Rainy day · Montevideo · Uruguay
7 things to do in Montevideo when it rains
Indoor sights that make a wet day feel planned rather than lost.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Felipe Restrepo Acosta, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Teatro Solís, Museo Torres García and Museo del Carnaval. Together the 7 picks below take roughly 7–8 hours across 4 areas; 1 is free. October is usually the wettest month, with about 8 rainy days.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 7
- Free entry
- 1
- Time to see them all
- 7–8 hours
- Areas
- Ciudad Vieja, Aguada and Parque Batlle
Montevideo on a rainy day
Architecture · Ciudad Vieja
1.Teatro Solís
Check the programme for a concert by the Montevideo Philharmonic, often the best way to see the hall.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- History
- After dark
- Rainy day
- Couples
Gallery · Ciudad Vieja
2.Museo Torres García
Buy a print of the upside-down map in the shop; it is one of the city's most recognisable images.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Museum · Ciudad Vieja
3.Museo del Carnaval
Some visits include a short candombe drumming demonstration or workshop; ask at the desk.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Art
Museum · Ciudad Vieja
4.Museo Andes 1972
Allow time to read the survivors' accounts; the museum is small but detailed.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
Architecture · Aguada
5.Palacio Legislativo
Take a bus up Avenida del Libertador from Plaza Independencia, which ends right at the palace steps.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
Historic site · Parque Batlle
6.Estadio Centenario and Museo del Fútbol
Combine it with a walk in the surrounding Parque Batlle, one of the city's largest parks.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
Gallery · Parque Rodó
7.Museo Nacional de Artes Visuales
Pair the museum with a walk to Playa Ramírez on the Rambla, a few minutes away.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Art
- Free
- Rainy day
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Ciudad Vieja | Teatro Solís, Museo Torres García, Museo del Carnaval and Museo Andes 1972 | 1 hour + 1 hour + 1 hour + 1 hour |
| Aguada | Palacio Legislativo | 1 hour |
| Parque Batlle | Estadio Centenario and Museo del Fútbol | 1–1.5 hours |
| Parque Rodó | Museo Nacional de Artes Visuales | 1–1.5 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 7, 1 free, 6 low cost. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Estadio Centenario and Museo del Fútbol; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 2 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Ciudad Vieja): Teatro Solís → Museo Torres García → Museo del Carnaval → Museo Andes 1972, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Aguada, Parque Batlle and Parque Rodó): Palacio Legislativo → Estadio Centenario and Museo del Fútbol → Museo Nacional de Artes Visuales, at least 3 hours.
The wettest months
- October: highs of 21°C (70°F), about 8 rainy days, moderate crowds. Pleasant spring days; Heritage Day opens normally closed buildings for free.
- January: highs of 28°C (82°F), about 7 rainy days, busy crowds. Peak summer: warm, sunny beach days on the Rambla, though many locals leave for the coast; carnival starts late in the month.
- February: highs of 27°C (81°F), about 7 rainy days, busy crowds. Still hot and the height of carnival, with murga shows at the Teatro de Verano and candombe parades.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Ciudad Vieja — The old port peninsula of colonial and art deco streets, museums and parrillas
- Parque Rodó — A lakeside park, an art museum and bars near Playa Ramírez
More of Montevideo
All things to do in Montevideo · Where to stay · When to go.
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Montevideo?
Teatro Solís. Uruguay's main theatre, opened in 1856 beside Plaza Independencia, has a neoclassical portico and a horseshoe auditorium that stages opera, ballet, concerts and plays.
+Which of these are free in Montevideo?
Museo Nacional de Artes Visuales.