Paraguay - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 701

CDE's malls , or shoppings , as they are
known, provide the real entertainment,
with shops, bars, clubs, arcades and
cinemas. Shopping Zuni and Shopping
Corazón , both on Avenida San Blas
alongside the Ruta Internacional, are two
of the best for entertainment (Corazón
has better eating and drinking, Zuni has
one of Paraguay's only cinemas out of
the capital). The real attractions, however,
lie in the surrounding area, including the
dam and numerous nature reserves.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION
By plane Aeropuerto Internacional Guaraní, 30km west
of town on Ruta 7, has regular flights to Asunción, as well as
nearby destinations in Brazil and Argentina ( W tam.com
.br), but suffers from frequent unexplained cancellations.
A taxi to most points in the city costs Gs150,000.
By bus The bus terminal ( T 061 510 421) is some way
south of the centre on Chaco Boreal y Capitán del Puerto,
adjacent to the Estadio P. Sarubi on Gral. Bernadino
Caballero. There are colectivos , but if you arrive with
luggage it's safer to take a taxi (Gs25,000 to Centro).
Destinations Asunción (hourly; 5hr); Encarnación (hourly;
4-5hr); Foz do Iguaçu (every 15min, 45min if no tra c);
Puerto Iguazú (every 30min-1hr, 1hr if no tra c).
Tourist information SENATUR's o ce (daily 7am-7pm;
T 061 511 626, E [e-mail]) is at the
end of Av Jara in the Centro, behind Arco Iris supermarket,
or just off the Ruta Internacional down Av del Lago next to
the bus stands opposite Shopping Corazón. They have
good free maps of the city. Good road maps can be bought
at Touring and Automovil Club Paraguayo (Av San Blas
Km1.5 in petrol station).
Tours Mariza Martinez ( T 098 365 4619, E mariza
@cosmos.com.py) organizes tours for two agencies and
can arrange English-speaking guides to most of the
surrounding places if you write in advance. You could also

try Mavani, who work in CDE with Exchange Tours (o ces
next to each other in Edificio Saba, Av Nanawa 90, at Jara,
T 061 509 586, W mavani.com.py).

ACCOMMODATION
Mid-range accommodation in Ciudad del Este is widely
available, but cheap options are thin on the ground and
seedy. Avoid the area around the bus station and head
for the cluster of decent hotels that line E. R. Fernández,
two blocks north of the Ruta Internacional near the bridge.
All prices include breakfast, wi-fi, TV and a/c unless stated.
Ì Austria E. R. Fernández 165 T 061 504 213, W hotel
austriarestaurante.com. Excellent rooms with TV, minibar
and a spacious terrace with majestic views out over the
river. The restaurant is also recommended even if you
do not plan to stay, for i its pleasant faux-alpine ambience
and good range of food. Gs200,000
Florestal Tte. Manuel Cabello 525, between Alejo Garcia
and C.A. López T 061 511 473, T 061 500 252. Someone
once had grand plans for a luxury hotel with a pool, jacuzzi
and outdoor grill, but this tired old place with mismatched
decor and grubby walls doesn't quite live up to them.
The rooms with windows are bearable (it's worth asking
to see a few roo ms as they're all so different), though, and
staff are friendly. Gs150,000
Venecia E.R. Fernández 209 T 061 500 375. Rooms are
basic and a bit old-fashioned, but the y are set ar ound
a delightful patio with lush valley views. Gs150,000

8

EATING AND DRINKING
Thanks to its international clientele, food tends to be
pricier here than elsewhere in Paraguay. For cheap food,
try the comedor for workers between the southbound Ruta
Internacional and Av Monseñor Rodriguez. Restaurants in
the Centro tend to close around 9pm.
Ì Época Av Rogelio Benítez 439, approx 700m up
Av Bernardino Caballero from the Centro T 061 514 984,
W epoca.com.py. Not cheap, but this 1950s Americana
themed bar/restaurant is a stand-out bar in distinctly

CIUDAD DEL ESTE ORIENTATION
The Ruta Internacional , running east-west through the centre of town, leads to the rest of
Paraguay one way, and Brazil via the bridge, over the Río Paraná, the other. It is flanked by Av San
Blas going east and Av Monseñor Rodríguez going west. Nearly all the malls, markets and
shops are based along this mammoth avenue. At the roundabout, just before the Ruta leads
down to the bridge, Pioneros del Este runs south and splits around one of the parks into
Alejo Garcia and Gral. Bernadino Caballero (which goes to the bus station). Most hotels and
restaurants are based in the Centro , which comprises the blocks south of the Ruta Internacional
and east of Pioneros del Este running to the river - Gral. A. Jara is the main street in the Centro - or
San Blas neighbourhood, which is immediately north of the Centro across the Ruta Internacional.
E.R. Fernández is packed with hotels with stunning views over the Río Acaray at its juncture with
the Paraná. The Centro becomes deserted in the evenings as trading stops, and nightlife is based
in the Boquerón neighbourhood, southwest of the centre off Gral. Bernadino Caballero.