Jesuit Missions & Iguazu Falls
Length of tour: 3 days
Destination Highlights:
Franciscan Church - This historical San Buenaventura Church in Yaguaron, built in the 1600s, features intricate carvings and painting crafted by the Guarani people using local materials and dies from plants.
San Ignacio Guazu - San Ignacio Guazu is considered “Capital of the Hispanic-Guaraní Baroque”, because of the countless pieces of art from that time. The Diocesan Museum of Jesuit Art, located in a building from the Spanish colonial era, has an impressive display of statues of saints, as well as documents and maps from the first Jesuit mission in Paraguay.
Jesuit Ruins - the Jesuit reductions La Santísima Trinidad de Paraná and Jesús de Tavarangue were created during the colonization of South America in the 17th century, developed for 150 years until the Jesuits were expelled, and were declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 1993.
Yerba Mate Tour - visit a verba mate plantation and packaging plant and learn how this traditional Paraguayan tea is grown, harvested, dried, seasoned and packaged
Iguazu Falls - named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984, Iguazu Falls are one of the most impressive sights in the world, with a breathtaking 275 cascades that spread across a gulf of nearly two miles. Absolutely breathtaking!
See detailed daily itinerary below.
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Detailed Itinerary
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Paraguay's colonial history was one of general calm punctuated by turbulent political events.
The indigenous Guaraní people had been living in Paraguay for at least a millennium before the Spanish arrived in the 16th century and in 1580 the Franciscans began founding reductions to introduce Christianity to the natives.
The Jesuits founded their first reduction of San Ignacio Guazú in 1609. The Jesuits established approximately 20 reducciones throughout the region; the reductions protected the natives from slave traders, sponsored orchestras and distributed profits from Guarani labor back to the laborers. As a result of their success, the Jesuits were expelled by the Spanish Crown in 1767.
Following independence from Spain in 1811, Paraguay was ruled by a series of dictators. Paraguay’s first dictator, Dr. José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia, popularly known as El Supremo, was born in Yaguaron; he served nearly 30 years (1811-1840) and built a strong, prosperous, secure nation.
Historical Villages:
Yaguaron - founded in 1585 as a Franciscan Mission, the Iglesia de San Buenaventura church that is now one of the most beautiful and valuable examples of Franciscan construction and art in Paraguay. The Francia Museum, located in the 18t-century home of Francia's father, displays a variety of artifacts from the life of Paraguay’s first dictator.
San Miguel - living up to it's reputation as the “wool capital of Paraguay”, artisans continue to hand-spin thread and hand-weave wool apparel and blankets.
San Ignacio Guazu - considered “Capital of the Hispanic-Guaraní Baroque”, the Jesuit Art Museum has an impressive display of statues of saints, as well as documents from the first Jesuit mission in Paraguay.
Hotel in Encarnacion
