Las Vegas exists almost entirely thanks to one of the largest artificial structures in the American Southwest: the Hoover Dam. Before the dam was built in the 1930s, this part of Nevada was little more than a desert railway stop. The arrival of water and electricity made the city's growth possible, turning one of the most arid territories in the United States into a place with millions of visitors, enormous hotels, artificial fountains and thousands of lights blazing twenty-four hours a day.
Las Vegas is probably one of the most unusual cities in the United States. Not so much for its history or monuments, but because it seems built entirely around entertainment.
It sits in the middle of the Mojave Desert, surrounded by mountains and arid landscapes, and that contrast alone is striking. Whether you arrive by car or by plane, you go from near-empty desert to a massive concentration of hotels, glowing screens, traffic and people from every corner of the world.
It is a city that deliberately leans into excess, and that is precisely why it manages to create an experience unlike anywhere else.
Las Vegas is mainly divided between its historic downtown and its modern showcase.
Fremont Street, in the original downtown, still holds the atmosphere of old Las Vegas: neon signs, historic casinos, live music and architecture that strongly recalls the American aesthetic of the 1960s and 70s.
The Strip, on the other hand, is the most photographed part of the city. This is where the enormous themed resorts are concentrated, each imitating a famous city or landmark: Venice, Paris, New York, ancient Egypt.
Walking along the Strip feels almost like moving through a giant film set. Everything is designed to keep you in a constant state of wonder: massive screens, choreographed fountains, vast interiors, shops, restaurants and casinos open at any hour.
Even though much of it is deliberately artificial, Las Vegas works precisely because it never tries to seem authentic. It is a city built to entertain, and it makes no effort to hide that.
The casinos are at the heart of city life.
Inside, time seems to disappear: few windows, lights always on, and a constant hum of slot machines, music and people moving between tables and gaming floors.
The most interesting thing, though, is not the gambling itself but the kind of atmosphere it creates. Inside the casinos you meet an enormously varied crowd: tourists, groups of friends, professionals, retirees, people there for one night and others who seem to orbit almost entirely around the game.
Las Vegas changes tempo again at night. The city keeps moving until morning, with clubs, rooftops, concerts and shows that maintain the same energy regardless of the hour.
One of the things that struck me most about Las Vegas is how completely the landscape changes the moment you leave the city.
After just a few kilometres the lights vanish entirely and only the desert remains. It is probably this contrast that makes Las Vegas feel even more extraordinary: on one side a city full of screens, hotels and noise, on the other one of the quietest and emptiest environments in the United States.
From Las Vegas you can easily reach some of the most famous natural areas in the American Southwest, spanning Nevada and Arizona.
The Grand Canyon, for example, is just a few hours away. The drive perfectly captures the transition from Nevada's artificial city to the rocky landscapes of Arizona: canyons, red desert, gorges and endless roads surrounded by almost nothing.
Less famous areas like Red Rock Canyon and Valley of Fire also reveal just how geologically impressive the land around Las Vegas really is.
The most interesting thing about Las Vegas, in the end, is probably the constant tension between the artificial and the natural.
On one side you have the casinos, the lights and a city built almost against all geographic logic. On the other side you have the silence of the desert, the canyons and landscapes that have existed for millions of years.
Visiting Las Vegas lets you experience both in the same trip. And often, after a few days among hotels and neon, it is the desert and the vast open spaces outside the city that leave the strongest memory.