Encarnacion is the capital of the department of Itapua, located to the south east and opposite to Posadas, Argentina.
The Department of Itapúa is the trustee of three of the great Jesuit Missions that existed in Paraguay: Holy Trinity, Jesús of Tavarangué and San Cosme y San Damián. Holy Trinity offers the “Lights and Sounds” cultural tour; Jesús of Tavarangué offers its unfinished stunning structure; and San Cosme y San Damián offer the aggregate of its “Buenaventura Suarez” Astronomical Interpretation Center. The Missions of Trinity and Jesús were declared World Heritage by UNESCO in 1993.
DISCOVER ENCARNACION
4 Days/ 3 Nights
DAY 1 ASUNCION
Upon our arrival in Asuncion, we will meet the local staff that will assist with luggage and will drive us to the hotel for check-in procedures.
Afternoon City tour, we will visit the modern and colonial areas, the National Pantheon of Heroes, the House of Independence, the old Jesuit school of San Carlos, the Metropolitan Cathedral, the old Cabildo, the Government Palace, the new seat of Congress, old Railway station with one of the First steam locomotives in South America, the Port, La Recova (typical craft market), enjoying the charms of Asuncion.
Overnight in Asuncion.DAY 2 ENCARNACION- MISIONES JESUITAS
Breakfast
Departure from your hotel, to go to the bus terminal and embark for the city of Encarnacion. Visit to the Jesuit Ruins of Trinidad del Paraná and Jesus de Tavarangue.Trinidad is one of the most interesting and suggestive ruins among all. Its main architects were the religious Juan Bautista Prímoli, of Milan and the Catalan José Grimau. Not finished, this mission had one of the largest and most beautiful churches of all missions, according to descriptions of travelers of the time.
Jesus de Tavarangue; almost in front of Trinidad, is this reduction that unfortunately did not get to be finished due to the expulsion of the Jesuits from Paraguay. Its architectural design was totally different from the others, in Moorish style, unique in all the reductions.
Both declared Universal Patrimony of the Humanity in 1993 by UNESCO. At the end of this visit, we will transfer back to Encarnacion.
Overnight in Encarnacion.DAY 3 JESUIT REDUCTIONS & YERBATERA
Breakfast
Will take us to visit the Jesuit Reductions of Trinidad, vestiges that persist, of what was the great evangelizing campaign of the Jesuit Fathers, dating from the year 1706. At the end we continue the trip to Bella Vista, where the Selecta yerba mate is located. In the place we will have a guided tour where we can observe the whole production cycle of the yerba mate, which starts in the nursery, the plantations, the drying sector and barbacuá, where the process of Yerba Mate production takes place, mill and packaging to reach the end of the product. Culminating with the demonstration and tasting of the tereré, mate or the traditional stew. We will also visit the museum where old machinery for the process of making yerba mate is exposed. At the end, we return to the Encarnacion bus station to take the bus to Asunción.
Overnight in Asuncion.DAY 4 ASUNCION
Breakfast
On due time, we will be driven to the airport to board the flight to the next destination.
