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Due to the intermarriage of the Guarani Indian and Spanish civilization, Paraguay is a bilingual country, with aproximately 90% of its population speaking both languages. This historical process has also resulted in a mestizo culture which blends elements both Spanish and Guarani.

CRAFTS:

Aho-poi:
fine clothing hand woven and hand made. This linen cloth is embroidered with threads of the same color, generally white. The typical aho-poi is produced in Yataity. Aho-poi shirts, blouses, tablecloths and napkins, are in very great demand.

Nanduti:
Made of industrialized fine cotton thread, with combinations of many colors, though the most traditional nanduti is white. It is used for centerpieces, mantles, and other display areas where the handwork and color combinations can be best apreciated.

Ceramics:
Pottery is a popular craft known by the Indians, such as, for example the colombian method and finger moulding of humid clay. Today you will find the classical "cantaro" (bucket), vessels, and human figures for decoration. The clay gains natural colors through the aplication of oxides and firing techniques (red, toasted, black).

GASTRONOMY:

In Paraguay, cuisine has a great home tradition, giving a delicious combination of meats and river fish, with a wide variety of fresh vegetables and fruits, which you can find throughout the year. The most popular dishes are based on corn, meat, milk and cheese. The main dishes are: Chipa Guazu, Bori-Bori, So'o-yosopy, Locro, Mbeyu, Puchero, Guiso, Mandioca and the famous and popular Chipa. The local drink preferred by Paraguayans is a locally produced dark rum, an alcoholic beverage made from sugar cane; and terere, an infusion of yerba mate (ilex paraguayensis) and cold water, sometimes flavored with medicinal herbs. It is served in guampas or mates (gourd) and sipped through a Bombilla which is a kind of metal straw.

Flag of the Republic of Paraguay:

The national colors, or flag of the Republic of Paraguay is composed by three equal, red, white and blue stripes. In the middle of the white stripe it bears the National Coat of Arms and on the back the Seal of Revenue.

Arms that is double: on the obverse of the flag, a circle with a palm and olive leaf intercalated in the vertex and open in the upper part is shown with the star standing out in the middle, and on its border an inscription that states: "Republic of Paraguay"; and in the same position on the reverse side, a circle with the inscription "Peace and Justice" and in its center, a lion, which serves as base for the liberty symbol. The Paraguayan flag is the only in the world whose two sides are not identical.

This version reflects the interpretation of the disposition issued by our Congress in 1852, and was adopted by the Government in the late 1880s, although, unfortunately, we do not have a copy of the exact document in our files. In addition to being the correct version, it is also the most "popular" for Government and the people's use, since it is the one in use by flag manufacturers in Paraguay.

The differences between the two is that, while the one in the front is the Nation's Seal, used in official acts and on national days, the one on the reverse is the seal of treasury.

Sights & places

If you are looking for marvelous nature sites, beautiful colonial arquitecture, wonderful landscapes, a enormous variety of plants and animals, abundant rivers and water falls, exciting sportfishing, hospitality and generosity, then Paraguay is the perfect choice.

The "Central Circuit"
is a round trip of 200 kilometres that begin and ends in Asuncion, and covers the following places:

San Lorenzo.
with its Gothic church and University Halls.

Ita
famous for earthenware and pottery.

Yaguaron
one of the most beautiful churchs in South America, built and richly decorated by the Franciscans Missionaries in the 17th century.

Paraguari
an area of picturesque hills and historic sites.

Piribebuy
historic and picturesque. Pirareta and Chololo waterfalls.

Caacupe
the place where Paraguayan pay special devotion to the Virgin of Caacupe.

Saint Bernardino
a resort city built on the shores of Lake Ypakarai.

Itaugua
the center of "Nanduti" production, where this craft is widely exhibited for sale. One of the best possible souvenirs of Paraguay.

Aregua
famous for earthenware and pottery.

Capiata
with its 18th century Franciscan church.

Encarnacion:
372 kms from Asuncion, on the Parana River, facing the city of Posadas in Argentina. The population is a mixture of Polish, Ukranians, Germans, Japanese and Koreans, engaged mainly in agriculture and commerce. Famous for its Summer carnivals, sportfishing, and the nearby Yacyreta Dam. It is the point of departure to visit the ruins of the Jesuit Missions of Paraguay. These extraordinary structures, declared an International Heritage by the United Nations, show a magnificent imported architecture executed by the native people, and evidencing the great technical skill required for the construction of the huge vaults of the main churches.

Ciudad del Este, Yguazu Falls, Itaipu Dam:
327 kilometres away from Asuncion, a young city founded only three decades ago, on the border with Brazil, it is the main access to the Yguazu Falls and Itaipu Dam. It is the country's leading commercial center due to the flow of imports and exports across the Parana River, you will find Foz de Iguazu, and 20 kilometres from there, the Iguazu Falls, located on the border between Brazil and Argentina, it is considered one of the world's great wonders. More than 250 water falls spread in an incredible tropical landscape, which you can enjoy through ramps and observatories. North of Ciudad del Este, the Itaipu Hydroelectric Power Dam is the largest such project in the world, with a total length of 8 kilometres and a height of 225 meters. It has 14 gigantic spillways which form artificial waterfalls and generate an unbelievable 12,600,000 kilowatts of clean electric energy.

Enjoy these pages:

Ministry of Education and Culture

Ministry of Foreign Affaires

Secretary's of Tourism

National University of Asuncion

Paraguayan Association of Rural Tourism