Iguazu Falls voted top tourist attraction in the world by The Guardian's readers

The British newspaper The Guardian polled its readers about their travel preferences, and got 19,248 responses. Their favourite tourist attraction in the world? Iguazu Falls, better known in Brazil as the Cataratas do Iguaçu.

Here are the top five in The Guardian's ranking:

1. Cataratas do Iguaçu

2. Templo Angkor

3. Machu Picchu

4. Grand Canyon National Park

5. Great Barrier Reef

Full story on The Guardian's website.

And here, more info on the Iguazu falls, a photo and a virtual tour

Oh, and also this week, The New York Times ran a Q&A answering readers' queries about Rio and Paraty. The paper recommends the Bar do Copa at the Copacabana Palace hotel and the restaurant Roberta Sudbrack, among other places. Here, the link.

Virtual tour of Iguaçu Falls, in Paraná state, Brazil

The Iguaçu Falls are located at the border of Brazil and Argentina. Although the greater part of the falls are on the Argentinean side, the view is much better from the Brazilian side. There are a total of 275 falls, lined up along no less than 2.7 km. The mammoth flow of whitewater crash onto a half-moon-shaped canyon from a height of 60 meters. The best spot to take in the spectacle is right in front of the Garganta do Diabo, or Devil's Throat, where there is a walkway and belvedere. Here is a 360 panorama of the falls:




According to Brazil's Ministry of Tourism, "Foz do Iguaçu offers other attractions, such as the Iguaçu National Park, one of the most beautiful ecological reserves in the world, with 225 thousand hectares and recognized by UNESCO as a Natural Heritage of Humanity. It also has a Visitor’s Center, an electric bus and the Canoas Port, an area with souvenir shops and a panoramic restaurant."

Distances

Curitiba: 640 km
São Paulo: 1050 km
Rio de Janeiro: 1470 km
Brasília: 1646 km

Accommodation / Restaurants

The attractions and a good many of the hotels are on Cataratas Avenue, which connects the city of Foz do Iguaçu and the Park.

How to get there

By Air: there are flights to Foz do Iguaçu from any Brazilian city, most with connections.
By Highway: from Curitiba, access is over the BR-227 (Curitiba - Assuncion) highway. There are 632 km of highway. Foz do Iguaçu is in the extreme west of Paraná, 640 km from Curitiba. Bus transportation is also available from all of the most important cities in the country.


Useful links:

Foz do Iguaçu City Hall

Iguaçu Falls