Piriápolis

Uruguay's first purpose-built beach resort, Piriápolis sits on the Maldonado coast between Montevideo and Punta del Este, backed by low hills that give the town an unusual setting for a seaside destination. It predates the better-known Punta del Este and draws a largely domestic crowd alongside visitors from Argentina and Brazil, swelling considerably in the summer months of December through March. A small café and restaurant scene serves the central core year-round.

• Population7,968
• Nearest water from center1.6 km
• Nearest mountain from center1.7 km
• UNESCO within 50 km1