The Paraguayan countryside offers many opportunities for rural tourism. There may be few dramatic sights, but there are plenty of places that are worth a visit.
With the local tourism industry being quite low key many places get few visitors.
It is a land that rewards the independant travellers. I have been living here many years and can still, without travelling too far, find new places to visit.
The lack of casual tourists or a set tourist trail can make everywhere seem like a new discovery. You will not be following in the footsteps of countless others.
One example of this was the circular tour I took recently from here in Piribebuy. Along the way I was able to visit places I had never been before and comfortably fit everything into a day.
I started my day early by travelling up to Piribebuy.
Piribebuy is a very pleasant country town. It is in addition to being a historic town a tourist centre. Somewhere well worth a visit.
This day however it was for me just somewhere to pass through as I was heading north up to Ruta 2, the main east-west route across Paraguay.
From there it was just 10km on a wide modern road to Caacupe.
Caacupe is another of those towns that anyone in this part of Paraguay should visit.
It is the religious centre of Paraguay and as such home to a couple of fine churches, including the Basillica of Caacupe which contains the statue of the Virgin of Caacupe.
As with Piribebuy however being somewhere I knew very well I was just passing through on the way to new adventures.
These began just south of Caacupe.
To take in fresh sights I headed south out of Caacupe, taking me away from the towns I knew best.
A little way south of the town I found the road dropped suddenly from the plateau of the Cordillera Hills and down to the lowlands below.
My first surprise of the day was to find that at the very lip of the hill a staricase had been built. A two story staircase just sitting there by the side of the road.
It did look rather out of place but I was intrigued.
Checking I discovered the hill of which the summit I was on was called Sugar Hill. Possibly a reflection of the large amount of sugar cane that is grown in the area.
Anyway the only thing to do was to climb the stairs and see why they were there.
That reason was the view. From the top there was a fine view out over the lowlands. A view that stretched almost from horizon to horizon. It was not though the sort of place I would have seen following an organized tour.
From the hilltop the road decended swiftly into the flat low country and I was on the way to my next destination.
That was the town of Pirayu.
Pirayu was once a stop on the Paraguayan rail network and still retains it’s station.
Located on the edge of town the station was easy to find.
There was a large car park, so it’s possible that summer weekends there may be a good number of visitors. For me though with it not being summer I had the place to myself.
When visiting places in Paraguay you will often find you have them to yourself. Something that only adds to the feeling of adventure and discovery.
Here at Pirayu I found a well kept station and an old steam locomotive.
The train engine was sitting on a short section of track outside the station for all to see. No fences or wires to seperate the exhibit from the public, which is how such things always are in Paraguay.
Accessible and there to be enjoyed.
Behind it sat the old train station.
That had been restored and was clearly well cared for. Clean, crisp paintwork all over.
Within I found a small museum dedicated to the railways of Paraguay.
I discovered that it was open just Fridays and weekends, so it was fortunate I was there on a Friday.
The small enterance fee was good value and helps pay for the upkeep.
As I was their only visitor I was given a guided tour and a knowledgeable and well informed talk about the trains.
After that there was one more stop for me in Pirayu. The town church.
Every town in Paraguay takes great pride in it’s church. They are almost universally well maintained and always worth a visit when passing though anywhere.
From Piriayu I continued travelling south.
My next stop was little more than a mural and a signpost, but being a historic location was somewhere I wanted to stop off.
That was Cerro Leon. Not really a settlement, more a site.
Here during the Triple Aliiance War of the late 19th century there was a large military camp. 30,000 Paraguayan troops mustered at Cerro Leon before heading off to give battle to the Bazilians.
As it was just a transient, temporary structure there is little to see now, but for anyone interested in Paraguayan or military history it is a place worth visiting.
After a stop there to take in the surroundings I carried on south down to my last destination for the day.
That was the town of Paraguari.
Again a town that I know well and a place worth a visit in it’s own right.
Paraguari is the largest town in the area and a busy market town. In the town centre there is a large covered market which is somewhere to explore in the mornings when it is a hive of activity.
The town also has, like everywhere in Paraguay, a fine church. Often the gates of the churchyard are locked but if ever they are open the opportunity to look at the church close up should not be missed.
Futhermore with Paraguari being a larger town there are a number of restaurants around town in which to stop and have lunch.
Finally with my day’s exploring done it was time to head back up into the Cordillera Hills to Piribebuy and home.
All in all a very rewarding day out. Through pretty countryside at little towns all of which were worth a visit.
Touring through much of Paraguay offers gentle days out like this.
With many of the sights, such as I visited being small and fairly low key it benifits to plan a trip that will take in several in one journey.
Please do get in contact if you would like any futher advice or infomation about sightseeing in Paraguay
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