El Prado Montevideo
Montevideo, Departamento de Montevideo, 11700
El Prado is an affluent residential neighborhood in the north of Montevideo with tree-lined streets filled with historic homes including Residencia de Suarez (the presidential residence), and the peaceful Parque El Prado, the city’s main green space where a creek runs through grassy fields and a botanical garden grows over 1,000 plant species.
The Basics
El Prado is resplendent with flowering trees and landscaped gardens fronting mansions of both historic and architectural interest. Take the time to explore this leafy suburb as part of a sightseeing tour focusing on history and architecture incorporating a relaxing moment at Parque del Prado, a 102-acre (41-hectare) park featuring a botanical garden, a rose garden (designed by French landscape architect Charles Recine, with over 800 varieties), fountains, and various monuments. Enjoy afternoon tea at Hotel del Prado and a picnic alongside Miguelete Creek.
Things to Know Before You Go
- El Prado is an ideal spot for relaxing in a beautiful natural space and seeing gorgeous old villas.
- Go to the Museum of Fine Arts (also known as the Blanes Museum) to see works of Uruguay’s foremost 19th-century painter, Juan Manuel Blanes, inside a colonial mansion he called home.
- Soccer fans will want to see a match at one of El Prado’s three soccer stadiums where local teams Bella Vista Athletic Club, River Plate Athletic Club, and Montevideo Wanderers play.
How to Get There
El Prado is northwest from the center of Montevideo, separated from the beach by coastal neighborhoods Capurro and Reducto. Most city buses have stops nearby; line 806 stops on the east side of El Prado Parque, the perfect entry point to its many attractions.
When to Get There
Visit El Prado during the day to admire the neighborhood’s beautiful old villas, the Blanes museum, and gardens. In El Prado Parque, daytime adventures include having a creekside picnic, horseback riding, and exploring the botanical gardens, museums, and monuments. To beat the crowds, some in the mornings or late afternoons. Montevideo’s high tourist season runs from December to February, which includes the city’s 40-day Carnival starting in January.
Las Carmelitas
Perhaps the most beautiful church in all of Montevideo, Las Carmelitas is often compared to old world European cathedrals, especially Notre Dame in Paris, as its Gothic architecture, ornate stone carvings and flying buttresses are quite reminiscent. Plan a visit on a Sunday when the church is open for services, to spy the interior's lovely stained glass windows.
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