By road, Montevideo and Rivera are about 314 miles (505 km) apart, or roughly 6 h 41 min of driving.
Full advisory: Uruguay. Advisory issued: Uruguay July 28, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Uruguay: “Traffic fatalities are high in Uruguay.”
| Distance | 314 mi (505 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 6 h 41 min |
| Departments on the route | Montevideo, Canelones, Florida, Durazno, Tacuarembó, Rivera |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 12.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
How the Montevideo to Rivera drive plays out
It runs through 6 departments: Montevideo, Canelones, Florida, Durazno, Tacuarembó, Rivera. Of the 9 stops listed below, 7 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Montevideo and Rivera
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–314 | 314 | Montevideo, Canelones, Florida, Durazno, Tacuarembó, Rivera |
- Mile 15 of this route: Montevideo → Canelones (department line)
- Mile 42 of this route: Canelones → Florida (department line)
- Mile 108 of this route: Florida → Durazno (department line)
- Mile 157 of this route: Durazno → Tacuarembó (department line)
- Mile 265 of this route: Tacuarembó → Rivera (department line)
Places worth a stop between Montevideo and Rivera
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): María Auxiliadora, Colón, Montevideo (mile 11), Museo del Observatorio Meteorológico y Astronómico (mile 11), Museo de la Uva y el Vino (mile 17), Cathedral of Florida (mile 62), Casa de Rivera, Durazno (mile 117), Cathedral of Tacuarembó (mile 245), Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (mile 247)
- Nature and outdoors: Chorro de Agua Fría (mile 219)
- Museums and history: Museo de la Uva y el Vino (mile 17), Museo Julio Sosa (mile 17), Cathedral of Florida (mile 62), Casa de Rivera, Durazno (mile 117), Cathedral of Tacuarembó (mile 245)
- With kids: Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (mile 247)
María Auxiliadora, Colón, Montevideo
Completed in 1877, the María Auxiliadora parish church is a Roman Catholic church in the Villa Colón area of Montevideo.
Museo del Observatorio Meteorológico y Astronómico
Inside the Colegio Pío IX in the Lezica neighborhood, the Museo del Observatorio Meteorológico y Astronómico was Uruguay's first meteorological observatory.
Museo de la Uva y el Vino
Museo de la Uva y el Vino is a museum of grapes and wine in Las Piedras, Canelones, known as Uruguay's grape and wine capital.
Museo Julio Sosa
Museo Julio Sosa is a cultural space and museum that honors Julio Sosa, a leading Uruguayan tango singer who found success in Argentina.
Cathedral of Florida
Florida's cathedral basilica is also Uruguay's national shrine of the Virgin of the Thirty-Three, the country's patroness, and keeps the original image; look for its bronze door by sculptor José Belloni and his son Stelio, stained glass and domes.
Casa de Rivera, Durazno
Facing Plaza Independencia in Durazno, the Casa de Fructuoso Rivera (Casa de Rivera) is one of the town's main heritage sites and now houses the department's historical museum.
Chorro de Agua Fría
In Uruguay's Tacuarembó Department, Chorro de Agua Fría is a waterfall that drops roughly 14 meters, the highest uninterrupted fall in the country.
Cathedral of Tacuarembó
Saint Fructuosus Cathedral is the main Catholic church of Tacuarembó, Uruguay, and has been the seat of the local diocese since 1960.
Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba
Reachable from Route 5 at kilometer 390, the Mauricio López Lomba reserve is a wildlife reserve in the city of Tacuarembó, Uruguay.
More drives to Rivera
- Maldonado to Rivera
- Buenos Aires to Rivera, Uruguay
- Rosario, Argentina to Rivera, Uruguay
- Santa Fe to Rivera, Uruguay
- La Plata to Rivera, Uruguay
- San Nicolás de los Arroyos to Rivera, Uruguay
From Montevideo to other places in Uruguay
- Montevideo to Veinticinco de Agosto
- Montevideo to Piriápolis
- Montevideo to Florida, Uruguay
- Montevideo to Minas
- Montevideo to Conchillas
- Montevideo to Mercedes, Uruguay
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Montevideo to Rivera?
About 6 h 41 min of driving without stops, over 314 miles.
How far is Rivera from Montevideo by car?
About 314 miles (505 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Montevideo to Rivera drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Uruguay Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Where can you stop on the way from Montevideo to Rivera?
Closest to the road: Museo de la Uva y el Vino (museum, mile 17, 0.4 mi from the route); Casa de Rivera, Durazno (historic house museum, mile 117, 0.3 mi from the route); Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (zoo, mile 247, 0.1 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on October 10, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.