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Uruguay.
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Travelling to Uruguay: what to know before you go

Uruguay is a small, relaxed country between Argentina and Brazil, with a long Atlantic and river coastline, a laid-back capital, a UNESCO-listed colonial town and rolling cattle country in the interior. It suits beach lovers, food and wine travellers and anyone who enjoys an unhurried pace, with mate gourds in hand and long evenings over the grill.

Where to go

• Montevideo. Walk the Rambla, a waterfront promenade that runs for many kilometres along the city's beaches, explore the Ciudad Vieja and Teatro Solís, and eat grilled meat at the Mercado del Puerto, a 19th-century market hall filled with parrillas.
• Colonia del Sacramento. A UNESCO-listed old town of cobbled streets, Portuguese and Spanish colonial houses and a lighthouse, on the River Plate opposite Buenos Aires.
• Punta del Este. The country's best-known resort, with beaches on both the calmer bay side and the surfier Atlantic side, and the giant hand sculpture emerging from the sand on Playa Brava.
• Cabo Polonio. A remote fishing village on a cape reached only by off-road trucks across sand dunes, with a lighthouse, a sea lion colony and simple cabins, many of which have little or no grid electricity.

Best time to visit

December to March is summer and peak season on the coast, when Punta del Este and the Rocha beaches are busy, particularly in January, when many Argentinians and Brazilians visit. Carnival usually falls in February.

Staying online in Uruguay

Uruguay has some of the best mobile and fixed internet in South America, with 4G across most of the country and 5G in parts of Montevideo and other towns. Coverage is good on main roads and in coastal towns, although it can be weaker in sparsely populated parts of the interior and in places like Cabo Polonio. Wi-Fi is widely available in cafés, hotels and many public squares. Install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land.