Carrasco

Visitors to Uruguay should be sure to explore Carrasco, a Montevideo barrio, or neighborhood, situated on the city’s southeast coast. It once served as an elegant seaside resort and has since evolved into one of Montevideo’s most exclusive areas. Architectural styles are diverse in Carrasco, and residents are traditionally some of the most cultured. The neighborhood is also popular with English-speaking expatriates. 
Carrasco has a long, sandy beach area and is close to Uruguay’s main airport. The barrio’s name comes from Salvador Sebastian Carrasco, one of the first settlers of Montevideo. The area is also home to the historic 1921 Hotel Casino Carrasco, which currently operates as Hotel Sofitel Montevideo Casino Carrasco and Spa.
Another Carrasco attraction is the Stella Maris Church, a Roman Catholic parish built in 1918. It was one of the first structures in Carrasco and was dedicated to Our Lady, Star of the Sea. The church has a wooden Christ Pantocrator in the main altar and an image of Uruguay’s patron saint, the Virgin of the Thirty-Three, visible from the front yard. 

Practical Info

Carrasco borders Punta Gorda on the west, Carrasco Norte to the north and Canelones Department to the east. Carrasco is known for its fine-sand beach, which is also one of the busiest beaches in Montevideo.