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Montevideo, Uruguay came in as major city #69 on my Major City work. Here, I’ll share for other visiting photographers a few first impressions covering the city with my camera during my work there, from a personal street photography perspective…
7 First Impressions of Montevideo
(From a Street Photography Perspective)
1. Is Montevideo a Smaller Buenos Aires?
Many people like to compare Montevideo to Argentina’s Buenos Aires across the Rio de La Plata. It’s common to be compared to another city in the same country, but not many cities are compared to another country’s like these two. The long rivalry between these two nations’ capitals makes sense looking at their close geographical locations and similarities, but there’s plenty to separate them too. Many Argentineans love to come visit Montevideo for these reasons.
Since Buenos Aires was the first city I lived in abroad years ago, I have some background for comparing. I never made it here back then, but after covering Montevideo, I should have.
First off, I’ll cover the the similarities, and then go into more detail on some things that really separate them.
- Port Cities on Rio de La Plata: Being port cities, they both contain some of that atmosphere. (For those not familiar with the river, it’s extremely wide, so it feels like the sea more than a river.)
- European Vibe: Argentina is known for its European influence and mix in Latin America, and Uruguay contains a similar European/Latin vibe.
- Mate: I thought mate consumption in Buenos Aires was extreme, but it’s taken to another level in Montevideo (More on that later).
- Football: They’re both crazy about it. Both cities have clubs with some of the strongest history and success in South America, and the fanbases to match.
- Arts and Music: Both have an artistic vibe that feels similar in many ways. They dance Tango in Montevideo too.
2. Montevideo is Montevideo
Now, let’s get into what makes Montevideo different, and also more than worth your time for photography.
Differences:
- Population: While Montevideo is home to more than half the country’s population with almost 2 million, it’s tiny compared to the gigantic Buenos Aires at 14 million. This helps make Montevideo less known, but whether this is a plus or minus depends on what you like. Montevideo is smaller with less to do and see, but that comes with a great, relaxed vibe and a more compact city to explore.
- Chaos: Montevideo is quieter and more relaxed. Bueno Aires is filled with big city energy, activity and chaos. While Montevideo is big enough for plenty of life, it’s more subdued and relaxing out on the streets.
- Safety: Buenos Aires is safe enough, but does have its dangerous areas, while Montevideo feels like the safest major city in South America. This can be a great thing for many street photographers that prefer to stay away from any danger, you can explore here without worry. I never felt an ounce of it.
- Compact: I love compact, walkable cities for photography and Montevideo has that going for it well. I really enjoy photo walks here, covering a lot of continuous interest without need to take transportation.
- Variety: I love how walkable Montevideo is, but on the other hand, the size difference does give Buenos Aires a much larger variety of neighborhoods and atmospheres to explore with your camera. For a shorter visit, I enjoy how easy Montevideo is to explore, but for a longer stay, I enjoy all that Buenos Aires provides.
- Waterfront: While they both have waterfront on the Rio de La Plata, this is where Montevideo really wins out. Buenos Aires has a nice river walk, but overall their waterfront spaces can’t compare. Montevideo’s La Rambla, its promenade along the water, is my favorite part of the city.
Both cities are amazing in my opinion and while they share plenty of similarities, they contain aspects that could appeal to different people’s interests for street photography. After living in Buenos Aires and often hearing how Montevideo is just a small version of BA, I have to say I was very happy with how much Montevideo exceeded any expectations I may have had. It’s a great, enjoyable city for street photography.
3. Love La Rambla
The biggest thing Montevideo has that Buenos Aires doesn’t is the promenade and beach. The 2o km long promenade along the ocean-like river is called La Rambla and is the lifeline of the city, especially in the summer. From the beach to the parks to the sidewalk, life is attracted here. And for good reason. It makes for my favorite photo walk in the city by far.
Some of my favorite spots to stop for photography along La Rambla:
- Playa Ramirez
- The Square skating rink
- Espacio Libre Alemania
- Plaza Republica Argentina
4. Mate Everywhere
No one drinks Mate like Uruguayans. While it might feel like an obsession in countries like Argentina, Uruguay manages to take it to an even greater level. Mate is a traditional South American caffeine-rich infused drink made by soaking dried leaves of the yerba mate plant in hot water. If you’re not familiar with it, you’ll notice it by the calabash gourds locals drink it out of with a long metal straw, along with a thermos of hot water for refills.
In Montevideo, drinking mate isn’t only a social tradition, it’s also a personal one. All over the city you’ll see people holding their mate gourd in one hand and a large thermos under their arm. From riding the bus to work to walking the promenade, it can be a funny sight to see if you’re not familiar with it, but it’s part of the country’s endearing character.
5. Markets
Interesting markets are a favorite for many photographers. Personally, I don’t always find being within busy markets the best for great photos, but I always make sure to check them out, anyway. For one, they’re guaranteed life and activity and two, exploring the area just outside of busy markets can be great for photos. Catching them when they’re setting up or breaking down can be good too. Whatever you like, though, Montevideo definitely has some markets worth checking out with your camera, especially on the weekend.
Feria de Tristán Narvaja (Sunday)
Every Sunday, in the district of Cordón, the Tristán Narvaja Street Market takes place. It is the most popular and biggest market in the whole country. This one is probably my favorite here too and one I’d definitely recommend exploring the outskirts of for more photography opportunities. There’s some great character around the crowded market streets in Cordon.
Villa Biarritz Market
This market is located in the district of Punta Carretas, and regularly takes place on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
Antiques Market at the Plaza de la Constitución (Saturday)
The Feria de Antigüedades en Plaza de la Constitución (official name really is that long) is open every Saturday and is located in the Old Town and Plaza Constitución, the first square in Montevideo.
6. Not Cheap
Southern South America isn’t a cheap destination these days and Montevideo is even on the expensive end of that. Compared to the rest of Latin America (outside of Chile and Argentina) it’s very expensive. Even compared to the USA and much of Europe, many things can cost more here. According to The Economist, the Uruguayan capital was the most expensive, but also the best city to live in Latin America. It can depend where you go, stay and eat, though, and most of the main sights and attractions are either free or cheap. Just be prepared to spend a little extra if you’re used to traveling around Latin America.
Here’s some interesting info to back up the relative costs and give you an idea:
- Big Mac index (the Economist): Uruguay is the 11th most expensive country in the world (in terms of Big Mac).
- Price level ratio of PPP conversion factor (GDP) to market exchange rate(World Bank), Uruguay was the most expensive country in Latin America in 2017 (last year with data), about 30% cheaper than the US, similar to Spain.
- Cost of Living Index by Country 2019 (numbeo survey), Uruguay is the 32nd most expensive country in the world, and the most expensive in Latin America.
- Food prices can be on par or more expensive than in many places in Europe
- Clothes, cars and especially technology, are actually much more expensive in Uruguay than in most of Europe and North America.
- Rents in Montevideo are not particularly cheap, but they are definitely cheaper than in most European capitals or large American cities.
- Labor-intensive, non-tradable services (like hair-cuts), are usually cheaper than in Europe, since wages tend to be lower.
7. Avenida 18 de Julio
After La Rambla, Avenida 18 de Julio was my next favorite photo walk. It’s the city’s Main Street and goes from the Old City right through Montevideo’s downtown. Starting at Plaza Independencia, you can walk along this busy street all the way through Centro and Cordón, ending at the famous Obelisk of Montevideo. This provides nonstop city life and spots to stop, making it arguably the most concentrated walk for interest. You’ll find a mix of locals and tourists, as it’s a business and commercial hub in the middle of it all. With Avenida 18 de Julio and La Rambla in Montevideo, you get two very nice photo walks near each other with completely different atmospheres, city and “sea” (river).
Some of the Main landmarks across this avenue include:
- Artigas Mausoleum, located at the beginning of the avenue in Plaza Independencia
- Palacio Salvo
- Edificio Lapido
- Plaza Fabini
- Plaza de Cagancha
- City Hall of Montevideo
- Iglesia del Cordón
- Universidad de la República
- Obelisk of Montevideo, located at the end of the avenue when it meets Artigas Boulevard.
Relaxed, Safe, Open Vibe
Outside of Venezuela, I’ve covered just about every major city in Latin America and I’d say Montevideo has the most relaxed, open, and safest vibe of all. Where it doesn’t compare in size and variety to the larger capitals, it makes up for in other ways. It’s a great city to walk and enjoy with your camera.
If any of you have been to Montevideo before, tell me about your experience and impressions of the city and country in the comments below! And stay tuned for more on Montevideo, including some of the best Street Photography shots I captured while there.
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