The longest and best carnival in the world. Why? The longest because it lasts more than 40 days. The best because of the passion, the colours, the music and the traditions (Africa-Americas-Europe). Although it is hosted in Montevideo, the capital of the country, it involves the whole nation. From January to March everybody breaths, eats and dreams of carnival ... and the rest of the year they are preparing for it. It starts with several parades in the main avenue and traditional neighborhoods at the drum's rhythm of the candombe. The election of the queens, the competitions, the public itself is a show. After the parades it celebrates a contest with several categories of a kind of theatrical opera performed by the murgas in the tablados (stages) including several categories full of music and very sarcastic comedy. And the best of all is that you see people from 0 to 100+ years old enjoying in the same way.
If the carnival is not enough, you still have the museums, the football, friendly people, the food (steaks!), the beaches and the beautiful women to really enjoy Uruguay.
The truth is that only by being in Montevideo during January-March you learn the real meaning of the word carnival.

www.welcomeuruguay.com/carnavales/index_i.html
Google map: bit.ly/ifgkrT

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I don't know what I would have done the last few days in Montevideo without the UruguayNow internet travel guide. It's helped me discover a load of cool restaurants and bars and is full of insider tips. I had previously had trouble finding info about Uruguay in English, but it's all here and it's brilliantly written too.

www.uruguaynow.com

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The only fully sustainable hostel/hotel in Uruguay in the centre of the old city.
Wonderful service and great contacts for the surrounding areas around the city. Great location and a lovely breakfast. US$20 a night. Very recommendable.

www.posadaalsur.com.uy

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We found this Parilla restaurant around the corner from the 4 Points by Sheraton hotel in the city centre. The service was excellent - the manager/owner speaks good English and the food was superb.

Complimentary shots at the end just added to the experience!

San Jose 1065
Tel: 903 2120
www.locosdeasar.com

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I found myself with two days in Montevideo with not much in the way of expectations but was really pleasantly surprised by the relaxed attitude of the people.

The city is surrounded by the sea, so it feels like a fresh place to be. There are plenty of things to buy at the Tristan Narvaja flea market on a Sunday and my husband and I also took a days tour of the wineries in the surrounding countryside. The tour was expensive but well worth the money and we had a terrific selection of wines and lunch at a winery called Bouza.

If you have time to wander around the old city its really quite splendid.

Montevideo

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