Montevideo

Montevideo needs 3 days: the Ciudad Vieja (Old Town), with the Mercado del Puerto and its traditional grill restaurants, on one, the Rambla, the world's longest continuous waterfront promenade (over 20 km), on another, and the Prado neighborhood with its mansions and Botanical Garden on the third. November-March has the best weather, though the city is walkable year-round. It's cheaper than Buenos Aires for lodging and food. It's consistently ranked South America's capital with the highest quality of life in international rankings, and its Mercado del Puerto, with grills operating since the 19th century, is the birthplace of the Uruguayan variant of Río de la Plata-style asado.