Rocha is the capital of the department of the same name in the Atlantic coast region of Uruguay.
While the department of Rocha is a popular area full of great beach towns, the city of Rocha is a fairly boring administrative capital, not any kind of tourist destination. If you're not travelling for business, you're most likely to end up here when changing buses to get from one beach town to another.
Get in
Buses are available from Montevideo and from other cities in the area. Rocha doesn't have a bus terminal, so instead buses stop at the Plaza Independencia, which is surrounded by offices of the various bus companies. A bus terminal is under construction.
Get around
See
- Plaza Independencia, between Ramírez, 25 de Agosto, Artigas, and 25 de Mayo, -34.480985°, -54.336537°. No Uruguayan city is complete without a centrally located plaza that includes a statue of national hero José Artigas. At this one, unlike most, there are streets pointing directly towards the center of the plaza from all four directions, so if you stand in the middle it looks kind of cool (at least a good photo opportunity). 2017-11-02
- Teatro 25 de Mayo, 25 de Mayo and Dagoberto Vaz Mendoza, -34.481519°, -54.336024°, culturarocha@gmail.com. Historic theater on the Plaza Independencia, built in 1910. 2017-11-02
- Iglesia Nuestra Señora De Los Remedios, -34.480532°, -54.336930°. 2017-11-02
Do
Buy
- Plaza Ansina, Ansina and 18 de Julio, -34.484340°, -54.330130°. Plaza with stands selling clothes, snacks, and miscellaneous items, including a few that would make decent souvenirs. 2017-11-02
Eat
- El Pato, 25 de Mayo and Julián Graña, -34.482587°, -54.337121°, +598 4472 5636. Elegant restaurant with a brick interior and mood lighting. Service is a little slow, so it's better to go up to the cashier to pay rather than paying at your table. $300–500 2017-11-02
- City Café, José P Ramírez and José A Ribot (on the Plaza Independencia), -34.481458°, -54.336961°, +598 4472 4974. Typical Uruguayan fare, including tasty pizza. 2017-11-02
Drink
Sleep
- Doña Vero, Ribot 79, -34.481546°, -54.337133°, +598 44734839, hotel.dona.vero@gmail.com.
- Hotel Municipal, -34.481947°, -54.335543°. Convenient location, but it's run-down and bare-bones, wifi is unreliable at best, and the loud music from the nightclub next door will keep you up. Better to find somewhere else. 2017-11-02
Connect
As usual in Uruguay, free but unreliable public wifi is available at the Plaza Independencia. Use the network "plaza independencia".