Back
URU_UruguayABeginnersGuide_DN_Free

Known in Argentina simply as the provincia – Uruguay has the history of an oft-bullied little brother.

In the struggle against colonial rule, from 1811 onwards, it had to rely on Buenos Aires for military support; in 1816, to complicate matters, it was invaded by Brazil. Independence was declared on August 25 1825.

Top five attractions

The Unesco-listed Colonia de Sacramento, founded by Portuguese settlers in 1680
The north coast and beaches around Cabo Polonio
Carmelo and its beautiful hotel on the River Plate
Glitzy Punta del Este (the "Marbella of South America")
The agricultural interior – in particular, Fray Bentos and the El Anglo meat extract plant

Best city

Montevideo is laid-back, largely tourist-free, and culturally fascinating, having a claim to be the cradle of tango (just don't tell the Argentineans) and a powerful African musical culture in the candombe street-drumming scene.

Souvenir to buy

A mate and bombilla – this small gourd and metal straw for sipping the popular yerba mate green tea is a must-have accessory for would-be gauchos.

Quirky Uruguay

The first World Cup was staged in 1930 by Montevideo: 10 countries took part and Uruguay won, beating Argentina 4-2 in the final.

Read

 

The Purple Land, a novel by William Henry Hudson, first published in 1885 under the title The Purple Land that England Lost. Set in 19th-century Uruguay, it's the story of a young Englishman who marries a teenage Argentinean girl without asking her father's permission – then everything goes wrong.

 

By Chris Moss, writer for the Telegraph

Last updated: 6 Jun 2017

Tailor-made holidays

Flexible, custom-made holidays to Latin America created to match your exact requirements: our tailor-made itineraries are as unique as the clients for whom they are designed.

Design my trip

Papagaio

Your edit for Latin American inspiration

Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.

View Extraordinary Inspiration
Bartolome, Galápagos

Meet our team

Real Latin american experts

  • Hannah
    Hannah Donaldson - Travel Expert

    Having spent part of her childhood in Colombia and worked in Brazil and Costa Rica, Hannah's ties to Latin America run deep. Hannah is a much valued Travel Expert in our Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tours sales team.

  • Lina
    Lina Fuller - Travel Expert

    Lina's passion for the continent where she was born really took off when she moved to Córdoba (Argentina) to study, spending the holidays travelling between Argentina and her native Colombia.

  • Carrie
    Carrie Gallagher - Travel Expert

    A former JLA tour leader, Carrie brings a wealth of on-the-ground experience to our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours department.

  • Heloise
    Heloise Buxton - Travel Expert

    Heloise started her Latin American journey as an exchange student in Santiago, Chile. With extended summer holidays this was the perfect opportunity to backpack through Bolivia, Peru, Argentina and Brazil.

  • Ben
    Ben Line - Travel Expert

    Ben fell in love with Latin America on a six month backpacking trip from Colombia to Mexico in 1995. Since then he has explored most of South America, including living in Peru for a year. He is now Head of Sales.

  • Paul Winrow Giffin
    Paul Winrow-Giffin - Travel Expert

    After graduating in Computer Science, Paul spent seven months travelling from Colombia to Argentina and came home hooked on Latin America.

0 1 2 3 4 5