The Coolest Burgeoning Uruguayan Cities Outside of Montevideo

Montevideo is Uruguay’s capital city, and the most populated in the country. However, more and more people are choosing to move right outside Montevideo into an area named Ciudad de la Costa (translated as “coastal city”). Find out which are the coolest burgeoning Uruguayan cities in this area just outside of Montevideo, Uruguay.

Canelones is one of the two Uruguayan departments that share city limits with Montevideo. When traveling east from the luxurious residential neighborhood of Carrasco, the first city in Canelones is Parque Miramar. This stunning district is surrounded by lakes and green areas, with adorable wooden cabins and more traditional houses. Parque Miramar has greatly developed in the last 30 years; the streets were recently paved, and the city had public lighting installed. Many young families are swapping their apartments in Montevideo for a comfy house here.

This city is also in Canelones, and a few minutes away from Parque Miramar. One of the main attractions in it is Costa Urbana, the first shopping mall that was opened right outside of Montevideo, as a result of the quick development of the area. The shopping mall has a cinema, shops, a supermarket and public offices in an effort to decentralize all services from Montevideo. This has resulted in more residents arriving in this district every month.

Of all these cities, Lagomar is the one that experienced the earliest development. This is the main city in Ciudad de la Costa where all types of services can be found: restaurants, shops, health centers and various other kinds of stores. The shops and venues are mostly located on Giannattasio Avenue, which is the main road that divides the district in two. Note that the city’s name is a combination of the Spanish words for “lake” and “sea,” which should give you an idea of the beauty of this area.

As with the previous city, this name is a mix of the Spanish words for “sun” and “sea” – so who wouldn’t want to live here? This is in one of the eastern districts where both young and old families settle to enjoy a slow-paced living, with less traffic and no rush. This city is also divided in two halves by Giannattasio Avenue, and has four different areas: Solymar Norte, Solymar Sur (the southern area, in front of a magnificent beach), Lomas de Solymar and Montes de Solymar.

Living in El Pinar is almost like being on vacation all year long. Most of its streets remain unpaved, so it resembles a summer destination. The houses are big, the green spaces are many and the vegetation is abundant. In fact, the city owes its name to the pine trees planted all over it. This romantic and picturesque city is surrounded by water, with Arroyo Pando to one side and the Atlantic Ocean to the other. The luckiest of those living here have their houses literally next to the beach. Staying one or two days in El Pinar is a great way to experience Uruguay in a unique way.