URUGUAY BY INTERNATIONAL LIVING

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YOUR FREE ARTICLE
Living it Up in Centro: Round-the-Clock Culture in Montevideo
By Lee Harrison



It’s warm and sunny on the early morning streets of Uruguay’s capital, Montevideo.

The caretakers in the park are hosing down the sidewalks…waiters are straightening tables and opening bright yellow umbrellas at the sidewalk café. The neighborhood bakeries are open for cappuccinos and pastries, and newsstands are handing out today’s paper…which most everyone still reads.

Dressed in shorts and a t-shirt, I’m on my way to the Harlem gym, where I like to start the day. But as I pass a corner bar I realize that “yesterday” is not quite over for some…as I hear the sound of laughter, music and clinking glasses coming from inside. Long after sunup, the dance floor is still full and the bar still busy.

This is life in the Centro district of Montevideo. A place where early-morning joggers pass revelers still going strong from the night before, in a vibrant round-the-clock culture that’s already attracted many expats.

This lifestyle—along with Centro’s property prices—is what first caught my attention in Uruguay during my initial visit in 2004.

Centro shares a peninsula with Ciudad Vieja, Montevideo’s historic center. It’s within walking distance of Ciudad Vieja’s attractions—its bars, restaurants, theater and financial district—but I find it a better place to live, with its tree-lined streets, safe parks, and relative lack of tourists.

Most of Centro is within a few minutes’ walk of the water and the wide, popular boardwalk that runs along the waterfront, where you’ll see an energetic crowd each morning walking, jogging, or just enjoying the sunshine.

The street that bisects Centro is Avenida 18 de Julio, Montevideo’s equivalent of Main Street. It runs past Centro’s nicest parks, carries most of its foot traffic and hosts most of its shopping district.

It’s also often the center of the country’s attention. Whether it’s a giant World Cup victory celebration or the parades during Montevideo’s famous Carnaval, you’ll probably see it taking place on Avenida 18 de Julio.

Centro’s plazas are the real social center of the neighborhood. When the sun goes down on Plaza del Entrevero on 18 de Julio, someone often sets up a stereo and neighbors come out to enjoy each other’s company while dancing the tango. And on Saturday night, you’ll see perhaps a half-dozen brides posing in front of the trees and fountains for their wedding photos.

Centro was once the city’s most prestigious area. Nowadays, though, it has a neighborly, working-class feel. And while it’s not an upscale neighborhood anymore, the architectural legacy of its glory days is everywhere. Hidden around the neighborhood, art deco-era buildings still retain their mosaic trim, copper-domed cupolas, marble stairways and stained-glass windows.

When the wealthy of Montevideo moved on—to new, upscale neighborhoods like Pocitos, Buceo, and, more recently, Carrasco—Centro’s commercial district held its own but many of its residential areas fell into decline.

More recently, Centro seems far more popular with foreign buyers than Uruguayans. There’s a small but determined segment of international buyers who are seeking old, classic homes to buy and restore…along with those who are attracted by the convenient lifestyle, the immersion in the Uruguayan culture and of course the inexpensive property prices.

While we don’t have an expat community to speak of, I do have a number of U.S. and European neighbors whom I frequently see in the parks, dining out, or at the market.

A Great City Lifestyle

I’ve spent most of my life in rural or suburban environments, so even after four years, having my own place in this city still feels like a new experience. I enjoy the luxury of having everything I need within a block, and being able to run errands of any sort without using a car.

I can get freshly baked bread and a huge assortment of pastries and treats just out my back door. There’s also a small supermarket, a corner bar and restaurant, and a gourmet and wine shop.

And if you like your coffee fresh and aromatic, the local coffee roaster—El Palacio de Café—roasts the beans on the premises, with their giant, gleaming roaster right in the middle of the store.

For fresh fruits, cheeses, vegetables and other market items, you’ll enjoy the neighborhood feria (market). A nearby street is closed down on Tuesdays and Fridays, as this roving market sets up from around 7:00 a.m. to about 2:00 p.m. These ferias continually rotate around the city and are a long-time fixture in Montevideo.

On the practical side, you’ll see a hardware store, locksmith, a couple of computer shops, two internet cafés and a video rental store, along with more unblocked cell-phone vendors than you’ll need in a lifetime—all within a block’s walk.

Lunchtime generally runs from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., and dinner starts no earlier than 7:00 p.m. and continues until after midnight. In between times there are dozens of coffee shops that fill up around 5 p.m. as locals get their afternoon fix of pastries and coffee.

The dining choices are numerous in Centro, from sidewalk cafés to small, hidden restaurants. Famous for their Northern Italian cuisine, Panini’s is well worth the trip and appears in every guidebook. But you won’t find the tiny Il Ruffino until you’ve learned your way around—it’s at San José, 1166—and their home-style Italian kitchen, with its fresh breads and homemade pastas, is also well worth the trip.

Uruguay’s main cultural influence is Italian rather than Spanish, and you’ll notice it more in the restaurants than anywhere else. Even our local Chinese restaurant has a “pasta” section on its menu.

But the most popular dining option in Centro—in fact, in all of Uruguay—is the parrillada. It’s a type of restaurant featuring a large, wood-fired grill where all sorts of meats and vegetables are colorfully arranged, grilled to perfection and served sizzling-fresh throughout the dining hours.

If you’re looking for something to do in the evening, Teatro Solís—the national theater—is next to Centro’s western border, hosting orchestras, opera and other events from around the world.

But after a short time in the area, you’ll also discover the dozens of small theaters and auditoriums sprinkled around Centro, offering entertainment that varies from American string quartets to Brazilian guitarists, from tango shows to dance troupes…and of course the indigenous Murga bands from around Uruguay.

And don’t worry…after the show, there will still be plenty of places open for a late dinner.

Owning a Piece of Centro

One big draw in Centro is the reasonable cost of real estate. You’ll find a virtual treasure trove of classic architecture, with towering doorways and 15-foot ceilings.

An authentic period apartment from the 1920s (in original condition), right on 18 de Julio overlooking Plaza del Entrevero, will have an asking price of about $200,000 for a 2,200-square-foot unit.

A more modern apartment (1980s) of around 1,000 square feet will go for about $90,000 at the same location with the same view.

The market starts at about $78,000 for a decent two-bedroom apartment from the 1950s in a good building but a less-prestigious location.

Long-term rental contracts are very reasonable in Centro and are a good option for those who are not ready to buy. A two-bedroom, 807-square-foot apartment would rent for about $509 per month, based on averages from a survey I conducted of 10 apartments.

Larger places are generally less per square meter, with a huge 3,225-square-foot apartment renting for $1,250 per month.

My preferred real estate contact is Patricia Turner of Reynolds Properties, in Montevideo’s Ciudad Vieja. She and her staff speak excellent English and have worked with scores of IL readers. (E-mail:patriciaturner@reynoldspropiedades.com, website: www.ReynoldsPropiedades.com).

Centro is not Montevideo’s classiest neighborhood, but it may well be its most convenient. It doesn’t have the newest buildings in town, but many believe it has the best architecture. And while Centro is not the best known area, it may well feel like home.

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A True Hole in the Wall

Perhaps the smallest and most humble restaurant you’ll find in Centro is the Nuevo Petit, at San José and Río Negro. With just four swiveling stools at the counter, there’s not much room to spread out. But these guys not only make great burgers, they also make the best empanadas in the city. These ground-beef pastries are made fresh daily, and are definitely the best meal in the neighborhood for under a buck.


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