Travel Guide Villarrica

Villarrica is a city apart in Paraguay. Its inhabitants with a singing accent have a reputation for doing everything backwards. The popular expression gua'i (de Guaíra) is used to describe someone who behaves strangely, and there are many jokes circulating about how the people of Villarrica behave. It's probably the artistic and rebellious side of the city that stands out. Villarrica has seen the growth of illustrious artists such as the poets Natalicio Talavera (1839-1867) and Manuel Ortiz Guerrero, or the harpist Félix Cardoso. The "City of Worship" wants to be free and modern, and its inhabitants like to define it as the "Capital of the Republic of Guaíra"! It is a lively university town, which also has an interesting historical heritage Villa Rica del Espíritu Santo was founded in 1570 by Spanish captain Ruy Díaz de Melgarejo in the former province of Guayrá in present-day Brazil. It was also nicknamed "la andagariega" ("the wanderer") because it changed its location seven times between 1570 and 1690, when it settled permanently where it is today. A monument in the Plaza de los Héroes tells the story of these displacements, imposed to flee the attacks of the São Paolo bandeirantes. In 1889, the railway linked Villarrica to Paraguarí and later to Encarnación, which allowed the development of the town. The old train station is still in place and is well worth a visit. Villarrica also has 80 buildings of architectural interest listed by the National University of Asunción. Apart from the colonnaded houses, you can admire some neoclassical and Art Nouveau buildings. The municipal palace (1913) rests on a former Franciscan convent, itself built on a Jesuit cemetery. The Ybarotý Church, built in 1959, has an original Romanesque style. You can also visit the Banco Nacional de Fomento (1890) in neoclassical style, the Club El Porvenir (1919), a mixture of Art Nouveau and neoclassical, and the neo-Romanesque cathedral (1891), in the shape of a Latin cross. Hiking enthusiasts will not fail to explore the Ybytyruzú Cordillera and climb to the summit of Cerro Tres Kandú (842 m), the highest point in the country. The Tourist Information Office of Guairá Department, Turista Róga, is located at the northern entrance of the city, Bvd Rio Apa (+595 994214916). It is open every day from 7am to 7pm. Nice welcome, and we can put you in touch with local guides. Finally, if you're in the area in February, don't miss the "Carnaval Guaireño", or "Carnaval Gua'i", the biggest carnival in Paraguay after the one in Encarnación.