Best of the Web

Keen to get hold of more travel and expat living information on Uruguay? Then we have some good news: UruguayNow's writers have scoured the internet to bring you our top picks. Our basic criteria are that the sites have to be at least partly in English, have a strong focus on Uruguay (of course!) and they have to be active. Our top six for 2011 are:

Ola Uruguay: www.olauruguay.com

Marvellously useful site. Ola's trump card is its wealth of practical info on buying, building and renovating property. The site regularly uncovers bargain real estate buys, but it also contains features on everything from the future of Uruguay's railways and a history of bullfighting in Colonia del Sacramento, to tips on how to reduce your electricity bill. A real find – and constantly updated.

Mercopress: http://en.mercopress.com/

Best news resource in English on Uruguay by a country mile. Visit for breaking news, features and analysis on Uruguay, plus the Mercosur trade bloc, Argentina, Brazil and (surprisingly enough) the Falkland Islands. Highly recommended.

Southern Cone Travel: http://southernconeguidebooks.blogspot.com/

Undoubtedly the best blog on the Southern Cone countries (Argentina, Chile and Uruguay). This thoughtful, funny and – on occasions – argumentative site is penned by Wayne Bernhardson, author of the Moon Handbooks to Argentina, Chile & Easter Island, Buenos Aires (the latter covers parts of Uruguay), and Patagonia & the Falkland Islands. Insightful coverage of the Botnia paper pulp plant that is still a cause of friction between Uruguay and Argentina. Bernhardson also uses his blog to campaign against reciprocal entry fees which affect North Americans and others in several Latin American countries – but not Uruguay.

Retired in Uruguay: http://wallyinuruguay.blogspot.com/

Wally Glass details his ongoing struggle against mosquitoes, brushes with officialdom, a recurring dental problem and love of karaoke in charming detail. What makes this blog a winner is the writer's profound connection with his new community on the coast in Canelones and – fundamentally – the honesty and clarity of his observations.

Uruguay Natural: www.uruguaynatural.com

Uruguay's official travel site is strong on ecotourism and sports. Contains very comprehensive (although necessarily uncritical) accommodation lists, particularly for estancias and farms that take guests. Full of fresh ideas – like whale-watching – for your trips to Uruguay. It's just a pity the English translation of the Spanish original is so hit-and-miss.

Global Property Guide: http://www.globalpropertyguide.com/Latin-America/Uruguay

What would international real estate writers do without the stats and insight of the Global Travel Guide team? The same holds true, for that matter, for anyone planning to buy property in Uruguay. What makes this site so useful is its wealth of comparative data (Uruguay versus Argentina, Uruguay versus Brazil, etc.) and the manifest sense that information is collated and presented with the best interests of the reader in mind.