Uruguay has been flying under the radar. That’s exactly why we like it. But it’s time for this small, stable and safe coastal country to have its moment. If you haven’t heard Uruguay talked about yet as a destination, let this be the first of many times—and allow us to introduce our new obsession.
You might have once mixed it up with Paraguay (no judgment) but lay that one to rest now: they don’t even share a border. In the game of associations, South Americans know Uruguay as Argentina’s little brother. They share many of the same cultural touchstones, like a gaucho-patrolled countryside, European-influenced cities and a food culture defined by barbecue and wine. To complete the picture, add a few similarities with Uruguay’s northern neighbor, Brazil: namely, a lush climate and one of the world’s most famous Carnaval celebrations. Then throw in a long Atlantic coastline, which gives the whole place the laid-back sensibilities of a beach nation.
Intrigued yet? We were, too. That’s why we’re going to Uruguay in 2026. But first, read on for an orientation to this proud little country, starting with a lowdown on its regions.
The Río de la Plata
The Río de la Plata isn’t a river in the usual sense. Formed where the Paraná and Uruguay rivers spill into the Atlantic Ocean, it’s technically an estuary. But for the coastlines of Argentina (including the port of Buenos Aires) and Uruguay, sitting on either side of it, it’s more like a bay or a small sea. Fishing, sailing and port towns lined with waterfront promenades unite this two-country region. Ferries connect Buenos Aires with various cities on the Uruguayan side of the water (and once you factor getting to the airport in Buenos Aires traffic, they’re faster than domestic flights). In fact, it’s via these ferries that we enter Uruguay as a group on our itineraries there, after meeting in Buenos Aires.
The jewel of the Uruguayan Río de la Plata region is Colonia del Sacramento. Founded by the Portuguese in the 17th century, Colonia feels notably different from the rest of Spanish-speaking South America. Its World Heritage historic quarter is a tangle of cobblestone streets lined with peeling colonial stucco and bowers of colorful bougainvillea. It’s known throughout Uruguay as a dreamy place to stroll along stone fortress ramparts or linger all afternoon at a sidewalk café in the humid air.
Montevideo
Uruguay’s capital is often described as South America’s most relaxed capital city. Everything here is tranquilo (tranquil). Locals joke that if Buenos Aires is the city that never sleeps, Montevideo is the city that’s always sleeping. The city’s defining feature is the Rambla, the 14-mile waterfront promenade. Cyclists, joggers, families and fishermen all share this space, which curves around the Old City’s peninsula where the Río de la Plata meets the Atlantic. Inside the Old City, you’ll find the Mercado del Puerto, a 19th-century market hall that has become a temple to Uruguayan cuisine. Here, smoke from dozens of grills fills the air as chefs prepare everything from seafood to empanadas to cuts of meat selected by the diner. Hawkers call for the attention of passersby with offers of a free glass of medio y medio or “half and half,” a blend of sweet sparkling wine with dry white wine, used traditionally as an easy-drinking table beverage.
The East Coast
Uruguay is perhaps best known for its classic coastal landscapes of rolling dunes, rocky headlands and clean sandy beaches, which can be found east of the capital. This stretch of coast has drawn vacationers for more than a century. Piriápolis, one of Uruguay’s oldest resort towns, still carries the elegance of its early-20th-century heyday, with a wealth of art nouveau architecture in its city center. For more of a small-town escape, there are places like José Ignacio, whose iconic white lighthouse rises above windswept beaches. Further east, hippies and shoestring-budget backpackers flock to the sandy lanes of Cabo Polonio, while the jet set convenes in glitzy Punta del Este, nicknamed the “Hamptons of South America.”
Uruguayan Culture
Gauchos and yerba maté may sound synonymous with Argentina, but Uruguayans will proudly let you know that they both originated in Uruguay! The first known written use of the word “gaucho” appears in a document describing Uruguayan horsemen carrying out cross-border raids in what’s now southern Brazil.
Gauchos are a trope of life on the Pampas, the once-wild plains that fill the inland parts of both countries and were once best navigated on horseback. When the modern world eventually fenced the cowboys in, what was ranch country became farm country—much like in the American West. Today, residents of the Pampas share a similar culture with American Westerners: one of fierce pride in their farming lifestyle and humble, rural grit.
On the coast you’ll also find constant expressions of candombe, an Afro-Uruguayan style of music and dance. It’s heavy on rhythm, and Uruguayans of all origins happily dance it in the streets when the drums start up. The sound originated among Uruguay’s African slave population (slavery was abolished here in the 1840s). The country’s unique Carnaval parades, with familiar characters appearing in costume, were once pageants whose caricatures poked fun at the dancers’ white masters right under their noses!
Today, Montevideo hosts the longest Carnaval celebration in the world, stretching from January into February. This is the height of summer here, and so the festivities coincide with all kinds of events in the capital, including the city’s Teatro de Verano (Summer Theater).
Food & Drink
Like in its neighbors, food in Uruguay is hearty, social and meat-forward thanks to a long history of ranching culture. Asado—the slow grilling of beef over wood embers—is a long, communal affair. Parrilladas offer a sampler approach, featuring a variety of cuts and sausages, sometimes including sweetbreads or blood sausage for the adventurous.
Wine is Uruguay’s lifeblood, particularly Tannat. Perhaps it’s natural that Uruguayan vintners make this bold red grape into deeply colored, structured wines that pair naturally with meat. While Tannat is an import from southwestern France, many of Uruguay’s other food fixtures come from the massive Italian diaspora which makes up the bedrock of the country. It’s estimated that 44 percent of Uruguayans are of Italian descent. Perhaps even more so than their neighbors in Argentina, Uruguayans are obsessed with pasta. They even have their own pasta-related folk traditions, like eating gnocchi on the 29th of every month, and their own signature dishes, like capeletis a la caruso, a stuffed pasta with a sauce of meat, nuts and cream which was invented in honor of a state visit from the great Italian tenor Enrico Caruso. Meanwhile, they happily consume Italian classics like pizza, gelato and cioppino—as well as Italian-Uruguayan fixtures unknown in the US, like the chickpea-flour flatbread called farinata—by the ton. Buen provecho, or buon appetito? On a visit to Uruguay, there’s plenty of occasion for both.
Nuts & Bolts
For travelers, Uruguay’s practical advantages are as appealing as its culture. It consistently ranks as one of the safest countries in Latin America, and its political and economic stability have been unaffected by the turmoil in some of its neighbors. Most notably, the Uruguayan peso has remained steady.
When it comes to climate, visitors to Uruguay should come prepared for rain (the countryside is green for a reason!) and expect sweeping, rolling hills rather than sharp mountains. The soft topography of the Uruguayan countryside is a cyclist’s dream. The tranquilo culture that reigns on the roads only makes biking here even more appetizing.
Which is why that’s exactly what we’ll be doing, starting in 2026. We’ve strung together the best of the above highlights in our new Uruguay Biking Tour, pairing them with jaw-dropping art hotels and marvelous rides. And in the spirit of tranquilo, we’re launching a Dolce Tempo Uruguay E-biking Trip at the same time.
So what are you waiting for? Uruguay awaits!
