Montevideo (which roughly translates as 'mountain with a view') is Urugauy's only large city and the country's capital. It lies on the northern bank of the Río de la Plata, almost opposite Buenos Aires in Argentina, which is on the southern bank.

Montevideo is a very nice city and its center is a showpiece of colonial Spanish, Italian and Art Deco styles. Especially the Ciudad Vieja (Old City) is beautiful. It sits on a peninsula not far from the port and harbor.

The commercial center covers the area around Montevideo's largest square, the Plaza Independencia, east of the Old City. The urn with the ashes of Uruguay's national hero, José Artigas, the man who fought against the Spanish colonizers and finally liberated Uruguay in 1828, sits under a glass sarcophagi in the black-marbled Mauseleo de Artigas on the Plaza Independencia. A huge statue of José Artigas tops the building. Also on the plaza stands Montevideo's tallest building, the 26-storey Palacio Salvo. When it was built in 1927 it was the continent's tallest structure.

West of the square are the Plaza Constitución, the beautiful neoclassical Cabildo and the Iglesia Matriz, Montevideo's oldest public building.

The Museo Histórico Nacional consists of four different dwellings, each one reflecting a certain period in history. The Museo del Gaucho y de la Moneda has a large collection of artifacts from the country's gaucho (cowboy) past. The Mercado del Puerto was once the best port in South America and nowadays it houses a colorful collection of markets and restaurants, while artists and street musicians perform on every street corner. The outdoor market of Feria de Tristán Narvaja is also worth a visit. There, you'll find everything from groceries to antiques and souvenirs. Montevideo has several nice, sandy beaches along its waterfront, but during weekends and holidays they get very crowded with locals.

There are numerous hotels and restaurants in Montevideo, of which the cheapest ones are all centered on the Old City, as well as along Avenida 18 de Julio. Nightclubs and discotheques are located in the same areas.

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