Piriápolis

In 1890 Francisco Piria, an Argentine born of Italian parents, purchased the land between the town of Pan de Azúcar and the Río de la Plata. It became his private residence, but Piria saw the tourism potential of the land and began developing his "Piriápolis" to resemble a French coast town. Piriápolis is nowadays a laid-back beachfront enclave that lacks the sophistication—and the exorbitant prices—of nearby Punta del Este, but it's popular with middle-class Uruguayans. Piriápolis has plenty of stores and restaurants, a casino, and the grand Argentino Hotel, the town's crown jewel, built in the old European tradition with spas and thermal pools.