Tacuarembo

Tacuarembó is the capital of Uruguay's largest department and the centre of its cattle country, and the Fiesta de la Patria Gaucha each March is the biggest gaucho gathering in the country, with riding, horsemanship contests, encampments and music over several days. The town also presses a claim to be the birthplace of Carlos Gardel, disputed by France and Argentina and unlikely ever to be settled, and keeps a museum to him.

What to look for

• The Patria Gaucha festival - the country's largest gaucho gathering, each March.
• The Gardel museum - the town's case for being the singer's birthplace.
• The cattle country - the ranching landscape the department lives on.
• The Indio museum - the collection on the region's indigenous past.

When to go

March for the Patria Gaucha, which is the reason most visitors come. March to November is otherwise most comfortable. Summer here is hot.

Before you go

The Gardel claim is contested and the evidence is not conclusive; the museum presents one side. Outside the festival the town is quiet. Accommodation fills completely in festival week.

Nearby

Valle Eden is southwest, and Cerro Batovi is south.

Key facts