Victoria

Victoria stands on low hills above the delta wetlands of the Paraná, an unusual position in a flat province, and it is known as the city of seven hills and seven churches, their towers marking the skyline above red-tiled roofs. On a ridge outside town the Abadía del Niño Dios, founded in 1899 as the first Benedictine monastery in Argentina, welcomes visitors to its church and shop, where the monks sell honey, liqueurs and cheeses. Below the town the wetlands stretch away in channels and lagoons, fished for dorado and boliche, and crossed since 2003 by a road connection of causeways and bridges some sixty kilometres long that links Victoria to Rosario across the floodplain.

The main sights

• The Benedictine abbey - the hillside monastery, its church and monastic products.
• The seven churches - towers marking the hills across the town.
• The wetlands - channels, lagoons and islands of the Paraná floodplain.
• The causeway - the long road across the delta toward Rosario.

When to go

April to November for comfortable weather and fewer insects; summer is hot and humid over the wetlands. The abbey keeps set visiting hours and closes for services. Fishing seasons and rules vary, so check locally.

Good to know

The town is quiet with limited services, and its sights amount to a few hours. The wetlands are best seen by boat, which needs arranging in advance. Summer mosquitoes in the floodplain are severe.

Nearby

Paraná lies north; Rosario is reached across the causeway to the southwest.