Villarrica
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Villarrica, Paraguay
Known as “the Wandering City” due to moving locations seven times since its founding, Villarrica has leafy city parks and the Ybyturuzú mountains. The sugar refinery makes the air smell sweet, and capybaras freely roam Parque Manuel Ortiz Guerrero, feasting on watermelons and papayas. Throughout the year, you can admire Villarrica’s churches built in the Gothic and Neoclassical styles. The Plaza de los Heroes, formerly a cemetery and Franciscan convent, now offers quiet lunches in its cafés. Nearby Cerro Tres Kandú, Paraguay’s highest peak, beckons those wanting a short but challenging climb. In October, tourists come to drink pints at the Oktober Fest in nearby Colonia Independencia.
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Itaipu Dam
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The second-largest dam in the world, Itaipu Dam sits on the border of Paraguay and Brazil, a hydroelectric force creating 78 percent of Paraguay’s total energy and 20 percent of Brazil’s. An engineering wonder as high as a 65-story building, it’s technically a series of dams 4.8 miles long, fed by the Paraná River. To go inside, visitors must join a tour group (free from the Paraguayan side), which includes a bus ride around the facility and a screening of a short film about the history of the dam. Those wanting to learn more about the dam’s technical aspects can book a more in-depth tour that requires reservations in advance.