Entertainment in Santa Rita: what to do and where to go

For entertainment in Santa Rita, Alto Paraná, the big event of the year is the Expo Santa Rita in late April and early May, with live shows, a rodeo and a funfair. The rest of the year, a good outing means the Túnel Verde on Route PY06, a local craft beer, the town-centre plazas and restaurants, and short trips to the Monday river or the waterfalls nearby.

When is the Expo Santa Rita and what is on?

The Expo runs every year at the Parque de Exposiciones of the Centro de Tradiciones Gauchas (CTG) "Indio José" in town. According to Última Hora⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠, the 2025 edition ran from 26 April to 4 May with more than 400 exhibitors, live shows, a rodeo and a funfair. Wikipedia describes it as the country's second most visited fair, with close to 100,000 visitors per edition.

• When: late April to early May. Dates change every year, so watch for the official announcement in March or April.
• Who it suits: families by day (machinery, livestock, crafts, food) and groups of friends at night, when the shows start.
• Tip: if you are coming from Ciudad del Este or Encarnación for a concert, book a room early; the town fills up that week.

What to do in Santa Rita on an ordinary weekend

Túnel Verde (Route PY06, barrio 14 de Mayo). A stretch of almost a kilometre where trees close over the road, about 2 km from the centre on the way out toward Naranjal, per Última Hora⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠. It is the town's best-known sight and people stop for photos every day. Go in daylight and park well off the road: it carries heavy traffic and is not lit for night visits.

Parroquia Santa Rita. The parish church of the patron saint was a stop on the first familiarisation tour run by the municipal tourism office, according to La Nación⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠. It is a natural starting point for a walk around the centre.

Classic car hall (Cerro Largo community). The same tour included this collection, which the tourism office recommends for anyone who enjoys old cars and antiques. Ask the municipality how to arrange a visit before you go.

Centro de Tradiciones Gauchas. Outside Expo week, the CTG is the home of the gaucho culture brought by settlers from southern Brazil. Follow its social media for the events it hosts during the year.

Esquina Gaucha and the central plazas. Esquina Gaucha is one of the oldest neighbourhoods. The plazas in the centre are where people walk at dusk, once the heat drops.

Where to have a drink or go out at night

Santa Rita has restaurants, nightclubs and well-equipped hotels for a town its size, according to Wikipedia⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠. Almost half the population is of Brazilian origin, so you will hear as much Portuguese as Spanish at the tables.

Trentina brewery. This craft brewery's plant is in Santa Rita. It was a stop on the municipal tour and on a 2022 craft beer route that used the Hotel Staufenberg as its base. Ask at your hotel where it is being poured that week.

• Friday and Saturday are the busiest nights; on Sunday evening the town goes quiet early.
• Carry some cash in guaraníes for small places and the ride back.

Nature trips nearby

Monday river. There are campsites and river beaches along the Monday, and the district offers rural tourism, according to Wikipedia. In summer it is the classic weekend outing; bring insect repellent and water.

Saltos del Monday (Presidente Franco). About 10 km from Ciudad del Este, so closer to there than to Santa Rita. You enter through one of two parks. In 2022, Última Hora⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠ reported the private Parque Aventura Monday open daily from 8:00 to 17:00, and the municipal park offered viewpoints, a zip line, a treetop course and a panoramic lift down to the river. Arrive early to have the whole morning.

Salto Ñacunday. Inside Parque Nacional Ñacunday in Alto Paraná, this waterfall is about 40 m high and 70 m wide and drops about a kilometre from where the Ñacunday river meets the Paraná. Plan a full day and bring shoes that can get wet.

How to get to Santa Rita

Santa Rita is about 70 km south of Ciudad del Este and about 340 km from Asunción. Take Route PY02 and, about 30 km from Ciudad del Este, turn onto Route PY06 (Dr. Juan León Mallorquín) toward Encarnación for about 40 km. PY06 runs through the Túnel Verde, so you can stop on the way in or out.