SPECIAL REPORT
4. Motorsport madness
If one’s an adrenaline junkie, stick around for the Trans-
Chaco Rally, held across October and November in the
north of the country. This three-day motorsports event
is considered one of the toughest competitions
ns in
the industry and it easily draws thousands of
spectators.
5. Fabulous festivals
As in much of South America, Paraguay’s
festivals are vital for its national identity.
Every spring, before Lent, a version of carnival
explodes onto the streets in Encarnación.
6. Paraguay has America’s biggest feline
With luck and patience, one might just see puma,
jaguar and tapir prowling on the plains. Paraguay’s jaguars
grow up to 1.85m. This handsome beast can be seen in the
Atinguý refuge or in Asunción’s Jardín Zoológico (Zoological
Garden).
Paraguay waiting to mesmerize the Indian tourist – the city
of Asunción is the national capital while the busy Ciudad
del Este is home to the famous Iguazú Falls. Some other
key cities in Paraguay are Aregua, Pillar, Concepción and
Villeta (with little violet).
C
Cabildo is the national cultural centre
ho
housing the old legislative colonial building.
T
The country’s historic independence is
commemorated by the landmark of Casa de
la Independencia, and Panteón de los Héroes
y Oratorio de la Virgen Nuestra Señora Santa
M
María is the Paraguayan national memorial site
w
where many heroes lie buried. The Palacio de
Lóp
López, also called Palacio de Gobierno or Palacio
Presid
Presidencial is the Paraguayan Government House.
The renovated Teatro Municipal Ignacio A. Pane hosts
regular shows and there is also a nice café where one can
enjoy some great food just in case the opera performances
are postponed.
Here are 15 best tourist spots to visit in Paraguay:
7. Delicious local food
Paraguayan food is simple, hearty, tasty,
and almost always made from two abundant
staples: manioc (or cassava) and corn. This
ultimate street food is Latin America’s answer
to the Cornish pasty: miniature pastry parcels
stuff ed with sweet or savoury fi llings.
8. Pocket-friendly shopping
Though not likely considered one of the
world’s top shopping destinations, Paraguay has s some
incredible bargains to off er. Ciudad del Este, just across the
border from Brazil, is Paraguay’s tax-free shopping haven -
it’s the best place to go for cut-price electronics, perfume,
and designer label items.
9. Traditional markets
For authentic souvenirs in Asunción, as well as everything
else under the sun, look no further than the famous Mercado
Cuatro. At this bustling bazaar, one will fi nd fresh produce
and ripped DVDs alongside colourful birds and spices from
all over the world.
10. Paraguay has green gold
Colonisers expelled Jesuits from Paraguay, believing
they’d hidden gold in their missionary towns. But they found
only “green gold” – the yerba mate tree, used for tea. The
curious tourist must visit the evocative ruins of Trinidad, one
of 30 towns destroyed by gold hunters’ greed.
Best places to visit in Paraguay
There are several UNESCO World Heritage Sites in
1. Asunción – The Capital City
A curious metropolis of more than two
m
million people, it is the beating political,
economic and cultural heart of modern
Paraguay. The centre clings to the eastern
b banks of the Paraguay River, which meanders
a around the downtown along the border with
Ar
Argentina to the west. Here, visitors delve into
what is actually one of the oldest continuously
inhabited cities in the Americas. First raised by the
conquistadores, Asunción was actually the base from which
the Spanish ventured out westwards, to the wilds of Peru
and Patagonia. Today, the town is gilded with the great
Panteón de los Héroes, with throbbing nightlife along the
Paseo Carmelitas.
2. Encarnación
The so-called “Pearl of the South” reclines carefree on
the banks of the Paraná River, drawing crowds of Asuncenos
(people from the capital) during the summer with the promise
of pristine riparian beaches and the country’s most up-and-
coming boardwalk boulevard. Water sports are popular too,
with jet skis buzzing around the meanders of Parana, below
the shimmering high-rises of the city’s all-new residential
neighbourhoods across the bay. And when the relaxation is
done and dusted, one must be sure to get a culture hit at the
UNESCO-attested Jesuit ruins on the edge of the town.
3. Cerro Cora National Park
This pint-sized natural reserve is unquestionably one of
the most dramatic and breath-taking sections of backcountry
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