Uruguai — Montevidéu e,
Colonia.

Overview

O dia é de chegada e de comer bem, sem pressa. Você pousa em Carrasco no começo da tarde, deixa as malas no apartamento em Pocitos e segue direto para o Mercado del Puerto, em Ciudad Vieja, para um asado tardio com chivito, entraña e provoleta. À noite, o jantar é leve, numa parrilla a 3 minutos a pé do prédio. Amanhã o dia é de vinho e Tannat, então hoje o objetivo é chegar descansado.

Tips

• Leve camadas finas e um corta-vento. Novembro é primavera no Uruguai e o tempo muda rápido, principalmente perto do rio e do porto.
• Combine com o anfitrião o horário de chegada e confirme se o código da fechadura já está no app. O check-in começa às 15h, e o voo pousa às 13h10, então você pode chegar antes. Se for assim, peça para deixar as malas.
• Ao chegar no Mercado del Puerto, sente em qualquer parrilla que estiver com fogo aceso. No fim da tarde o movimento cai e o atendimento fica mais tranquilo. Dividir uma parrillada entre os dois sai melhor do que pedir um prato para cada, ainda mais com jantar marcado.
• Confira no Pitanguero se precisa reservar. Uma mensagem pelo WhatsApp ou uma ligação resolve, e quinta à noite costuma ser tranquilo.
• Alguns restaurantes uruguaios aplicam desconto de IVA para turistas que pagam com cartão estrangeiro. As regras mudam, então pergunte antes de pedir. A gorjeta de cerca de 10% não vem incluída.

Getting Around

Do aeroporto até Pocitos são cerca de 10 milhas e uns 25 a 30 minutos de Uber ou táxi. Use o Uber também para ir de Pocitos ao Mercado del Puerto (cerca de 30 minutos, umas 4 milhas), porque o ônibus é mais lento e confuso no primeiro dia. Na volta do Mercado, em Ciudad Vieja, vale caminhar um pouco pelas ruas do centro histórico antes de chamar o carro. Depois do jantar, a volta ao apartamento é a pé.

Local Tips

Em Ciudad Vieja, fique atento ao celular e à mochila e evite ruas vazias depois que o comércio fecha. O Mercado del Puerto é seguro e movimentado de dia, mas os batedores de carteira atuam em qualquer ponto turístico.

Os uruguaios jantam tarde, e às 20h30 você já é um dos primeiros no salão, o que ajuda a conseguir mesa. O tradicional mate na mão das pessoas é parte da rotina, não da decoração. Se oferecerem, aceite com calma e devolva a cuia só quando terminar.

Se o voo atrasar, corte a caminhada por Ciudad Vieja e mantenha o almoço no Mercado. As parrillas servem até o fim da tarde, mas o horário varia por casa, então confirme a que você escolher.

Overview

After yesterday's flight in from Rio and a late check-in at the Pocitos apartment, today is the only full day you have in Montevideo before the drive to Punta del Este tomorrow. There's no fixed itinerary on the books beyond the apartment stop, so treat this as your chance to actually see the city rather than just sleep in it. Pocitos itself is worth a slow morning: the rambla here runs right along the river, and a walk from Playa Pocitos toward Playa Ramírez takes about 40 minutes at an easy pace, with plenty of benches if you want to just sit and watch the water. From there it's a short bus or taxi ride into Ciudad Vieja, where Mercado del Puerto makes a good lunch stop, parrillas start firing up grills by midday and the smell alone will pull you in. Plaza Independencia and Palacio Salvo are both within walking distance of the market if you want a couple of landmarks without overplanning the day.

Tips

• Pack comfortable walking shoes. The rambla and Ciudad Vieja are both flat but cobblestones in the old town are uneven in spots.
• November in Montevideo runs mild, expect highs near 75°F and breezy afternoons near the water, so bring a light layer for the rambla.
• No reservations are needed today. If you want a parrilla table at Mercado del Puerto around 1pm on a Friday, arriving by 12:30 avoids the wait.
• Museums in Ciudad Vieja (like Museo Torres García) are free or close to it and tend to be quiet before noon.
• Uruguay runs on cash and card about equally, but small market stalls often prefer cash. Pesos are easy to get from ATMs in Pocitos.

Getting Around

Pocitos to Ciudad Vieja is about 4 miles, roughly 15 minutes by car or taxi, or 30 to 40 minutes on the 183 or 103 bus lines along 18 de Julio. Taxis and remises are inexpensive by US standards, expect around 250 to 350 pesos (about $6 to $8 as of November 2026) for that stretch. Once you're in the old town, everything from Mercado del Puerto to Plaza Independencia is walkable, so there's no need to arrange more transport until you're ready to head back.

Local Tips

Montevideo moves at a slower pace than Buenos Aires or Rio, lunch can run past 2pm and shops often close for a couple of hours midafternoon, so don't expect every storefront to be open when you pass by twice in one day. Uruguayans are generally reserved with strangers but warm once you start talking, a simple "buen día" goes a long way. Keep bags zipped and phones out of back pockets around the port market, it's safe but busy with tourists, which also makes it a target for quick grabs. Since tomorrow starts with a checkout and a car pickup, it's worth packing tonight so the morning isn't rushed.

Overview

Today you leave Montevideo behind for good and head to Punta del Este, with a proper lunch stop in between. After checkout in Pocitos, it's a short walk to pick up the rental car, then a scenic inland drive to Bodega Bouza's hillside restaurant before continuing on to the coast. You'll have the afternoon to settle into the new apartment and get a first look at Punta del Este itself. Tonight's the only night here, since tomorrow you're driving back to Carrasco for the flight home, so treat this as your one real evening to enjoy the town.

Tips

• Pack a light layer for the wine country stop (the hilltop can be breezy even on a warm day) and comfortable shoes, since Bouza's terrace and vineyard views involve some walking on gravel.
• The Alamo counter at Hilton Garden Inn still shows as not booked in your plans. Call +598 2408 8588 or book at alamouruguay.com before you leave the apartment this morning, naming pickup today at 10:00 and drop-off in Carrasco around noon on the 22nd. Ask them to confirm there's no extra fee for returning at the airport instead of the original pickup point.
• Bodega Bouza lunch also needs a reservation for 2 at 12:30, call +598 94 430 999 or use bodegabouza.com. It's a popular Saturday lunch spot, so don't leave this one for the road.
• Budget around US$80 per person with wine at Las Espinas. Whoever's driving the rest of the day should skip the wine list and let the other person enjoy the Albariño or Tannat.
• Airbnb check-in in Punta del Este opens at 15:00, so there's no rush after lunch. Have your Wi-Fi and entry instructions pulled up on your phone before you arrive, since the app notification should have landed by now.

Getting Around

It's about an 8 minute walk (roughly 0.4 miles) from the Pocitos Airbnb to the Alamo counter at Hilton Garden Inn. From there, Bodega Bouza is around 1 hour 45 minutes by car, and sits conveniently on the route toward Punta del Este rather than off to the side. After lunch, it's another 35 minutes or so to central Punta del Este, and the apartment itself is walkable from the main part of town once you're parked. Navigate into Punta del Este via Av. Gorlero, then left at calle 19 and left again at calle 26; the Puerto Ventura building is mid block on the right, entrance B.

Local Tips

Uruguayan lunches run long, so don't rush the Bouza reservation. Two hours is normal here, and the kitchen won't hurry you out. Uruguay drives on the right, roads are generally well marked, and a Brazilian driver's license is accepted without an international permit. Fuel stations outside the city center can be sparse, so top up before leaving Montevideo if the tank's low. Once in Punta del Este, parking near the apartment is usually easy at this point in the season, but double check whether Puerto Ventura has a dedicated spot or if you'll need street parking nearby.