By Connie Marianacci
Capital of Uruguay, Montevideo is a beautiful city bordering the Rio de la Plata River. Even though it is not a location known for something that makes it stand out like tango in Buenos Aires it is still a great destination. The city has a very European feel, including the architecture and its "look and feel". Walking around the streets and admiring the history is just breathtaking, and the plazas within the cities make nature and architecture come together.
There are a lot of cultural activities available, nice neighborhoods like Pocitos, Del Cerro, Reus, Carrasco, El Prado, Palermo to walk around, the beach, the puerto and a lot of night life.
The oldest neighborhood is Ciudad Vieja, where you can now observe architecture from the colonial age. It was previously called La Ciudadela, and it was protected by a wall and it included forts and other military buildings. At the end of this area, close to the piers is the Mercado del Puerto where it is a must. Food is very good and traditional.
The beach is close to the city, making a very extensive area of beaches and the famous Rambla where locals walk and enjoy themselves. This is quite a luxury if you are going to school during the morning and want to relax in the afternoon. This is definitely a location for doing water sports, bird watching and fishing.
From Montevideo, it is very easy to go to Punta del Este, the most famous and largest beach resort location in Uruguay where during summer it is the vacation destination for many Argentinean, Brazilian and many locals.
Regarding the weather, during winter (June-August) it can get quite cold, sometimes temperatures below freezing so I would say going during spring and summer (about 28ºC).
All in all, this is a great location, with different styles and this to do coming together in one point, Montevideo.