Paute: Riverbanks, Handicrafts, and Carnival

Paute offers a range of ways to enjoy your trip: walks and hikes along the riverbanks, adventure sports on weekends, as well as handicrafts and Carnival. If you first decide which of these interests matter most to you during your stay, you can structure your trip accordingly. These themes differ in their specific details, from the stretch of riverbank and sports locations in the canton’s administrative center to handicrafts and market days.

Walks and hikes by the river

Parque Lineal La Orilla runs along the bank of the Río Paute, from the bus station at the height of the suspension bridge to Calle Antonio Tapia. This means you can orient yourself along the riverbank by using two clear landmarks. Parque Lineal del Río Paute has 3.5 kilometers of green spaces. In the park, you can walk and hike along the banks of the Río Paute and Río Cutilcay. The stated length describes the green spaces; the walks and hikes follow the banks of two rivers. If you want to focus on getting active by the water, these details provide concrete guidance for planning.

Adventure sports on weekends

If you would rather plan a specific sport than a walk or hike, consider Cerro Cabeza de Perro and Campanahuayco in Paute’s canton center. Adventure sports such as paragliding and climbing are practiced at both locations on weekends. Both are accessible on foot or by car. The weekend schedule and the sports mentioned set these activities apart from walks and hikes in Parque Lineal. If you would like to include one of these sports in your trip, you can take this timing difference into account when planning.

Wooden spoons and handicrafts in Paute canton

In the Tutucán sector in Paute’s canton center, there is a wooden spoon that is 20.06 meters long and 5.06 meters wide. The bowl measures 1.51 meters across. The spoon is therefore almost four times as long as it is wide; the bowl’s width is a separate measurement. These dimensions give you a concrete point of reference for understanding the object.

The canton’s handicraft tradition extends beyond this one object. For more than a hundred years, baskets, Panama hats made from toquilla straw, wooden spoons, and carved wooden furniture have been made in Paute canton. These products are sold both within and outside the canton. Thus, alongside the individual wooden spoon located in Tutucán, there are several forms of handicraft whose production and sale extend across the entire canton.

Carnival and markets

Paute Carnival features dance groups, traditional sweets prepared at this time of year, and handicrafts such as reed baskets. Families buy these baskets at the markets. Clay pots are sold at the entrance to Paute and on Wednesdays and Sundays at Mercado 26 de Febrero. The sweets are associated with the Carnival season, while specific days of the week are relevant for the market. Before traveling, check locally whether the sales locations and days apply to your visit.

You can start by deciding which themes you want to shape your stay.

Discover more destinations: San Agustín, Baños, San Fernando, Chordeleg, Santa Isabel, Cuenca, Gualaceo

Go to the regional travel overview: Azuay.