Highlights of Uruguay

In this Uruguay vacation trip you will explore Montevideo, the Uruguayan capital located at the shores of the Rio de la Plata. You will then relax in the lovely Jose Ignacio area where the countryside and the beach meet and the hottest spot in the South American summer.

Day 1: Arrival in Montevideo
You will arrive in Montevideo today, welcome! Upon arrival of your flight you will be picked up at the airport and transferred to your boutique hotel located in the heart of Montevideo overlooking the river.

During your time in Montevideo we suggest spending some time at the Ciudad Vieja, the bustling old town filled with auction houses, cafes, boutiques, Art Deco and Beaux-Arts buildings along with colonial churches and crowded squares. You can stop at the flea market for a mate gourd, gaucho knives or prints from the 60s and 70s.

You can also stop by the Mercado Agricola, an iron structure from the early 1900s with stained-glass windows which was recently renovated and was named as one of the most architecturally significant food markets in South America.

From dry-aged beef to herbs, coffee, pastries and ice cream at the famous Del Nieto & Cia.

A great visit would also be the home of world-famous architect Julio Vilamajó, who designed along with Oscar Niemeyer and Le Corbusier the United Nations headquarters.

Tonight we suggest having dinner at Tandory (Ramon Masini esq. Libertad, Montevideo; tel: +598 2709 6616) the quintessential fusion restaurant. Chef Gabriel Coquel will take you on a tour around the world with his incredible dishes. It is no easy feat to achieve excellence in so many types of cuisine, but Chef Coquel has mastered the culinary art from the four corners of the earth. The menu offers Malaysian, European, Chinese and South American dishes but the easiest thing to do is to ask the chef himself what he recommends for the night. This small and eclectic restaurant wins guests over with the delicious food and the charisma of its owner.

Montevideo, Uruguay

Day 2: Montevideo
At 10am we will schedule a tour of Montevideo city. Along the way you can marvel at the Old City, taking in the rich colonial architecture that gives Montevideo its unique character. You will also visit the Port Market, the central hub for everything that happens in Montevideo. This will give you a great glance inside culture and atmosphere of this city.

You will also visit Independence Square, Uruguay’s national hero Jose Gervasio Artigas statue and the Legislative Palace. You will then explore “El Prado,” a meadow which is the favorite spot for a romantic stroll. You will then visit the neighborhoods of Carrasco, Punta Gorda and Pocitos. Here you can meet with the friendly locals, and learn about their daily lives in Uruguay. You will also see the sensational promenade, and walk on the beautiful beaches.

Day 3: Montevideo – José Ignacio
Today at 10am Marino Sport will deliver the car at your hotel and you will drive north to the beautiful town of José Ignacio to relax at the beach by the Atlantic Ocean. You will stay at Bahia Vik, a luxury boutique property excellently located in the coastal town. You will have a Full Ocean View Suite.

You will have time to relax at the beach, enjoy the lovely Uruguayan weather and taste the delicious local seafood at La Huella or La Susana.

On the way form Montevideo you could visit Fundación Atchugarry in La Barra, a nonprofit institution created in 2007 by sculptor Pablo Atchugarry with the intention of encouraging the arts and to create a meeting place for artists of all disciplines, an ideal area for the union between nature and art.

Bahia Vik, Jose Ignacio, Uruguay

Day 4 – Day 7: José Ignacio
During your time in José Ignacio you can relax at the beach taste the local seafood at La Susana or La Huella or walk along the Mansa and Brava.

You could also visit the Piero Atchugarry Sculpture Park (Pablo’s son) in nearby Garzón that has been welcoming visitors since the creation of the gallery in 2013.

This land of 22 hectares surrounds the gallery and encompasses the natural beauties of the Uruguayan Landscape. The land has been very little touched by the human hand as the aim of the park is for the visitors to have a fully combines experience of art and nature.

Thorough the monumental artworks and the grandiosity of the landscape, the visitors enters an unforgettable phenomenological experience.
You could also visit the nearby vineyards in Garzón, art galleries in La Barra or stop at Pueblo Garzón to try celebrity chef Francis Mallmann’s restaurant.

Fundacion Atchugarry, Uruguay

Day 8: José Ignacio – Departure
No later than 5:30pm you should return your car at the Montevideo Airport to board your flight back home.

Farewell Uruguay!