Find places in Paraguay

Must-Haves

• Palacio de los López (Historic centre)
  The pink presidential palace on the bay is the city's postcard view, especially when lit at night.
• Panteón Nacional de los Héroes (Historic centre)
  A domed mausoleum holding the remains of Paraguay's national heroes, with a ceremonial guard.
• Casa de la Independencia (Historic centre)
  The colonial house where the 1811 independence plot was planned, now a small museum.
• Museo del Barro (Isla de Francia)
  The country's best museum of indigenous art, popular ceramics and contemporary work.

Fun for Everyone

• Manzana de la Rivera (Historic centre)
  A block of restored old houses with exhibitions, a library and views of the palace.

Must-Haves

• Costanera de Asunción (Riverside)
  A long riverside promenade busy with joggers, cyclists and families at sunset.

Off the Beaten Path

• Loma San Jerónimo (Historic centre)
  A hillside barrio of painted houses and stairways, one of the oldest corners of the city.
• Itá ceramics workshops (Itá)
  Nearby Itá is known for clay ceramics, including the famous ceramic hens.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Mercado 4 (Mercado 4)
  The sprawling main market for tereré herbs, fruit, crafts and cheap lunches.
• Mercado de Abasto (Abasto)
  The wholesale produce market where you see the city stock up on fruit and vegetables.

Fun for Everyone

• Shopping del Sol (Villa Morra)
  A large modern shopping centre with cinemas, food courts and bank ATMs.
• Paseo La Galería (Santa Teresa)
  An upmarket mall with restaurants, shops and a cinema near the main hotels.

Off the Beaten Path

• Luque harp and filigree workshops (Luque)
  Luque is the home of Paraguayan harp makers and silver filigree jewellers.

Fun for Everyone

• Jardín Botánico y Zoológico de Asunción (Trinidad)
  A large park with a small zoo and the former summer house of the López family.
• Parque Guasu Metropolitano (Near the airport road)
  A big green park with lakes, trails and space for picnics and cycling.

Off the Beaten Path

• Parque Ñu Guasu (Luque)
  A huge park used for running, cycling and weekend events on the edge of the city.

Must-Haves

• Bolsi (Historic centre)
  A classic diner style restaurant serving Paraguayan staples since the 1960s.
• Lido Bar (Historic centre)
  A counter diner opposite the Panteón famous for its sopa paraguaya and chipa.

Great for Date Night

• Tierra Colorada Gastro (Villa Morra)
  Modern Paraguayan cooking built on local ingredients, ideal for a special dinner.
• Paulista Grill (Las Mercedes)
  A long running churrasquería for a big grilled meat feast.

Fun for Everyone

• Bar San Roque (Historic centre)
  A historic family restaurant and old fashioned dining room in business for generations.

Must-Haves

• El Café de Acá (Historic centre)
  A cosy café in an old house serving Paraguayan coffee, cakes and chipa.

Must-Haves

• Paseo Carmelitas (Carmelitas)
  A cluster of bars, restaurants and clubs that is the heart of the city's night out.

Great for Date Night

• Britannia Pub (Villa Morra)
  An expat favourite with a garden, pub food and a friendly mixed crowd.

Must-Haves

• Expo Mariano Roque Alonso (Mariano Roque Alonso)
  The country's big agricultural and trade fair each July, with livestock, food and concerts.
• San Juan festivals (Citywide)
  June fire festivals with fire balls, games, mask parades and traditional food.

Must-Haves

• Hotel Guaraní (Historic centre)
  A landmark modernist tower on Plaza de los Héroes, restored as a hotel.

Great for Date Night

• Granados Park Hotel (Historic centre)
  A comfortable classic hotel close to the main sights of the old town.
• Sheraton Asunción Hotel (Villa Morra)
  An international hotel with a pool, in the restaurant and shopping district.

Fun for Everyone

• Palmaroga Hotel (Historic centre)
  A stylish hotel in restored historic buildings close to the cathedral.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Hotel Las Margaritas (Historic centre)
  A good value central hotel with a rooftop pool and views over the city.

Must-Haves

• Lake Ypacaraí waterfront (Town centre)
  Stroll the lakeside promenade and watch the sun set across the water.

Off the Beaten Path

• Altos (Altos)
  A hilltop town with German heritage and views over the lake.

Fun for Everyone

• Caacupé to San Bernardino scenic drive (Cordillera)
  The hilly road between the towns has views over the lake and green farmland.

Must-Haves

• Hotel del Lago (Town centre)
  The town's nineteenth century landmark hotel, full of old world character.

Fun for Everyone

• Playa Municipal de San Bernardino (Lakeshore)
  The town's public beach on the lake, busy with families in summer.

Must-Haves

• Basílica de Caacupé (Caacupé)
  The large basilica of Paraguay's patron Virgin, centre of the 8 December pilgrimage.

Must-Haves

• Festival of the Virgin of Caacupé (Caacupé)
  Huge crowds walk to the basilica in early December in a moving national pilgrimage.

Off the Beaten Path

• Piribebuy (Piribebuy)
  A historic town known for woven ponchos and its role in the Triple Alliance war.

Must-Haves

• Areguá ceramics street (Town centre)
  Dozens of workshops sell hand-made pottery, from small figures to big garden pieces.

Must-Haves

• Iglesia de la Candelaria de Areguá (Hilltop)
  The hilltop church has wide views over Lake Ypacaraí.

Off the Beaten Path

• El Cántaro (Town centre)
  A cultural centre and shop for regional art and crafts.
• Areguá railway station (Lakeshore)
  The old station on the defunct railway line recalls the town's past as a resort.

Off the Beaten Path

• Cerro Koi (Outskirts of Areguá)
  A small hill with rare hexagonal sandstone formations and a short trail.

Fun for Everyone

• Expo Frutilla (Areguá)
  The winter strawberry festival fills the streets with fruit, jams and cakes.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Areguá colonial streets (Town centre)
  Wander cobbled lanes of colonial houses and old summer villas.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Strawberry stalls of Areguá (Road into town)
  Roadside stands sell fresh strawberries, cakes and juice in season.

Must-Haves

• Santísima Trinidad de Paraná (Trinidad)
  UNESCO listed red stone Jesuit ruins with carved angels and an evening light show.
• Jesús de Tavarangüe (Jesús)
  A vast unfinished Jesuit church with striking arches on a quiet hilltop.

Off the Beaten Path

• San Cosme y Damián mission (San Cosme y Damián)
  A living mission town with an astronomy interpretation centre.

Fun for Everyone

• Catedral de Encarnación (Centre)
  The city's modern cathedral near the main square.

Must-Haves

• Costanera de Encarnación (Riverside)
  A long riverside promenade with sports areas and views across to Argentina.

Fun for Everyone

• Trinidad light and sound show (Trinidad)
  An evening show that brings the mission ruins to life after dark.

Off the Beaten Path

• Posadas train over the bridge (San Roque González bridge)
  A short international train ride across the Paraná to Argentina.
• Hohenau and Obligado (German colonies)
  German founded farming towns with cooperatives, yerba mate and neat streets.
• Bella Vista yerba mate tours (Bella Vista)
  Yerba mate producers explain how the national drink is grown and processed.

Must-Haves

• Playa San José (Costanera)
  The main river beach with soft sand, lifeguards in season and beach bars.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Playa Mbói Ka'e (Costanera)
  A smaller and quieter beach on the Paraná.

Must-Haves

• Carnaval Encarnaceno (Sambódromo)
  Paraguay's biggest carnival, with feathered costumes and drummers on summer weekends.

Must-Haves

• Hotel Encarnación Resort (Encarnación)
  A large hotel with pools and gardens on the edge of the city.

Must-Haves

• Itaipu Binacional visitor centre (Hernandarias)
  Free tours show the scale of one of the largest hydroelectric dams on the planet.

Fun for Everyone

• Friendship Bridge to Foz do Iguaçu (Border)
  Cross into Brazil for the Iguazú Falls on a day trip.
• Iguazú Falls, Brazilian side (Foz do Iguaçu)
  A short trip over the border to one of the world's great waterfalls.

Must-Haves

• Saltos del Monday (Presidente Franco)
  A wide, roaring horseshoe of falls with walkways and viewpoints.

Off the Beaten Path

• Refugio Biológico Tati Yupi (Hernandarias)
  A forest reserve near the dam with trails and wildlife.

Fun for Everyone

• Lago de la República (Centre)
  A lake park where locals walk and drink tereré in the evenings.

Off the Beaten Path

• Monumento Científico Moisés Bertoni (Presidente Franco)
  The forest home of a Swiss scientist who studied Paraguay's plants.

Must-Haves

• Monalisa (Centre)
  An established department store for perfume, wine and imported goods.

Fun for Everyone

• Shopping China Importados (Centre)
  A huge, well organised store for electronics and household goods.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Microcentro street stalls (Near the Friendship Bridge)
  The chaotic heart of the border trade, best seen in daylight with care.

Great for Date Night

• Hotel Casino Acaray (Centre)
  A long established hotel with a pool and casino.

Must-Haves

• Museo Jakob Unruh (Filadelfia)
  The history of the Mennonite settlers, Chaco wildlife and indigenous crafts.
• Fortín Boquerón (Near Neuland)
  Trenches, a cemetery and museum on the site of a key Chaco War battle.

Fun for Everyone

• Loma Plata Mennonite museum (Loma Plata)
  A small museum telling the story of the first Mennonite settlers.

Off the Beaten Path

• Cooperativa Chortitzer (Loma Plata)
  The dairy cooperative behind the Trébol brand that shapes life in Loma Plata.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Cooperativa Fernheim supermarket (Filadelfia)
  The cooperative store at the heart of Mennonite town life.

Must-Haves

• Hotel Florida (Filadelfia)
  A long established hotel and base for exploring the central Chaco.

Off the Beaten Path

• Laguna Capitán (Near Loma Plata)
  A salt lagoon where flamingos and waders gather in season.
• Defensores del Chaco National Park (Alto Paraguay)
  A vast, remote park of dry forest that needs a guided expedition.
• Proyecto Tagua (Fortín Toledo)
  A conservation project protecting the rare Chacoan peccary.
• Médanos del Chaco National Park (Alto Paraguay)
  Remote dunes and dry forest near the Bolivian border.

Fun for Everyone

• Transchaco Rally (Central Chaco)
  A famous rally that draws crowds to the Chaco each spring.

Off the Beaten Path

• Neuland colony (Neuland)
  The smallest Mennonite colony, quiet and close to the war sites.

Fun for Everyone

• Fortín Toledo (Near Filadelfia)
  A Chaco War fort site with memorials along the Transchaco.