Uruguay - Tim Burford

They won the first soccer World Cup and there's a lot of beef raised on the pampa. That's all most people know about Uruguay. Bradt's Uruguay remains the only dedicated English-language guide to a country that's small yet bursting with character showing that the adventurous tourist can uncover much more. It provides in-depth coverage of the capital Montevideo, where the colonial Old City is being restored. There's also detailed information on the coastal city of Colonia (which is on UNESCO's World Heritage List) as well as Punta del Este, where the Buenos Aires beautiful crowd flocks to the beaches each summer. There's advice, too, for active travellers who can rattle their whips on cattle-ranching estancias and spin their sticks in a game of polo or two and for nature enthusiasts keen to watch wildlife in the western wetlands and birds in Cabo Polonio and Santa Teresa. Plus, the book investigates the Brazilian influences behind Uruguay's music and dance, and the country's Afro-Uruguayan culture, most noticeable in Carnaval.