Montevideo Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus Tour

Ciudad Vieja, Montevideo's Old City and port

Montevideo was founded by the Spanish in the 1720s as a walled town on a small peninsula, and that peninsula is today the Ciudad Vieja, the Old City. Its streets mix colonial houses, Art Nouveau and Art Deco facades, banks and cafés, and the pedestrian Sarandí street connects Plaza Matriz, with the Metropolitan Cathedral, to the gateway of the old citadel.

Near the port stands the iron market hall built in the 1860s, where grill restaurants cook beef over wood embers, a classic Uruguayan experience. The bus starts close by on the waterfront, so the Old City is the perfect first stop. Is Montevideo worth visiting? For travellers who enjoy history, architecture and a calm atmosphere, its Old City is one of the most authentic in South America.

Independence Square and the Gateway of the Citadel

Plaza Independencia is the grand square that separates the Old City from the modern centre. The Puerta de la Ciudadela, the Gateway of the Citadel, is the last surviving piece of the colonial fortifications, and passing through it is like moving between two eras. In the middle of the square stands an equestrian statue of the national hero, above an underground mausoleum guarded by a ceremonial honour guard.

Around the square rise some of Montevideo's most famous buildings: a striking 1928 tower that was once the tallest in South America, the modern seat of the presidency and, just off the square, the city's grand opera house, opened in 1856. Hop off here to photograph the gateway and the tower, then continue on foot into the Old City or along the main avenue.

18 de Julio Avenue in the city centre

Avenida 18 de Julio is Montevideo's main boulevard, named after the date of Uruguay's first constitution in 1830. It runs from Independence Square through the city centre, lined with early 20th-century palaces, shops, cinemas, cafés and small squares with fountains and statues. On weekdays it is busy with office workers, students and street vendors, and it is the best place to feel the rhythm of daily life.

From the bus you see the elegant facades from the upper deck, including the large municipal palace, where a lookout on the top floor offers free views over the city when open. Several museums and the colourful craft market lie close to the avenue, so this is a good section to hop off for an hour of shopping and a coffee before rejoining the route.

The Legislative Palace

At the end of a wide avenue stands the Palacio Legislativo, the seat of Uruguay's parliament and one of the most impressive buildings in the country. Inaugurated in 1925, it is a neoclassical palace covered in granite and marble, much of it quarried in Uruguay, with columns, mosaics, stained glass and grand halls decorated with gold leaf.

The bus passes in front of its monumental facade, and you can step off to admire it up close. Guided visits of the interior are offered on many weekdays (entry is not included in this ticket and is arranged on site). Even from outside, the palace, its gardens and the long avenue leading to it are among the most photographed sights on a Montevideo city tour.

The Rambla and Pocitos beach

The Rambla is Montevideo's pride: a seafront promenade that runs for more than 20 km along the Río de la Plata, linking beaches, parks and neighbourhoods. In the late afternoon, locals walk, jog, fish and share mate tea while the sun sets over the water. From the open upper deck of the bus, this is the most scenic part of the route.

The bus reaches Pocitos, a lively neighbourhood of apartment towers, cafés and a wide sandy beach, where the large Montevideo letters make a popular photo stop. The best time to visit Montevideo for the beaches is from December to March, while spring and autumn are perfect for sightseeing. Hop off for a stroll on the sand, then ride back to the centre with the river beside you.