Paraguay cannot boast of such an abundance of attractions as its neighbors, but the country is distinguished by its uniqueness and originality of tourist destinations, many of which have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Of course, the first undisputed leader is the Iguazu Falls, which is located partly in Paraguay, as well as in Argentina and Brazil. In fact, Iguazu is a huge cascade of 275 waterfalls about 70 meters high. The largest and most impressive of them is the famous “Devil’s Throat” – a waterfall about 300 meters wide. Since ancient times, Iguazu has been impressing people with its incredible power; many legends and legends are associated with it, which the locals still believe in. According to simplyyellowpages, a special concentration of attractions is noted in the capital of Paraguay, the city of Asuncion. Special attention here deserves the National Pantheon of Heroes in the Plaza de Los Heroes, designed to remind people of the heroic past of Paraguay and all those who left their lives in the struggle for the independence of the country. No less interesting in Asuncion are places such as the Museo del Baro Visual Art Center, the Andres Barbero Ethnographic Museum, the Museum of Folk Crafts, the National Museum of Art and the Cathedral. In Asuncion, there is an interesting tourist route in its surroundings called “Central Circuit”, on which you can briefly see all the best objects in the area. The route includes the town of Luque, specialized in the production of musical instruments, especially harps, the Gothic church in San Lorenzo, the former capital of Piribebuy, the resort of La Quinta, where horse riding is popular, and much more. In Paraguay, you should definitely visit the ruins of the missionary orders of the Jesuits, which are about 400 years old; they have been preserved in the cities of La Santisima-Trinidad de Parana and Jesus de Tavarangue. The buildings left by the missionaries amaze with their minimalism and austerity. All of them are recognized UNESCO World Heritage Sites. There are two extremely unusual Catholic churches in Paraguay: in the city of Aregua there is a church – a rocket, and in Jaguaron – a one-story large-scale church made of only wood. One of the most grandiose sights of Paraguay is the Itaipu Dam on the Parana River, located in the eastern part of the country and is the most powerful in the world. This grandiose project from an engineering point of view has unexpectedly become a popular natural object. The dam area is home to a lot of rare species of birds and fish, this is a place for spectacular fishing, water sports and just a light picnic against the backdrop of a Paraguayan miracle: an incredible harmony of high technology and nature. You can fully feel the spirit of the “wild” Paraguay in the Chaco region, which is located on a plateau overgrown with shrubs about 500 meters high. Here, near the canyon and along the local rivers, only rare groups of ethnic Indians live, who often lead a nomadic lifestyle, like their ancestors centuries ago.
National cuisine of Paraguay
The modern cuisine of Paraguay is a bright cocktail of ancient Indian traditions and European taste standards. Due to the strong geographical division, each region of the country has developed its own taste habits. In the arid region of Chaco, grains and legumes with meat are especially popular, in the south and southeast of the country the cuisine is somewhat closer to European, vegetables, fresh herbs, meat and dairy products are more often used here. The active use of corn, maize and cassava, as well as the cooking of meat on an open fire, is a factor that unites the cuisines of all regions of Paraguay. Classic Paraguayan dishes are: nutritious appetizer “milanesa”, pies with various fillings “empanadas”, corn porridge “locro”, meatballs “soo-kui”, soup with noodles and rice “soyo-sopi”, tortillas with egg and cheese “chipa”, vegetable stew “saltado” and, of course, the world famous paella and cold tomato soup “gazpacho”. The heart of palmitos, candied fruits and mbaipi-hee, an original porridge made from milk, molasses and cereals, are used as a dessert. Definitely the country’s most common drink is mate, an herbal tea made from the yerba mate plant. Often there is also “mosto” – the sweet juice of sugar cane. Local alcohol is “chacha” or “kacha” – a local moonshine based on honey and sugar cane juice. In Paraguay, the production of local beers, rum and sweet liquors is well developed.
