Home & Away with Robert Walshe
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Holiday Hotspot – Montevideo Uruguay
area for exploring. It’s possible to stay on foot A SHORT two hour ferry ride and see the across La Plata basin from main sights Buenos Aires lies Montevi- in an afterdeo, Uruguay one of the most noon. The under-visited capital cities in city offers lodging venues South America. www.buque- as diverse as its neighbourbus.com hoods. Upscale, ultra-modern A stunning port capital and hotels in the heart of the city, handsome colonial city, Mon- small boutique properties in tevideo has fine restaurants, a the outskirts, beach-area magnificently restored opera lodging, apartment hotels house, a stunning parliament and inexpensive hostels. Four building and numerous old Points by Sheraton is located mansions filled with period in front of the City Hall and furniture and all sorts of 19th less than a half mile away century treasure. The city is from the “Professional Towalso a great choice for those ers” Convention Center, 10 who prefer a more compact miles from the city’s international airport and just one mile from the terminal for ferries coming from Buenos Aires. The property features 135 spacious rooms including 15 large suites and 15 junior suites. The ■ Buquebus Ferry to Montivideo hotel also
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boasts a lobby bar and a restaurant offering guests a wide selection of local cuisine and recreational facilities including an indoor swimming pool, gym, and sauna. www.fourpointsmontevideo. com This area of the city is a bustling commercial district that features many cultural and historic tourist attractions. Plaza Independencia is where the history begins in Montevideo. In the center of the plaza resides a massive statue of Jose Artigas who is known as the father of Uruguay’s Independence. After you explore the plaza head towards Teatro Solis the main theatre and opera house. Opened in 1852 it underwent an extensive renovation a few years ago now hosting Uruguay’s most important cultural events. It’s also the site of the Museo Nacional de Historia Natural (National Museum of Natural History) spread out over five historic houses. If you are interested in South American art head
to Museo Municipal de Bellas Artes. La Rambla is the name of the extended boardwalk that spans the city. You can enjoy great days and evenings here as locals gather for exercise and leisure. Uruguay’s culinary scene is dominated by European influences, especially Mediterranean and the countries main export is beef farmed on the estancias or ranches, of the in■ Montevideo Pa land interior region. rliment Buildin gs Uruguay A popular way to eat meat is “asado” cooked “Mate” a on an open grill or parrilla. traditional infused drink Some common meals cooked made from the yerba mate check-in in this way are churrasco, (mate herb). Summer and to ensure you get on board grilled steak, and parrillada, autumn are beautiful times your flight with the minimum grilled beef platter. The to visit Uruguay, as summers of hassle. Having travelled country also has a distinctive are warm and autumns are all over the world for more culture of wine making which mild. Nuevo Mundo an Irish than 20 years, I must say this has only recently penetrated based travel agent specialis- was the best organised trip I the export market and is ing in South America.provide have been on and I felt spoilt! still relatively unknown. The a personal service and organ- www.nuevomundo.ie tannat grape thrives in the ise every element of your trip Robert Walshe is a travel clay-loam soil of Uruguay including all internal flights. as it does in the south-west The experience includes broadcaster with Q Radio of France. Uruguayan tan- private airport transfers in Network and Travel Editor nat wine is soft and fruity. each destination, airport for River Media newspaper Something very prevalent assistance and guides who titles across the island of everywhere is the drinking of can accompany you to your Ireland. www.robertwalshe.com