Everyday practical information for Uruguay

Power

• 230 V, 50 Hz, sockets type C, F and L.
• Type L is the Italian three-pin in line, which is the one nobody's universal adapter handles well. A European two-pin fits the C and F sockets.

Language

• Spanish, and a distinctive one. Uruguayan Spanish uses vos rather than tu, and pronounces ll and y as a soft "sh".
• English is spoken in hotels and tourism and much less elsewhere. This is not a country where you get by on English alone outside Montevideo and Punta.
• Portuguese is understood near the Brazilian border.

Mate

• The thermos under the arm is not an affectation. Mate is drunk constantly, in the street, at work and while driving, and hot water taps for refilling flasks are provided at petrol stations.
• If you are offered the gourd, drink it and pass it back. Do not stir the straw.

The day

• Dinner is late, from about 21:00.
• Sunday afternoon closes the country, and January is when Uruguayans themselves are on holiday.
• Time is UTC-3, with no daylight saving since 2015.