uruguay

Located north & further inland from the Ciudad Vieja, the area that comprises El Prado began as an agricultural zone with large farms & only a few roads. But Montevideo under siege in the 19th century drove upper class families away from the city center. Villas with large gardens popped up everywhere in El Prado, attempting to maintain the area’s rural character. Although many mansions disappeared by the beginning of the 20th century, several survived & have been repurposed. For example…

From the city center, two pleasant options exist for arriving to Parque Rodó, one of the larger green areas of Montevideo: taking the first half of Boulevard España or wandering along the coast. Both offer fantastic views & interesting architecture.

Branching off from Plaza Fabini near the beginning of Avenida 18 de Julio, Avenida Lavalleja cuts a wide angle through the barrio of La Aguada & ends at the Palacio Legislativo. The aerial photo below gives a better sense of the avenue’s location than the orange line on the above map… find the diagonal cut with tall buildings on the left side: