Great Tours and Experiences in Montevideo, Uruguay
By Harris
One of the reasons I love Montevideo is that you really don't need a tour every day.
This isn't Rome, where you feel like there are 25 things you're supposed to see before dinner. Part of the pleasure of Montevideo is simply walking the Rambla, having a long lunch, exploring Pocitos or Punta Carretas and slowing down for a few days.
But there are some things that are much easier — and considerably more interesting — with somebody who actually knows Uruguay.
I've gone through the tours currently offered on Viator and picked the ones that I think complement a trip to Montevideo particularly well.
I wouldn't do all of them.
I'd pick a great city tour, a wine experience and perhaps one full-day trip outside Montevideo. Then leave yourself enough time to enjoy the city.
1. Tailor-Made Montevideo: Private City Tour with a Local
If I were going to choose one Montevideo city tour, this would probably be it.
Rather than following a rigid itinerary, this is a private four-to-six-hour experience designed around what interests you. That's exactly how I think Montevideo should be explored.
You'll combine driving and walking while seeing the historic center and different neighborhoods, but having a local guide means you can get beyond simply photographing monuments.
The tour currently has a 5.0 Viator rating from more than 200 reviews, with travelers repeatedly praising the guide's knowledge and ability to customize the experience.
What I like about this one is that Montevideo isn't just Ciudad Vieja. I want someone to show me how the city fits together — the old center, the Rambla, Pocitos, the residential neighborhoods and the places tourists normally drive right past.
Book it: Tailor-Made Montevideo: Private City Tour with a Local
2. Private City Tour of Montevideo
For someone visiting Montevideo for the first time, this is another excellent introduction.
It's approximately three and a half hours and covers a surprising amount of the city: Independence Square, Ciudad Vieja, the Cabildo, the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Agricultural Market, the coastline, Pocitos, Carrasco and El Prado.
There's even an opportunity to try mate, which you're going to see Uruguayans carrying absolutely everywhere.
I like this as a first-day tour because it gives you the lay of the land. Afterward, you'll know which neighborhoods you want to return to on your own.
And that's how I would use it. Don't think of the tour as seeing Montevideo. Think of it as an introduction that helps you decide where you want to spend the rest of your time.
Book it: Private City Tour of Montevideo
3. Montevideo Street Food Tour with Five Tastings
This one sounds like a lot of fun.
Instead of separating sightseeing and eating, it combines them.
It's approximately three hours, walking through areas including Plaza Independencia, Ciudad Vieja, the Cathedral and Mercado del Puerto while stopping for food along the way.
And this is the sort of experience I want in Uruguay.
I don't only want somebody to tell me when a building was constructed. Show me what Uruguayans eat.
The tour includes five food and drink tastings, and recent travelers specifically mention trying chivito and traditional Uruguayan foods while learning about Montevideo's history.
For someone who's only in Montevideo for a few days, this kills two birds with one stone: you see part of the city and begin understanding the food culture at the same time.
Book it: Montevideo Street Food Tour with Five Tastings
4. Wine Lovers Tannat Experience with Light Lunch
If you're going to Uruguay, you need to understand Tannat.
It's the signature red grape of Uruguay, and Montevideo has the tremendous advantage of having wine country practically outside the city.
This tour takes you into the vineyards and cellar with a winery expert and includes a full tasting featuring Tannat and other Uruguayan wines.
But here's the part I really like:
The light lunch includes cheeses, cured meats and empanadas. There's also an option to upgrade the meal.
Now we're talking.
You're drinking Uruguayan wine, eating empanadas and charcuterie and somebody else is driving you back to the hotel.
That's a pretty good afternoon.
Book it: Wine Lovers Tannat Experience with Light Lunch
5. Uruguay Private Wine Tour
If you want something more personal, I'd look at this private wine experience.
Rather than joining a larger group, you're taken by private vehicle to a family-run winery, where you learn about the wines and production directly from the people involved.
Lunch and wine are part of the experience.
That's the kind of wine tour I prefer.
I don't need to visit four wineries in six hours so I can say I visited four wineries. I'd rather spend some time at one good family operation, meet the people, understand what they're making, have lunch and enjoy myself.
Uruguay's wine industry is much smaller than neighboring Argentina's, and I think that intimacy is part of what makes visiting these wineries interesting.
Book it: Uruguay Private Wine Tour
6. Uruguay Wine Country with Three-Course Lunch
For a serious food-and-wine day, I'd strongly consider this one.
You're picked up from your hotel, Airbnb or the port and taken into Uruguay's wine country to visit a family winery specializing in Tannat.
There's a winery and cellar tour, tastings and then a three-course Uruguayan lunch with wine pairings.
The meal can include Uruguayan grass-fed meat, and the experience also incorporates local specialties such as empanadas.
This isn't something I'd schedule between two other activities.
Make this the activity.
Go out into the countryside. Drink wine. Eat lunch. Talk to people. Come back to Montevideo and take a nap.
You're on vacation.
Book it: Uruguay Wine Country with Three-Course Lunch
7. Montevideo City Tour with Optional Winery and Tannat Tasting
If you're short on time, this is a clever combination.
The private city portion covers many of Montevideo's essential sights — Mercado del Puerto, Ciudad Vieja, Plaza Matriz, Plaza Independencia, the Rambla, Pocitos and the Agricultural Market.
You can then add a visit to Pizzorno Family Estates, extending the experience to around six hours, with wine tasting and empanadas included with the winery option.
For somebody arriving on a cruise, this makes particular sense because the experience includes port pickup and return.
But I'd also consider it if I only had two or three days in Montevideo.
You're getting the city and an introduction to Uruguayan wine without sacrificing two separate days.
Book it: Montevideo City Tour with Optional Winery and Tannat Tasting