Of all the countries in South America, Uruguay is certainly one of the least known. We know that many famous footballers come from there. We know that it is a relatively rich country, with a stable economy. In addition, there are many casinos, luxury hotels, a lot of industry and compared to other South American countries there is little corruption and crime. In fact, according to the world safety index, Uruguay is safer than our own Netherlands! This makes backpacking in Uruguay definitely recommended. Here are all the tips and highlights!

The best travel time to go backpacking in Uruguay

You can visit Uruguay all year round. Mainly because the winter is mild, the summer is not extremely hot and the amount of rain is beautifully distributed throughout the year. For a nice sun it is best to go in our winter from December to February, but in other months the weather can also be great.

Why go to Uruguay?

We travel to Uruguay during a big trip through South America. Few people will fly twelve thousand kilometers specifically to go to Uruguay, we have to be honest about that. The country is not very big and that makes it attractive to take a tour of the highlights. In addition to the aforementioned high standards and safety, the country also has a wonderful ‘Mediterranean’ atmosphere, delicious food and a lot of history! In the previous part of this trip we were in Buenos Aires, now we exchange Argentina for Uruguay by taking the ferry that takes us to Colonia del Sacramento in an hour and a half.

Colonia Del Sacramento

Colonia is a small settlement with many historic alleys and buildings, on a peninsula less than a kilometer long. It is the oldest place in Uruguay, once founded by the Portuguese. This still creates a Mediterranean look and atmosphere.

From the capital Montevideo it takes about two hours by bus to get to Colonia. So we come from Buenos Aires, highly recommended if you want to backpack through several countries. Upon arrival in Colonia del Sacramento there is immediately a large glass complex with all tourist information. Also useful to prevent a hernia, because we can put our backpacks in a safe here until we continue our journey.

Colonia is now quite quiet and it is beautiful. Suus probably thinks differently, because there are a lot of street dogs around. When three dogs started fighting a few meters next to us, a man came to the rescue by chasing the dogs away with a helmet. Of course, you just have to know how to approach something like that.

El Faro

The literal highlight in Colonia is the lighthouse, El Faro, which you can climb. From there you have the most beautiful view over the peninsula and you can see Buenos Aires in the distance.

The Matriz Church

The Plaza de Armas is home to the oldest church in Uruguay, which is definitely worth a visit. Together with a large part of the old center, the church is of course on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The church dates from 1680 and has actually remained intact over time.

Museums

To keep you off the streets a bit, they have come up with a special ticket for all museums in Colonia del Sacramento, for only 2 bucks. To be honest, there isn’t much to like about museums either. In my memory I mainly see us walking around the ‘petrified turd museum’. After walking past all the display cases with a big question mark on our faces, we discovered that they were mainly fossilized feces from ancient times.

Wineries

There are many local wineries near Colonia del Sacramento, a tradition passed down from the Portuguese and still maintained today. The oldest is called Bodega Los Cerros de San Juan, opened in 1854. You can learn a lot about the tradition and of course drink too much!

Culinary highlight or calorie bomb: the Chivito

Prior to adventure of backpacking in Uruguay, we saw the Dutch TV-presentator Chis Zegers eating a chivito on his trip in Uruguay. He literally said that you cannot leave Uruguay if you don’t have this sandwich! Chivito literally means ‘goat’, but loosely translated I would say it can best be described as an ‘everything sandwich’! Bacon, cheese, ham, fried egg, tomato, steak and perhaps some goat are on it; a calorie bomb that suddenly makes a chili cheese dog look like a healthy salad. Of course we don’t want to argue with Chris, so we immediately followed his advice. My honest opinion? Fantastic of course, although at the time of writing I am still full and I have already skipped four meals.

The center for backpacking in Uruguay: the capital Montevideo

We take the bus from Colonia to Montevideo. The bus transport in Uruguay is very luxurious: overly relaxed lounge chairs and free WiFi on board. The city of Montevideo is also a city that feels very European and seems more prosperous than big brother Buenos Aires. The prices are all just a little higher, which is of course always unfortunate.

Upon arrival at the bus station we immediately see Uruguay’s national pride: the country breathes football. The national team is playing and the population is watching en masse on big screens. The passion for football is deeply rooted in the culture: Uruguay organized the first World Cup in 1930 and won it! The passion and pride with which people talk about football has hardly worn off in 90 years.

Plaza Independencia in Ciudad Vieja

Most of Montevideo’s sights are located around Plaza Independencia. The stately Palacio Salvo is without a doubt the most famous and iconic building in Uruguay. From the square you can walk a nice route for shopping, from small souvenir shops to luxury department stores. A walk to ‘La Rambla’ the boulevard is also worthwhile. It is a pleasure to watch the fit residents during their run or roller skating.

Museo del Futbol

On to the most female-friendly activity in Uruguay! I also let Suus persuade me and drag me to the Estadio Centurario. This is the first stadium to host the final of the FIFA World Cup. The Museo del Futbol houses the first real World Cup, hangs shirts of ‘Maradonna’ and ‘Pele’ and you can walk around the stadium.

Cheap food in Mercado del Puerto

Finding affordable restaurants is a challenge in Montevideo. If you go backpacking in Uruguay, there is a solution: the entire street food scene is booming here! The Mercado del Puerto market hall is located in the old center. Not only is it a fun place to watch people, but you can also enjoy great food on a budget.

Having said this, there are two conditions: you must speak a little Spanish and also have some luck with what you order. We are reasonably successful with the first, but not with the second. Suus goes for the well-known ‘lasagna’ and I try my luck with a ‘gramajo’. The latter turns out to be a kind of stir-fry mix of fries, scrambled eggs, bacon and peppers.

It was certainly cheap, but my traveling companion often sends well-filled plates back to the kitchen in these kinds of places. To make a long story short, I ate an entire lasagna and three quarters of gramajo and Suus especially the bottle of wine. We couldn’t get the included dessert translated with our best Spanish: Durazno de Almibar? Doesn’t that sound like a tropical sorbet with whipped cream and a parasol? Unfortunately: half a can of peach in a bowl. Anyway, you learn something!

Budget-friendly sleeping in Montevideo

Looking for our hostel, we are helped by every Uruguayan who sees us passing by. Good to know: tourism is still in its infancy. Uruguay is simply a pure and unspoilt country for us world travelers.
We stay in Dolce Vita Hostel, a very highly rated accommodation with a beautiful location within walking distance of the old center. Unfortunately at the time of writing the hostel is permanently closed.

Punta del Este

A two-hour drive east from Montevideo is a coastal town that is also called the Saint-Tropez of Uruguay. Here you can experience that Uruguay is doing well economically. It may be the most expensive city in all of South America. As a backpacker you don’t have much to look for among all this luxury, although I do think that Punta del Este is a major attraction. On the beach is the work of art called ‘La Mano’: the hand buried in the sand.

All the way in the east you can visit the seaside resort of Punta del Diablo, a village that is especially popular with backpackers. There are no real highlights in the area, but the atmosphere there is very nice.

Yerba Mate Thee

While we are backpacking in Uruguay we notice a huge hype. Yerba Mate seems like a type of coffee/tea/tobacco that almost everyone here is addicted to. On the street they pour boiled water into a container of herbs with a thermos, after which they sip from a steel straw. You can also get it in cafes; it is there for everyone.
Suus and I are curious and have purchased a set ourselves. On the way back from the beach we buy a bag of the stuff and boil a pan of water in the hostel.

Yerba is said to be very good for your health. Extra energy, extra vitamins, faster weight loss, increased resistance and a great boost for your libido. With probably not the right preparations, I take a first sip of the herbal stuff and it is really DIRTY! The bitter stuff makes me feel nauseous and Wout Junior doesn’t feel warm or cold either. It’s like eating weed, says Suus, who is apparently an expert in the field of eating weed.

Hot springs in Salto

Uruguay is a country of wealth, but this certainly does not apply to the north of the country. When we leave the coastal towns by night bus, we see a gaping gap between rich and poor in Uruguay. The contrast between the cities and the countryside is particularly significant. We are heading to Salto, a place known for hot springs and numerous spas. Coincidentally, we have not been able to take a shower for a few days due to several night buses and ferries.

We decide to relax in Salto at the thermal baths of Daymán. We can completely relax in a large complex with dozens of outdoor pools at around 45 degrees. Do you know that phenomenon, that a certain piece of music takes you back to a place in your memory forever? Phil Collins was on all day and ties us to Salto forever. When Suus indicates that she can no longer tolerate the heat of the baths, Uncle Phil sings: ‘I wish it would rain’ and the weather gods immediately fulfilled our shared wish! You will never forget these kinds of bizarre moments.

Back to Argentina and the Iguazú Falls

Backpacking through Uruguay ends for us at the border with Argentina. From Salto we cross the border to Concordia. From there our bus departs to the next highlight of South America. As far as I’m concerned, it’s a dream come true, namely one of the seven natural wonders of the world: Iguazu!

With a ticket in our pockets we have two hours to spend in Concordia and decide to have something to eat. This is easier said than done, because there are 164 clothing stores, 70 shoe stores, 103 laundries and one restaurant. Completely starving, we order a table full of food for almost nothing. Because that is also South America. If you go off the beaten track, your wallet will jump for joy. With full bellies we board the night bus. On to Iguazu!

Subscribe and follow us

Would you like to help keep my travel show on the road and follow all destinations closely? Subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Instagram!