RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – In the first six months of this year alone, over 250,000 Brazilians traveled to Uruguay, an increase of six percent in relation to last year. Montevideo, Punta del Este, Colonia del Sacramento, and Carmelo are some of the best-known cities in the country, with strong points in gastronomy, wine, sports and nature tourism.
Brazilians are second in the ranking of visitors to Uruguay, behind only Argentinians. In 2018, 466,000 Brazilians visited the neighboring country, many fewer than the more than 2.3 million Argentinians.
Among the Brazilians who most visit Uruguay are, naturally, the Gaúchos (from Rio Grande do Sul State), who are geographically closer. This year alone, Brazilians from the southern region account for some 180,000 trips to the neighboring country. In addition to their physical closeness, the gauchos share several cultural aspects with Uruguayans, such as the habit of drinking mate, gastronomy (a prevalence of beef and barbecue), agricultural tourism and vineyards.
One of Uruguay’s main attractions is the museum Casapueblo in Punta Ballena, with its architecture reminiscent of Greek buildings. A work by the artist Carlos Páez Vilaró, the museum offers every day the “Ceremony in the Sun”, when a poem by Vilaró is recited at sunset.
One of the criticisms of Uruguay by Brazilian tourists, however, is the very expensive prices.
Other destinations
Uruguay’s vice minister of tourism, Benjamin Liberoff, said that more and more Brazilians have chosen the country as a holiday destination and stressed the number of cities visited, increasing the range of possibilities for tourists.
He said that the country’s strategy for promotion abroad has been successful, boosting the country’s qualities, which can be enjoyed all year round, not only in the high seasons in Punta del Este and Montevideo.
On the Uruguayan Ministry of Tourism’s website, Brazilians will find information in Portuguese on adventures, sports, nautical, religious, cultural and historical tourism, as well as beaches, spas, cruises, and nature.
Among the various Uruguayan attractions are the hot springs of Salto and Paysandú, the beaches of the Costa de Rocha, the crystalline baths of Piriápolis and Cabo Polônio, the nature reserve of Cerro Pan de Azúcar and the city of Tacuarembó, where the Carlos Gardel Museum honors the greatest tango singer of all time.
Source: Agência Brasil
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