New Year 2020

LUXLIFE MAGAZINE | 55 New Year 2020 dance well into the night and early morning. After all, this is the city of carnival, which takes place every February for 40 days. It’s when Montevideo comes alive with the party spirit for one of the longest joyous festivals in the world. South America is particularly good to visit at the moment in terms of the exchange rate with the pound and Euro, plus Uruguay offers good value for money for hotels along with restaurants and shopping. From barbecue to tango The Old Town (called Ciudad Vieja) is a grid of historic streets and market buildings, many of which have grand renovated interiors like the Mercado del Puerto at the harbour that has a bustling energy and is full of places to eat and drink within its historic walls. This is where you’ll find many parillas – or steak bars – to savour the taste of sumptuous roasted meats, predominantly beef, fresh from large cooking racks. Uruguay is renowned for its barbecued food, called asado, and the sizzling meat is sold at parillas that you will see across the city. Plaza Martiz is the oldest square in Montevideo where there is an antique market every Saturday to browse while Plaza Zabala is where you can catch couples dancing tango in a milonga gathering. There’s also the atmospheric Bar Fun Fun, dating back to 1895. A bijou, stylish nightspot steeped in history at Soriano 922 near Victoria Plaza where revellers can watch tango dancers and live musicians entertain on a small stage throughout the evening. There’s a polished look to Montevideo with its immaculately clean streets and seafront boulevards. Nestling on the bank of the Rio de la Plata, you are never too far from the breeze and sensational views of the water, which adds a relaxed atmosphere to the city. The 14-mile long La Rambla promenade curves around the seafront to provide picturesque walks to neighbouring suburbs and towns with the occasional lighthouse and beach along the way. It’s worth strolling out to Montevideo’s version of the Hollywood sign at Rambla República del Perú, near Avenidas Luis Alberto de Herrera, to get a selfie with the sign in front of a glorious backdrop. Art Deco everywhere Touches of Art Deco and Art Nouveau are everywhere. Notably at the delightful Libreria Puro Verso book shop and café at Sarandi 675 in the old town that has breathtakingly exquisite painted glass windows and features. This is due to a boom in the early 1900s for Montevideo when the port opened, leading to an influx of European immigrants and more buildings to cater for them at a time when Art Deco was prominent. The Ministry of Tourism has created a website highlighting where you can find these distinctive buildings across Montevideo here. At the junction between the old city and newer Downtown is the elegant Plaza Independecia. It’s the largest square in the city and a natural meeting point where you can sit in the shade of the palm trees and under the towering grandeur of the stately Palacio Salvo. It’s ideal to chill out and people watch as a constant stream of visitors pop into the underground Artigas Mausoleum. The Mausoleum is free and well worth a look in with its black marble, imposing inscriptions and guards standing to attention in honour of the Uruguay military hero Artigas. Stunning beaches and yacht clubs Stretching 210 miles from Montevideo to the Brazilian border, there are a string of beaches running alongside the ocean. The most fashionable of these is at Faro Jose Ignacio beachside town that has its own delightful lighthouse. Yachts are drawn to the luxurious glamour of Punta Del Este – a playground for the rich and famous about 90 miles east of Montevideo. There’s also the attraction of stylish bars, jazz clubs and fashionable nightclubs. With golden sandy beaches, elegant hotels and designer stores, it’s no wonder this region has been nicknamed “the Hamptons of South America”. There’s over a dozen beaches in Punta Del Esta alone but the most popular is Playa Brava. Quirky places to see The first football World Cup was held in Montevideo and there is a small museum at the Centenario stadium. The Musee de Football is rustic but has sporting memorabilia of football in South America including replicas of the World Cup trophies Uruguay won in 1930 and 1950 that football fans will enjoy. You may remember the 1993 film Alive starring Ethan Hawke, based on the true story of a plane crash in the Andes in 1972, when the rugby team on board had to eat some of the deceased passengers to survive the harsh conditions. The Museo de los Andes at 619 Rincon Street was set up by someone who knew the team and gives a much more comprehensive and fascinating insight into the story beyond just the element of cannibalism. It’s a fascinating museum to stop off at. The town of Fray Bentos in Uruguay has become synonymous with the brand of pies and corned beef. The Fray Bentos Industrial Landscape with the factory and cold storage unit dating back to 1859 is now a UNESCO World Heritage Centre with tours and exhibitions on the fascinating history. If you want to continue your trip to Argentina, the Bouquebus ferry connects Montevideo with Buenos Aires in a short two-hour journey. Getting there Most airlines connect through other cities such as in Brazil, Madrid and Miami to Montevideo rather than fly direct from the UK. Those offering routes to Montevideo include LATAM Airlines, KLM, American Airlines and Iberia from around £750. Pluna, Sol and Aerolineas Argentinas fly frequently between Buenos Aires and Montevideo. You can find more information on Montevideo at the Uruguay tourism website.