La Floresta is a city and resort on the Costa de Oro (Coast of Gold) of the Canelones Department in Uruguay.

The city is located 54 kilometres (34 mi) to the east of Montevideo and separated from Parque del Plata by the stream Arroyo Solís Chico.

La Floresta was formed in 1909 when Dr. Miguel Perea, lawyer and founder of several banks, began planting pine and eucalyptus trees on a large area of sandy ground between the Sarandí and Solís Chico streams and from the town Mosquitos (known today as Soca) to the River Plate.

The Hotel La Floresta contained a casino which was closed at the beginning of the 21st century and a cinema theatre that still operates during the summer.

[citation needed] At the first Sculptures Encounter, many international artists were present, including Juan Carlos Mercury and Adriana Baddi from Argentina, Beatriz Carbonell from Spain, Eddy Walrave and Erik Verhelst from Belgium, Brenda Oakes from Wales and Giorgio Carlevaro from Uruguay.