Parana
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The city Paraná is the capital of Entre Rios province, located to the North of Buenos Aires. The name of the province Entre Rios translates in English as ‘between rivers’ and that’s what exactly what this region is, sandwiched between two of Argentina’s biggest rivers. The city Paraná itself sits on one of these enormous rivers, the Rio Paraná, which it takes its name from.
The city was founded in the 16th century, but, unlike most Argentine cities, it was not founded by Spanish colonisers. In search of more land, inhabitants of the neighbouring city, Sante Fe, which sits across the water, decided to relocate and spread across to the river bank that lay across the water. In the 1820 census, the city was, at the beginning, merely a small town with only 781 homes registered. Despite the small population, in 1822 Paraná was given the title of the capital of Entre Rios province. Then in 1826, Paraná was officially named as a city and today this former swampy delta is a sprawling city with a population of 270,968.
Located on the river’s edge, the city boasts a whole array of riverside parks, leisure activities and cultural events. The city’s combination of history with beautiful land and cityscapes makes Paraná perfect for tourism. Visitors who’ll enjoy Paraná are those that enjoy a leisurely pace of life, so don’t expect lots of nightlife, but instead just enjoy the peaceful nature of riverside life. The Paraná River is the city’s main attraction. Here you can participate in sport fishing, wakeboarding, windsurfing, waterskiing and boat rides. If that seems a bit too intense then you can always just sunbathe on the shore and swim in the river when the heat gets too much.
Parque Urquiza is another of the city’s main attractions. This enormous park covers 44 hectares of the sloping banks of Paraná River. Park Urquiza is elegantly landscaped and covered in rich and varied plant life. The park is a breath of fresh air and you can explore it through the network of pathways that snake around the park. Parque Urquiza boasts children’s playgrounds, water fountains, features, sculptures and monuments. The locals adore the park and get as much out of it in their leisure time as possible. Here open air aerobic and dance classes take place and anyone, locals and tourists, can participate. Being on the edge of the river, Parque Urquiza also offers great views of the beautiful Paraná River.
The whole host of activities open for tourists, green surroundings plus the interesting history of Paraná makes it a top tourist destination in Entre Rios. Check out Argentina travel guide for more of what Entre Rios has to offer.