbourou (1895–1979), Delmira Agustini (1866–1914), Idea Vilariño (1920–2009), and the short stories of Horacio Quiroga and Juan José Morosoli (1899–1959). The psychological stories of Juan Carlos Onetti (such as "No Man's Land" and "The Shipyard") have earned widespread critical praise, as have the writings of Mario Benedetti.
Uruguay's best-known contemporary writer is Eduardo Galeano, author of Las venas abiertas de América Latina (1971; "Open Veins of Latin America") and the trilogy Memoria del fuego (1982–87; "Memory of Fire"). Other modern Uruguayan writers include Mario Levrero, Sylvia Lago, Jorge Majfud, and Jesús Moraes. Uruguayans of many classes and backgrounds enjoy reading historietas, comic books that often blend humour and fantasy with thinly veiled social criticism.
The Reporters Without Borders worldwide press freedom index has ranked Uruguay as 19th of 180 reported countries in 2019. Freedom of speech and media are guaranteed by the constitution, with qualifications for inciting violence or "insulting the nation". Uruguayans have access to more than 100 private daily and weekly newspapers, more than 100 radio stations, and some 20 terrestrial television channels, and cable TV is widely available.
Uruguay's long tradition of freedom of the press was severely curtailed during the years of military dictatorship. On his first day in office in March 1985, Sanguinetti re-established complete freedom of the press. Consequently, Montevideo's newspapers, which account for all of Uruguay's principal daily newspapers, greatly expanded their circulations.
State-run radio and TV are operated by the official broadcasting service SODRE. Some newspapers are owned by, or linked to, the main political parties. El Día was the nation's most prestigious paper until its demise in the early 1990s, founded in 1886 by the Colorado party leader and (later) president José Batlle y Ordóñez. El País, the paper of the rival Blanco Party, has the largest circulation. Búsqueda is Uruguay's most important weekly news magazine and serves as an important forum for political and economic analysis. Although it sells only about 16,000 copies a week, its estimated readership exceeds 50,000. MercoPress is an independent news agency focusing on news related to Mercosur and is based in Montevideo.
Football is the most popular sport in Uruguay. The first international match outside the British Isles was played between Uruguay and Argentina in Montevideo in July 1902. Uruguay won gold at the 1924 Paris Olympic Games and again in 1928 in Amsterdam.
The Uruguay national football team has won the FIFA World Cup on two occasions. Uruguay won the inaugural tournament on home soil in 1930 and again in 1950, famously defeating home favourites Brazil in the final match. Uruguay has won the Copa América (an international tournament for South American nations and guests) 15 times, such as Argentina, the last one in 2011. Uruguay has by far the smallest population of any country that has won a World Cup. Despite their early success, they missed three World Cups in four attempts from 1994 to 2006. Uruguay performed very creditably in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, having reached the semi-final for the first time in 40 years. Diego Forlán was presented with the Golden Ball award as the best player of the 2010 tournament. In the rankings for June 2012, Uruguay were ranked the second best team in the world, according to the FIFA world rankings, their highest ever point in football history, falling short of the first spot to the Spain national football team.
Uruguay exported 1,414 football players during the 2000s, almost as many players as Brazil and Argentina. In 2010, the Uruguayan government enacted measures intended to retain players in the country.
Football was taken to Uruguay by English sailors and labourers in the late 19th century. Less successfully, they introduced rugby and cricket. There are two Montevideo-based football clubs, Nacional and Peñarol, who are successful in domestic and South American tournaments and have won three Intercontinental Cups each. When the two clubs play each other, it is known as Uruguayan Clásico and is the most important rivalry in Uruguay and one of the biggest in the American continent.
Besides football, the most popular sport in Uruguay is basketball. Its national team qualified for the Basketball World Cup 7 times, more often than other countries in South America, except Brazil and Argentina. Uruguay hosted the official Basketball World Cup for the 1967 FIBA World Championship and the official Americas Basketball Championship in 1988, 1997 and is a host of the 2017 FIBA AmeriCup.
Religion
Uruguay has no official religion; church and state are officially separated, and religious freedom is guaranteed. A 2008 survey by the INE of Uruguay showed Catholic Christianity as the main religion, with 45.7% – 81.4% of the population; 9.0% are non-Catholic Christians, 0.6% are Animists or Umbandists (an Afro-Brazilian religion), and 0.4% Jewish. 30.1% reported believing in a god, but not belonging to any religion, while 14% were atheist or agnostic. Among the sizeable Armenian community in Montevideo, the dominant religion is Christianity, specifically Armenian Apostolic.
Political observers consider Uruguay the most secular country in the Americas. Uruguay's secularization began with the relatively minor role of the church in the colonial era, compared with other parts of the Spanish Empire. The small numbers of Uruguay's indigenous peoples and their fierce resistance to proselytism reduced the influence of the ecclesiastical authorities.
After independence, anti-clerical ideas spread to Uruguay, particularly from France, further eroding the influence of the church. In 1837 civil marriage was recognized, and in 1861 the state took over the running of public cemeteries. In 1907 divorce was legalized and, in 1909 all religious instruction was banned from state schools. Under the influence of the Colorado politician José Batlle y Ordóñez (1903–1911), complete separation of church and state was introduced with the new constitution of 1917.
Uruguay's capital has 12 synagogues, and a community of 20,000 Jews by 2011. With a peak of 50,000 during the mid-1960s, Uruguay has the world's highest rate of aliyah as a percentage of the Jewish population.
Demographics
Uruguayans are of predominantly European origin, with over 87.7% of the population claiming European descent in the 2011 census. Most Uruguayans of European ancestry are descendants of 19th and 20th century immigrants from Spain and Italy, and to a lesser degree Germany, France and Britain. Earlier settlers had migrated from Argentina. People of African descent make up around five percent of the total. There are also important communities of Japanese. Overall, the ethnic composition is similar to neighboring Argentine provinces as well as Southern Brazil.
From 1963 to 1985, an estimated 320,000 Uruguayans emigrated. The most popular destinations for Uruguayan emigrants are Argentina, followed by the United States, Australia, Canada, Spain, Italy and France. In 2009, for the first time in 44 years, the country saw an overall positive influx when comparing immigration to emigration. 3,825 residence permits were awarded in 2009, compared with 1,216 in 2005. 50% of new legal residents come from Argentina and Brazil. A migration law passed in 2008 gives immigrants the same rights and opportunities that nationals have, with the requisite of proving a monthly income of $650.
Uruguay's rate of population growth is much lower than in other Latin American countries. Its median age is 35.3 years, is higher than the global average due to its low birth rate, high life expectancy, and relatively high rate of emigration among younger people. A quarter of the population is less than 15 years old and about a sixth are aged 60 and older. In 2017 the average total fertility rate (TFR) across Uruguay was 1.70 children born per woman, below the replacement rate of 2.1, it remains considerably below the high of 5.76 children born per woman in 1882.
Metropolitan Montevideo is the only large city, with around 1.9 million inhabitants, or more than half the country's total population. The rest of the urban population lives in about 30 towns.
A 2017 IADB report on labor conditions for Latin American nations, ranked Uruguay as the region's leader overall and in all but one subindexes, including gender, age, income, formality and labor participation.
Uruguay has no official religion; church and state are officially separated, and religious freedom is guaranteed. A 2008 survey by the INE of Uruguay showed Catholic Christianity as the main religion, with 45.7% – 81.4% of the population; 9.0% are non-Catholic Christians, 0.6% are Animists or Umbandists (an Afro-Brazilian religion), and 0.4% Jewish. 30.1% reported believing in a god, but not belonging to any religion, while 14% were atheist or agnostic. Among the sizeable Armenian community in Montevideo, the dominant religion is Christianity, specifically Armenian Apostolic.
Political observers consider Uruguay the most secular country in the Americas. Uruguay's secularization began with the relatively minor role of the church in the colonial era, compared with other parts of the Spanish Empire. The small numbers of Uruguay's indigenous peoples and their fierce resistance to proselytism reduced the influence of the ecclesiastical authorities.
After independence, anti-clerical ideas spread to Uruguay, particularly from France, further eroding the influence of the church. In 1837 civil marriage was recognized, and in 1861 the state took over the running of public cemeteries. In 1907 divorce was legalized and, in 1909 all religious instruction was banned from state schools. Under the influence of the Colorado politician José Batlle y Ordóñez (1903–1911), complete separation of church and state was introduced with the new constitution of 1917.
Uruguay's capital has 12 synagogues, and a community of 20,000 Jews by 2011. With a peak of 50,000 during the mid-1960s, Uruguay has the world's highest rate of aliyah as a percentage of the Jewish population.
Uruguayan Spanish, as is the case with neighboring Argentina, employs both voseo and yeísmo (with or ). English is common in the business world and its study has risen significantly in recent years, especially among the young. Uruguayan Portuguese is spoken as a native language by between 3% and 15% of the Uruguayan population, in northern regions near the Brazilian border, making it the second most spoken language of the country. As few native people exist in the population, no indigenous languages are thought to remain in Uruguay. Another spoken dialect was the Patois, which is an Occitan dialect. The dialect was spoken mainly in the Colonia Department, where the first pilgrims settled, in the city called La Paz. Today it is considered a dead tongue, although some elders at the aforementioned location still practice it. There are still written tracts of the language in the Waldensians Library (Biblioteca Valdense) in the town of Colonia Valdense, Colonia Department. Patois speakers arrived to Uruguay from the Piedmont. Originally they were Vaudois, who become Waldensians, giving their name to the city Colonia Valdense, which translated from the Spanish means "Waldensian Colony".
In 2001, Uruguayan Sign Language (LSU) was recognized as an official language of Uruguay under Law 17.378.
Education in Uruguay is secular, free, and compulsory for 14 years, starting at the age of 4. The system is divided into six levels of education: early childhood (3–5 years); primary (6–11 years); basic secondary (12–14 years); upper secondary (15–17 years); higher education (18 and up); and post-graduate education.
Public education is the primary responsibility of three institutions: the Ministry of Education and Culture, which coordinates education policies, the National Public Education Administration, which formulates and implements policies on early to secondary education, and the University of the Republic, responsible for higher education. In 2009, the government planned to invest 4.5% of GDP in education.
Uruguay ranks high on standardised tests such as PISA at a regional level, but compares unfavourably to the OECD average, and is also below some countries with similar levels of income. In the 2006 PISA test, Uruguay had one of the greatest standard deviations among schools, suggesting significant variability by socio-economic level.
Uruguay is part of the One Laptop per Child project, and in 2009 became the first country in the world to provide a laptop for every primary school student, as part of the Plan Ceibal. Over the 2007–2009 period, 362,000 pupils and 18,000 teachers were involved in the scheme; around 70% of the laptops were given to children who did not have computers at home. The OLPC programme represents less than 5% of the country's education budget.
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