Villa Florida facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Villa Florida
Villa Florida beach sunset
Villa Florida Location in Paraguay
Country	Paraguay
Department	Misiones
Established	September 6, 1880 by Bernardino Caballero
Area
• Total	196 km2 (76 sq mi)
Elevation	80 m (260 ft)
Population  (2008)
• Total	2.914 hab.
• Density	15/km2 (40/sq mi)
Time zone	-4 Gmt
Postal code	4820
Area code(s)	(595) (83)

Villa Florida is a city in southern Paraguay. It's located right on the Tebicuary River, which is like the gateway to the Misiones region. Long ago, in 1632, it was started by the Jesuits and called Paso Santa María. It officially became a city on September 6, 1880, when Bernardino Caballero was in charge of the government.

Villa Florida is about 161 kilometers (100 miles) away from Asunción, the capital city. Most people here work in shops, raise cattle, or help with tourism. This is all thanks to the beautiful Tebicuary River. The river almost surrounds the city and has wide, white sandy beaches.

One of the city's main yearly celebrations is on December 8. This day honors the Inmaculada Concepcion de Maria, which is the city's festival day.

Geography of Villa Florida

The land in Villa Florida is mostly flat. The soil is full of salts and minerals, which makes it really good for raising cattle. Because of the soil, there aren't big forests here. However, you can find groups of trees close to the Tebicuary River.

In the past, there were some lime and iron mines near the city. These mines were used for a while. Villa Florida is special in Paraguay because it's one of the few areas that doesn't have smaller towns or scattered neighborhoods within its district.

Weather in Villa Florida

The weather in Villa Florida is usually mild during the four months of winter in the Southern Hemisphere. It gets hot in the summer. Temperatures are typically between 25 to 35 Celsius (77-95 F) for eight months of the year. During winter, temperatures range from 3 to 24 Celsius (37-75 F).

This city is great for outdoor activities for most of the year. However, visitors should be careful about how much they are exposed to the sun's ultraviolet rays.

Population of Villa Florida

The number of people living in Villa Florida doesn't grow much. This is because there aren't many job opportunities for young people. Because of this, many young people move to bigger cities to find work.

History of Villa Florida

Main Church of Villa Florida

Villa Florida was founded in September 1880 by General Bernardino Caballero. At first, it was called Paso Santa Maria. It was an important stop on the route that connected the center of the country with the south. This original spot was about 800 meters (0.5 miles) upriver from where the bridge is today. The current bridge was opened in 1968.

A well-kept highway stretches for 19 kilometers (12 miles). This road directly connects Villa Florida with San Miguel City.

Economy of Villa Florida

The main parts of Villa Florida's economy are tourism and raising cattle. Years ago, fishing was also a big attraction here. However, too many fish were caught without following the rules.

In the 1970s, Villa Florida was a must-visit place for people who loved fishing. Today, only local people still fish here to earn a living.

Getting Around Villa Florida

The Villa Florida Bridge

Buses often come to Villa Florida. They might be passing through or coming directly from Asunción, Encarnación, and other places in Argentina. At the Asunción Bus Terminal, you can find buses going to Villa Florida or passing through it on their way to Encarnación or San Juan Bautista. These buses run every 30 minutes.

There is also a small landing strip for small airplanes. Travel on the river is limited to boats and small crafts. This is because the river is not very deep.

Arts and Culture in Villa Florida

The city has a History Museum. Inside, you can see carved wooden images and stone sculptures. For the city's 100th birthday, a large cross was placed next to the church, by the river. The city also has a public library that many students use for their school projects.

A poet named F. Aguiar wrote a beautiful song called "Villa Florida." It describes the sad feeling of being away from this land. Hilarión Correa composed the music for it. You can find more information at Música Paraguaya.org.py. The famous harp player Kike Pedersen was also born in Villa Florida. His artistic family lived there.

Tourism in Villa Florida

Villa Florida is one of the most important places for tourism in Paraguay. There are many hotels and inns here. One of them is even run by the Tourism Office.

Other places to stay include Hotel la Playa and La Misionera, along with many others. Ecologic Tourism is very popular because of the natural beauty of the area. Ranch Tourism is also available. There are several ranches around the city that welcome and host visitors.

The Cabañas Museum is located about 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) from Villa Florida, on the way to Caapucú. This ranch used to belong to General Anastasio Cabañas. He was a hero in the Cerro Porteño and Tacuary battles in 1810, even before Paraguay became independent.

Food in Villa Florida

Villa Florida is famous for its river fish dishes. Some specialties include fish soup, Milanesa de Surubí, Surubí grillé, and Surubí a la Napolitana. There are also restaurants with local foods, like Parador del Touring, which is next to the toll road. Restaurant La Reja is also a great place to eat.

Important People from Villa Florida

One of the most important people from the Misiones Region was the musician Agustín Barrios (Mangore). Villa Florida was a part of his life story. Official records show he was born in San Juan Bautista de las Misiones. His father was a vice-consul from Argentina. At that time, Villa Florida was an international port. His mother was a local teacher.

Even though some people say he was born in Villa Florida, he was officially registered in San Juan Bautista. That city was the most important in the region at the time and had the offices needed for such records.

Luis Alberto Riart was also born in Villa Florida. He became the President of Paraguay in 1924.

City Government

Since Paraguay became a democracy again in 1989, Villa Florida has had four mayors. The current mayor is Mr. Michel Flores, from the Colorado party. He was elected in 2013. Before him, Asa Javier Gonzalez, from the PLRA, served as mayor from 2006 to 2010.

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See also

In Spanish: Villa Florida para niños