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Montevideo is a vibrant city of contrasts. It combines an international port and economic center for the whole of Uruguay with a seaside resort consisting of sandy streets and pine forests.

In between these contrasting east and western ends of the city is the financial heart of the country and the well-to-do residential areas facing the coast.

The capital, which was founded in 1726, contains much of its original colonial Spanish and Italian architecture, mixed with more modern French and Art Deco styles. The city is home to a café society full of picturesque plazas perfectly placed for hours of people watching, listening to tango music, eating pizza or asado (barbecue) and wandering around the indoor and outdoor markets.

A stroll along the metropolitan waterfront can be a pleasant experience, with the Rambla Naciones Unidas walkway connecting the nine sandy beaches that line the seafront.