Uruguay continues to be an independent country, culturally distinct from its neighbours, and it is well worth proper exploration rather than a flying visit or a week spent solely on the – admittedly superb – beaches.
Tim Burford, author of Uruguay: The Bradt Guide
It won the first soccer World Cup, there are places called Fray Bentos and 33, and there are a lot more cattle than people. Throw in marijuana legalisation and a famously idiosyncratic president, and you’ve got all most people know of Uruguay. Perhaps others may have seen a film about the sinking of the Graf Spee.
However, it has far more to offer the visitor, from the finest beaches and resorts in the region to traditional estancias (ranches) where you can ride with the gauchos towards the endless horizons, wetlands and lagoons with a fantastic array of birdlife and, in Montevideo, a capital that is fascinating yet laid-back, with a totally different vibe from Buenos Aires, just across the water.
Interestingly, Uruguay has a similar relationship to Argentina (and Brazil too) as Canada has to the USA, Ireland to the UK or Belgium to France – a permanent sense of being overshadowed by a larger, louder neighbour, while feeling deep inside that they are in fact the smarter, wittier, more creative ones. Indeed, the Uruguayan people are less party-loving than their neighbours in Argentina and Brazil, but more reliable and genuine, with a deep and innate sense of hospitality that delights all who take the time to get to know them. Having said that, come high summer resorts such as Punta del Este are packed with Argentines who ensure non-stop partying for a couple of months at least. And let’s not forget the world’s longest carnaval season, mainly in Montevideo but in other towns too, when Uruguayans show that they really can let their hair down.
Known in full as the República Oriental del Uruguay (the Eastern Republic of Uruguay), the country takes its name from the River Uruguay, which probably derives from the Guaraní for ‘River of Birds’. The term ‘Oriental’ comes from ‘Banda Oriental’ (Eastern Shore), the name of the Spanish colonial province that eventually achieved independence from Argentina, its neighbour on the western shore of the Río Uruguay. It is not, as some might think, due to a mistaken notion among early explorers that Uruguay was in the Orient, close to China, Japan or India.
Uruguay continues to be an independent country, culturally distinct from its neighbours, and it is well worth proper exploration rather than a flying visit or a week spent solely on the – admittedly superb – beaches.
Related books
Where to visit
Introducing Uruguay
Related articles
Whether you favour red or white, the delightful selection of wine produced at these Uruguayan wineries is guaranteed to impress.
We’ve all heard of Burgundy and Tuscany, but what about Kosovo and Israel?
A soothing spa among dramatic landscapes, what could be better?
Whether you’re visiting for a week or you’ve got a bit more time to spare, our itineraries will help you make the most of your time in Uruguay.
This laidback country can certainly stand up to its bigger, brasher neighbours.
Uruguay has the longest carnival season of any country, lasting over 80 days.
Author Tim Burford tells the story one of Uruguay’s most iconic symbols: the gaucho.