A little jewel on the River Plate

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Back from Cabo Polonio, it's a quick overnight stop in Montevideo before we head up the norther shore of the Río de la Plata to Colonia del Sacramento.

Colonia - whose historic quarter is Uruguay's sole UNESCO World Heritage Site - was founded in the 17th century by the Portuguese. It acted as a port for the smuggling in of imported goods, to the unsurprising irritation of the Spanish, only just across the water in Buenos Aires. After a number of spats the town was eventually ceded to Spain.

The historic part of town, located at the very tip of a peninsula sticking out into the river just within view of Buenos Aires, is a lovely place to walk around and soak up the atmosphere. Cobbled streets, palm trees and clapped out vintage cars complement the centuries-old architecture beautifully.

Tomorrow afternoon we catch the ferry back across to Buenos Aires before getting our first taste of Argentina's renowned long-distance bus network as we make our way northwards towards Iguazú. First stop on the way is Corrientes Province, home to the Iberá Wetlands - twenty thousand square kilometres of swamps, lakes and lagoons in Argentina´s tropical north, and teeming with plant and animal life.

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