Explore the Old City with a friend

Montevideo's Ciudad Vieja harbors centuries of fascinating stories behind its elegant facades. On this walking tour, you'll discover the rich tapestry of history woven through the oldest part of Uruguay's capital, from colonial architecture and revolutionary tales to the artistic and cultural heritage that defines this charming peninsula.

The tour starts at the hop-on-hop-off bus stop on Rambla 25 de Agosto. You'll weave through historic streets named after alligators, pass the iron-railed balconies compared to sharpened teeth, and visit the bustling Mercado del Puerto with its slow-cooked asados. As you explore, you'll learn about the British invasion that left cannonballs lodged in colonial buildings and discover the stories of merchants, slaves, and immigrants who shaped the city's identity.

You'll uncover the tales behind the city's most iconic landmarks, from the Gothic parliament building where 31 representatives meet to choose illustrious citizens to the idiosyncratic Palacio Salvo with its dwarf with a top hat silhouette. Along the way, you'll hear how boxing matches took place on rooftops, how neighbors donated their own china to complete the cathedral dome, and how the first public water system in South America was inaugurated with an accidental soaking of dignitaries. The tour ends at the magnificent Palacio Salvo, with its bizarre Renaissance architecture and fascinating Dante-inspired design.

On this 75-minute tour, you'll have a chance to:

• Discover how sailors, port workers, and immigrants influenced the development of jazz and tango in the city
• Visit Plaza Zabala with its statue of the one-armed general who founded the city
• Walk past the house where Italian revolutionary Giuseppe Garibaldi lived in exile, working as a math teacher
• Explore the fountain in Plaza Matriz, filled with Freemason and alchemical symbols
• See the original city walls, a monolithic structure that once stood ten meters high and six meters thick
• View Carlos Páez Vilaró's vibrant mural depicting the cultural expression of Candombe
• Admire the Teatro Solis, built over the moat of the old fortress, explaining its exceptional acoustics
• Learn about the nine archways of Palacio Salvo, representing the nine circles of hell in Dante's Divine Comedy

Join this journey through Ciudad Vieja to uncover the fascinating stories behind the facades of this historic neighborhood, where every building has a tale to tell and every street corner reveals a piece of Uruguay's rich heritage.