Weekend Travel Itinerary

Taylor King

Travel Skills - Weekend Travel While Abroad

·         Where: Uruguay, Montevideo

·         Why:  My friend Stacy will be going to school here and it is a cheap, safe, and popular place to travel to a place where I know someone who can give me tours around the city.  I want to travel in Argentina as well but would absolutely love to see one of my familiar friends from Tennessee for a while while in South America.  I want so badly to travel to as many different countries to compare the cultures and this opportunity is a great way to start my adventures.

·         Outline:

Ideal options for accommodation: I am planning on using the hostel systems and finding one that best fits me.  There are four good and safe hostels in this city.  One is El Viajero Ciudad Vieja Hostel and is in the city of Plaza Matriz square really close to the sea. I would have breakfast and a bed as well as the cost only being 13.00 USD per night.   If I wanted to go out at night it is near the bustling part of town.

Also, the unplugged Hostel in Pocitos which is a very safe neighborhood in Montevideo is only 500 meters from the beach and has bed and breakfast.  This is a coed accommodation but and is 18.00 USD per night.

Transportation: I plan on getting to Montevideo by a ferry from Buenos Aires.  I can go by bus however it will take an extra five hours so the ferry is quickest and most popular way to travel to Montevideo.  Buses are abailable at Tres Cruces in Montevideo when I get there and will take me to Retiro in Buenos Aires in the center of the city.  Once in Montevideo I don’t have to worry about finding a bus because the ferry operators have their own buses.  Buquebus is the ferry with a direct route from Montevideo to Buenos Aires or the visa versa. It is around 400 dollars round trip for this ferry ride.  Once there in the city of Montevideo, I plan to use the bus system and walk (backpack) everywhere else I need to be at.

Priorities: Mercado Agricola Montevideo- A MUST for food and to see old architechture.  This is a huge market and I LOVE unique markets. It is a good place to stay for a few hours and each lunch or try some samples of different foods.

 Jardin Botanico- a small garden in Prado

Teatro de Verano- A theatrical stage. It is in the Rodo park of Montevideo.  There are carnivals and comics that perform here occasionally.

Pocitos:  The beach is a necessity!  It is on the Rio Plata and has some small markets and barrios near it.

Food:  For this trip I plan on eating low key.  I want to enjoy my experience and the food but I will have to keep a budget.  I plan to buy bread and make sandwiches for lunches and I am covered for breakfast at the hostel.  As for dinner, I was planning on eating out at some local restaurants.

Tentative itinerary:

I plan to take a long week end and stay for about three days in downtown Montevideo.  I get on the bus in Argentina to take me to the Ferry on a Friday. Then, when I get to Montevideo, I find my hostel and settle in for the night.  On Saturday, I will head out to Mercado Agricola Montevideo for a few hours.  Then, since it is close (a 45 minute walk), I will head to el Jardin Botanico. This is about an hour and forty minute walk to get to so I would have to ride a bus or strait walking early.  On Sunday, I will plan to go to the Teatro de Verano early in morning to watch a play or just to site see.  Then I will head to the beach Pocitos to catch the sunset and grab some dinner at one of the small markets there.  The beach and theater is only a twenty five to thirty minute walk away from each other so I picked this easy walk for the last day that I am in Montevideo.  It is one Uruguayan Peso to .046 US Dollar so I will be able to travel cheaply and most likely travel the whole trip by only spending approximately 500 to 600 dolars.  450 dollars goes towards traveling and the rest is for food and other expenses.