15% Mysimtravel Promo Codes ➡️ ( Mysimtravel Coupon Codes) April 2024

The Nomad House - URUGUAY

Eleven years later, A Casa Nômade is back in Montevideo. The capital of Uruguay was the destination of our first international trip together. There are so many good memories and passion for this place, that we confess that there was even a certain fear in returning here, for fear of breaking the spell.

Our nonsense! The land of Mujica has conquered us once again! A beautiful and very well preserved Historic Center, imposing buildings and palaces, the education of Uruguayans, delicious grills, museums… everything we will gather here in great tips for your trip.

To start the tour, nothing better than a guide who speaks good and clear Portuguese. Sérgio Santana, the guide who heads the Bem-Vindo Brasileiros company, takes you on a delightful guided tour through the streets of Cidade Velha, adding curiosities and data that allow you to see Montevideo with different eyes.

The 'walking tour' begins at the main landmark of the city, Plaza Independencia, where there are emblematic buildings such as the Palacio Salvo, the Casa de Gobierno, the current Presidency of the Republic and the Mausoleum of General Artigas, the national hero.

The tour continues along the Sarandi boardwalk, passes by the Solis Theater and the Montevideo Cathedral, makes a stop to taste a delicious alfajor at the Boutique de Chocolate Volveras a Mi and ends at the Mercado del Puerto, where the flames of the parrillas seem to ignite the appetite to devour the succulent Uruguayan meats.

To avoid portunhol trips, our tip for anyone who wants to try a typical Uruguayan barbecue is never order a 'parrillada'. Despite being roasted in the parrilla, this dish has nothing of noble meats. They are just kids, chorizos and less tasty parts…. So here's the tip

After satisfying your appetite, it's time to set out again to explore another corner of the city, Bairro Aguada, where the beautiful Legislative Palace is located. In addition to the monumental facade with flags always waving in the wind, the building has an internal guided tour to explain more about the country's political history. In the vicinity of the palace, a disappointment: the Mercado Agrícola de Montevideo (MAM), highly praised by tourist guides, but with an air of a shopping center that robs it of charm and charm.

The tour continues along the Sarandi boardwalk, passes by the Solis Theater and the Montevideo Cathedral, makes a stop to taste a delicious alfajor at the Boutique de Chocolate Volveras a Mi and ends at Mercado del Puerto, where the flames of the parrillas seem to ignite the appetite to devour. the succulent Uruguayan meats.

Accommodation tip: want a cool place, super well located, with staff fluent in Portuguese, English, French and German? The best option is the Rambler Hostel, with an affordable price and a great atmosphere.

Within the obvious and wonderful Historic Center of Montevideo, we highlight two attractions that are a little less popular, but that enchanted us: the Taranco Palace, which houses the Museum of Decorative Arts; and the Photography Center.

The Taranco Palace is located in a strategic place within the Old Town and began to be built by order of the King of Spain, Felipe V, in 1724. After years of abandonment and having part of the structure demolished, the land was purchased by the Ortiz de Taranco, in 1908, to build their residence there with an architectural project by the French Charles Louis Girault and Jules Léon Chifflot (architects of the Arc de Triomphe, the Petit Palais in Paris and the French Embassy in Vienna). With an eclectic-style facade and interior, the palace is filled with bronze sculptures, typical furniture from the Louis XV and XVI period, oak floors from Versailles and pieces of Italian marble.

With the death of Félix Ortiz de Taranco in 1940, the family decides to sell the house and all the furniture (with more than two thousand pieces) to the State, with the condition that the space be transformed into the current Museum of Decorative Arts. A free attraction that deserves a leisurely visit, with time to marvel at every detail.

The second discovery of our visit to Montevideo was the Photography Center, owner of a rich collection of images about the construction of the Uruguayan capital. In addition to the permanent exhibitions, there are very interesting temporary exhibitions, such as Ausências, about victims of disappearances during the nebulous period of the military dictatorship; and Vademecum, a curious look at the use of medicines by people of all ages.

Food in Uruguay is an art. And here we list the three restaurants (in the most varied styles and prices) that most enchanted us in Montevideo;

Francis Restaurant

From the politeness and kindness of the owner Alberto Latarowski in answering each customer's reservation emails to the amazing dessert, everything seemed impeccable at Francis Restaurant. Far from the Historic Center of Montevideo, the Carrasco unit of the house attracts a loyal Brazilian audience. And the option most requested by our countrymen there is a seven-step tasting menu, which offers a great opportunity to taste several dishes of the house, mixing fish, seafood, pasta and meat in a single dinner. The best part is the dessert: dulce de leche mousse with almonds and chocolate.

Tandory Restaurant

A journey through the cuisines of the world with typical dishes from the Americas, Europe and Asia… This is the daring proposal of Tandory, coordinated by the extroverted chef Gabriel Coquel, and which stands out as one of the most renowned in Montevideo. During the day, Gabriel dedicates himself to preparing the ingredients and, at night, he walks around the hall, talks to customers, introduces the cellar, suggests dishes and, for the most curious, tells his traveler stories and each souvenir that adorns the walls. from Tandory. Completely escaping the traditional Uruguayan parrilla, Gabriel makes customers travel with his delicacies.

Primuseum Restaurant

More than 300 kerosene stoves from the Swedish brand Primus adorn the walls of a mansion dating from 1870, in the Historic Center of Montevideo, and serve as the inspiration for the name of Primuseum Restaurant. The pieces, collected for more than three decades by Aldo Mazzoni, are part of a rich collection of antiques that today fill the restaurant run by his son, Santiago, with charm.

But don't think that the decor is the only attraction of the place. Every night, Primuseum hosts a wonderful tango show and, to the sound of classics by Carlos Gardel and other music icons played by Uruguayans and Argentines, a select group of customers has the opportunity to taste incredible dishes.

Through the countryside of Uruguay…

Bodega Bouza

The chapel-shaped winery houses a true temple of wine in Uruguay: Bodega Bouza. The winery, a family business on the outskirts of Montevideo, values quality in a small-scale production and, despite the fact that the first wine was launched just four years ago, there are plenty of international awards and recognition.

With 33 hectares of vineyards spread across three Uruguayan regions, Bodega Bouza produces 130,000 bottles of wine a year of five varieties (white Albariño and Chardonnay, and red Tannat, Merlot and Tempranillo). The grape harvest takes place between the months of February and March and, of the eight kilos of grapes produced on average by each plant, only two kilos are selected for the production of wine. The other six kilos are sacrificed to become fertilizer and allow a more expressive growth of the other fruits.

The artisanal way of making wine and all the curiosities of the process can be discovered in an interesting guided tour of the winery. And, after strolling through the plantations, fermentation laboratories and cellar, the best time comes! Taste the wines paired with typical Uruguayan dishes.