68 globaltravelerusa.com MARCH 2019
BUSINESS IN MONTEVIDEO may wind up at 5
p.m., but in this typical Latin heritage city, evenings
don’t actually get underway until well after 9 p.m.
For those on a Western schedule, there’s plenty to fill
in the gap before joining nighttime festivities. At the
base of the financial district, separating the old town
and the new, Plaza Independencia offers a range of
activities in a central location.
Bordering the square, the Radisson Montevideo
Victoria Plaza Hotel offers one-stop opportunities: a
spa, casino, restaurant and bars. Buying a one-day
pass for about $30 entitles visitors to use facilities of
the comprehensive sixth-floor health club: a large
swimming pool with city views; a multiroom gym
stocked with weights and Life Fitness machines; a
room for exercise classes; and even a bright green,
indoor, 80-meter jogging track on which 20 laps
equal a mile. To rejuvenate, book body scrubs,
hot stone massages, mud therapies and other spa
procedures.
Downstairs, roulette wheels, slot machines and
card dealers amuse gamblers in the Radisson’s
Casino Victoria Plaza. Upstairs, Arcadia, one of the city’s
finest restaurants, serves dinner — as early as 7 p.m. — and
drinks are on tap in the blue neon-lit lobby bar.
Look for live music and dramatic performances in two
nearby theaters. The ultramodern Auditorio Nacional del
Sodre and the landmark Teatro Solís entertain audiences 8–10
p.m. Farther afield, you may find a soccer game scheduled at
the home stadium of Uruguay’s national team which, in 1930,
won the inaugural FIFA World’s Cup.
By 9 or 10 p.m., it’s time to walk a block or two west
to the traditional nightlife precinct around Bacacay and
Mitre streets. The Pony Pisador plays live music indoors and
out on both sides of Mitre Street for patrons snacking on
mounded chivito sandwiches while downing the media y medio
sweet combination of white and sparkling wines. Next door,
fiddlers play jigs and reels at The Shannon Irish Pub, where
a full-page menu lists draft beers from Denmark, Russia and
Spain as well as Belgian brews such as Delirium Tremens and
nine local Uruguay brands. At Parrilla del Teatro, perch on
red banquettes for barbecue grilled on the open fire, then walk
a few more blocks to Baar Fun Fun to enjoy tango dancing
until morning. Known to be gay-friendly, the city has many
LGBTQ+ choices, and nearby Chains Pub remains a popular
favorite.
after 5 | MONTEVIDEO
Day and Night
Transition from work to play with Montevideo’s after-hours activities. BY SHARON KING HOGE
NIGHT MUSIC
Teatro Solís (top), and a band playing
Brazilian style music outdoors (bottom)
PHOTOS: © PAURA - DREAMSTIME.COM,
© DANFLCREATIVO - DREAMSTIME.COM Spas and casinos can
fill the hours between
business and nightlife.