Things to Do in Montevideo in April
April weather, activities, events & insider tips
April Weather in Montevideo
Is April Right for You?
Advantages
- Autumn shoulder season means 30-40% lower accommodation prices compared to peak summer months, with hotels in Pocitos and Ciudad Vieja offering significantly better value while crowds thin out at major attractions like Mercado del Puerto
- Perfect temperature range of 57-71°F (14-22°C) makes this ideal walking weather - you can comfortably explore the 22 km (13.7 miles) of Rambla waterfront promenade without the summer heat exhaustion that hits in January-February
- Local cultural calendar peaks in April with Semana Criolla (Creole Week) typically running late March into early April, giving you access to authentic gaucho culture, traditional asado competitions, and folklore music that tourists visiting in other months completely miss
- Wine harvest season in nearby Canelones region (45 minutes from Montevideo) means bodega tours include fresh grape tastings and you'll catch winemakers actually working the harvest rather than just giving standard tours
Considerations
- Those 10 rainy days aren't gentle drizzles - when it rains in April it tends to come in sustained downpours lasting 2-4 hours, and the city's drainage can't always keep up, leaving some streets in Ciudad Vieja temporarily flooded
- Daylight shrinks to about 11 hours by late April with sunset around 6:15pm, which cuts into your sightseeing time and means popular photo spots along the Rambla lose their golden hour light earlier than you might expect
- The 70% humidity combined with variable temperatures means you'll be doing the annoying jacket-on-jacket-off dance all day - mornings start cool at 57°F (14°C) but by afternoon you're dealing with 71°F (22°C) and sticky air
Best Activities in April
Rambla Waterfront Walking and Cycling Routes
April's mild temperatures make this the absolute best month to tackle the full 22 km (13.7 miles) Rambla that wraps around Montevideo's coastline from Carrasco to Punta Yeguas. The summer crowds have cleared out but weather remains comfortable enough for the 3-4 hour walk or 90-minute bike ride. You'll see locals doing their evening mate ritual along the seawall, and the occasional rain shower actually provides welcome breaks. The UV index of 8 is still serious but nowhere near the brutal January sun.
Mercado del Puerto Food Tours and Asado Experiences
April marks the tail end of Semana Criolla, so the city's carnivorous culture is in full swing. The covered market means weather doesn't matter, and the cooler temperatures actually make standing around hot parrillas more comfortable than summer visits. Lunch service runs 11:30am-4pm when the market is most atmospheric. The 70% humidity keeps the meat from drying out too quickly on the grills, which locals will tell you matters more than tourists realize.
Canelones Wine Region Bodega Tours
April is harvest time (la vendimia) in Uruguay's primary wine region just 45 km (28 miles) north of Montevideo. Unlike the standard tastings you'd get in winter months, April visits often include seeing the actual grape harvest, crushing demonstrations, and tasting must (fresh grape juice before fermentation). The tannat grape harvest peaks mid-to-late April. Weather is perfect for the outdoor vineyard portions - warm enough to be pleasant but not the scorching summer heat that makes walking between vines miserable.
Teatro Solís Opera and Performance Attendance
April falls in the prime performance season before the winter break, and the 1856 theater runs its best programming now. The building itself is worth seeing - guided tours run daily - but actually attending a performance lets you experience Montevideo's cultural life the way locals do. Evening temperatures in the 60s°F (15-18°C) make the walk to and from the theater in Ciudad Vieja pleasant, and you'll avoid the summer tourist crowds in the lobby.
Punta del Este Day Trips
The famous beach resort town 130 km (81 miles) east of Montevideo empties out after summer ends, which means April gives you access to landmarks like La Mano sculpture and Casapueblo without the January crowds. That said, it's too cool for beach swimming - water temps drop to around 64°F (18°C) - so treat this as a sightseeing and restaurant trip rather than a beach day. The 2-hour drive along the coast is actually more scenic in autumn light.
Barrio Sur and Palermo Candombe Music Experiences
April is when the drumming schools (comparsas) start serious practice for the year ahead, and you can catch authentic rehearsals in these historically Afro-Uruguayan neighborhoods rather than staged tourist performances. Sunday afternoons around 4-6pm you'll often hear llamadas (drum processions) happening spontaneously. The cooler evening temperatures make walking these neighborhoods more comfortable than summer, though stick to well-traveled streets and go before dark given the 6:15pm sunset.
April Events & Festivals
Semana Criolla (Creole Week)
This massive gaucho culture festival typically runs the week before Easter (dates shift yearly but usually late March into early April). Held at Parque Prado, it features rodeo competitions, traditional horseback skills demonstrations, folklore music performances, and most importantly for food lovers, competitive asado where the country's best grill masters compete. Entry is usually free or minimal cost (around 200 pesos). It's genuinely for locals rather than tourists, which makes it far more authentic than most cultural events you'll find. Expect crowds on weekend days but relatively easy access on weekday afternoons.
Autumn Wine Harvest Festivals
Various bodegas in Canelones host vendimia (harvest) celebrations throughout April, though specific dates vary by winery and aren't centrally organized. These typically include grape stomping demonstrations, harvest meals featuring seasonal ingredients, and special tastings of previous vintages. Not a single organized event but rather a series of individual bodega celebrations - ask when booking winery tours if any harvest events coincide with your visit.