Costa Serena: BUE - BUE - BUE10A02

     Montevideo is the picturesque capital city of Uruguay, nicknamed the "South American Switzerland", and the country's commercial and cultural centre. It is a highly prosperous city with many historical and architectural attractions and a lively social life often centred around the many street cafés. 'Love your guest' is a popular local saying.
     The heart of Montevideo is the atmospheric old city, a stone's throw away from ultra modern skyscrapers. The city enjoys an atmosphere similar to Rio de Janeiro, Salvador Bahia and Buenos Aires, and its one-and-a-half-million inhabitants account for half the country's total population. Particularly attractive is Plaza Independencia and the Sarandi area, the cultural centre of the city, where the Torres Garcia a Museum is located, nearby to where Jorge Luis Borges used to stroll. The Cathedral is the spiritual centre of the city.
     The best shopping is to be found near the port where there are colourful market stalls open 24 hours a day, plus entertaining street artists and musicians. The area also includes several restaurants where dishes such as parrillada chivito, a highly flavoured steak sandwich, are among the staple diet. Other notable shopping districts include the Pocitos, Carrasco, Punta Carretas and Tres Cruces quarters.

     Punta del Este is the Monte Carlo of Uruguay, the most exclusive resort in the country. The marina is a scene of millionaire's yachts, expensive bars and chic boutiques.
     The city is a magnet for the rich and famous of Latin American society, from politicians to pop stars. An all-year-round sporting paradise, the resort offers a host of activities including deep-sea fishing, golf and a variety of watersports, plus a casino and several exclusive clubs. The city is one of charming architecture and elegant buildings, with top-class restaurants and prestigious art galleries.
     The residential areas are characterised by luxurious houses and delightful gardens. Nearby there are numerous parks including Isla Gorriti, which features the remains of an 18th Century fortress. The Isla de Lobos nature reserve is visited each year by one of the largest colonies of sea-lions.

     The cityscape of Rio de Janeiro and its spectacular surroundings are one of the world's magnificent scenes. It combines a vibrant, teeming city with glorious coastline and awe-inspiring landscape. The area was first discovered in 1502 by a relatively unknown Portuguese navigator, Gaspar de Lemos. He called the city Rio de Janeiro, 'January River', because he thought he was at the mouth of a river and that the adjacent bays were a miracle of geology. Initially, the Portuguese did not focus much attention on the area, despite its natural beauty, and preferred the more spiritual Salvador.
     Consequently Rio was subjected to several influences, notably periods of French and Spanish rule. The Portuguese gained control again in the 16th Century and over a period of 150 years erected a series of six major forts along the coast and in the hills. The city became a departure point for large amounts of gold extracted inland to be shipped to the Iberian coast. Inevitably this precious cargo attracted the attention of pirates and Rio was attacked on a number of occasions, the most serious of which was in 1711 when the city was set on fire. Despite this and hostilities from native Indians, during the 1800s thousands of European settlers continued to come to the city to seek their fortune.
     The biggest influx was from Germany, Italy and Portugal. The present population of Rio is some seven million people, Brazil's second largest city. The statue of Christ towering above Rio on Corcovado mountain is one of the world's best known sights, along with Påo de Açucar (Sugar Loaf Mountain). The Rio coastline along the Atlantic Ocean extends for some 320km and includes probably the best known beach in the world, Copacabana, as well as several other excellent beaches, notably Ipanema and Barra.
     The luxury hotels that line the coast form a striking contrast to the favelas shanty towns on the hillsides behind. According to a local saying, happiness is found in the small things: a cool beer on the beach ('chopp' is cheaper than water), the rhythms of samba music, a jog along the Copacabana. Plus of course the world-famous Rio carnival and the national obsession - soccer. The Brazilian joy for life, 'saudade', is symbolised in the thrilling city of Rio.

     The Brazilian island resort of Ilhabela is renowned for its extraordinary and varied beaches. There are at least 50 beaches in the vicinity in a wide range of landscapes, including sweeping bays, rocky inlets and wide shorelines. Some have extensive facilities for watersports and other beach activities, others are devoted to the art of relaxation amid a beautiful natural environment that attracts a wide variety of bird life.
     A canal leading to the mainland, with strong winds and currents, is particularly popular with windsurfers and sailors. The island, including the district of São Sebastião, beautifully displays Brazilian efforts to develop seaside facilities in harmony with nature.
     Long before attracting thousands of tourists with its charm, Ilhabela was a popular destination with pirates and buccaneers who used its bays and canal for shelter while they counted their treasure or made repairs to their ships. Some were so taken with the surrounding beauty that they settled in the area, becoming fishermen and building homes.
     According to the language of the Tupinambá natives, the island's original name was 'Ciribaí' which means 'peaceful place'. The area was given the name São Sebastião during journeys to the new continent by Italian navigator Amérigo Vespucci, who presented it to the Portuguese Crown.
     The island's commerce flourished during the 17th and 18th centuries, with the creation of several villages, including Villa Bella da Princeza, which with 3,000 inhabitants was the most highly populated centre in the archipelago, with extensive sugar cane plantations. Unsurprisingly, the most flourishing industry today is tourism.

     A stunning city of complex culture, tradition and charm, Buenos Aires is an extraordinary melting pot of the various civilisations that have contributed to its development. The years immediately after its colonisation by Spain in the 16th Century - it was founded by Spanish noble Pedro de Mendoza in 1536 - were marked by turbulence and resistance at the hands of the native Indian tribes, the Querandì.
     Development of the town was interrupted several times and in 1580 it was rebuilt at the mouth of the Paranà river. But by the time of Argentine independence in 1816 and into the 20th Century, Buenos Aires had become one of the most dynamic cities in South America, attracting thousands of European immigrants.
     The Italians, French, English, Germans, Dutch and Belgians all established their own distinctive communities, contributing to what French architect Le Corbusier described in 1922 as a giant urban centre of insatiable energy. The Buenos Aires of today is no less energetic, evident in every metre of the huge conurbation that is home to 12 million people, one third of the total population of Argentina. The setting of Buenos Aires is spectacular, lying on the estuary of the River Plate and surrounded by vast pampas.
     The city is blessed with numerous art galleries and museums reflecting its multi-cultural influences. Tree-lined streets and various plazas give the city centre a pleasant, European atmosphere and the downtown area is packed with restaurants, bars and fashionable shops. The nearby barrios are particularly interesting, home of some of the city's wealthiest citizens. One of the most colourful quarters is the Italian suburb of La Boca, lined with wooden houses painted in yellow and blue, the colour of the Boca Juniors soccer team. The residents can be heard speaking in the Ligurian dialect of their Italian ancestors.