Attractions
Asuncion
Asunción, the state capital, is located on the Bay of Asunción on the Río Paraguay. The city offers parks, charming squares and a botanical garden.
Excursions:
Package tours to the beautiful Iguazú Falls and the Salto Crystal Falls can be booked from here. Excursions to Villera or boat trips on the Río Pilcomayo in the Gran Chaco are also popular. The famous harps are made in Luque, near the capital. The main attraction of San Lorenzo, founded in 1775, is the Gothic church.
- Top-engineering-schools: Provides detailed population data for major cities of Paraguay. Also covers geography information including rivers, mountains, lakes, and national borders.
Paraguari
Paraguarí is located in the foothills of the Cordillera des Altos. There are still some colonial buildings in this charming village.
Piribebuy
The Encaje-yu bobbin lace, Parani ponchos and other handicrafts are made here. This place is also known for the »Virgin of Miracles«.
Paraguay Chaco
Paraguay Chaco consists of sparsely populated plains and forests.
The journey from Asunción leads through the lower Chaco, an area of
palm forests and marshes, to the middle Chaco with its capital at
Filadelfia.
San Bernardino
San Bernadino on Lake Ypacaraí is a popular holiday resort with good beaches and hotels, bars and restaurants, especially in summer.
Ciudad del Este
Ciudad Del Este offers good shopping opportunities. The only 10 km away are the Monday Falls, which are a popular destination. From here you can also visit the Itaipú Dam, the largest hydroelectric dam in the world, and the magnificent Iguazú Falls (on the Argentina-Brazil border).
In Encarnación you will find numerous buildings from the colonial era and a dreamy waterfront with sandy paths and gauchos.
chololo
Chololo is a holiday center with bars, restaurants and holiday bungalows.
Yaguaron
During the Spanish colonial period, this was the headquarters of the
Franciscan missions. Numerous churches decorated with wooden ornaments
have been preserved.
Itá
Itá was founded in 1539 by Domingo Martinez. A regional specialty are the hand-painted Gallinita hens made of black clay.
Shopping
Overview
Naudutí lace, aho poi tablecloths, leatherwork, wooden objects, silver yerba maté cups and jewellery. Shop opening hours: Mon-Fri 08.00-12.00 and 15.00-19.00, Sat 07.30-13.00.
Nightlife
Introduction
In Asunción there are pubs, casinos and discotheques. The parrilladas (outdoor restaurants), especially in Asunción, are known for their good atmosphere. There are also casinos in the border towns of Ciudad Del Este and Encarnación.
Culinary
Overview
Specialties include chipas (cornbread with egg and cheese), sopa paraguaya (casserole made with ground corn, cheese, milk and onion), soo-yosopy (soup made with cornmeal and ground beef), albondiga (meatball soup) and boribori (diced meat soup)., vegetables and small cornmeal dumplings with cheese) are worth trying. Palmitos (palm hearts), surubi (a fish from the Río Paraná) and the local beef taste particularly delicious. Drinks: The national drink is Cana, which is made from sugar cane and honey. Sugar cane juice is known as mosto. Yerba Maté, a soft drink, is drunk by almost everyone in the country.
Accommodation
Hotels
There are few accommodation options outside the capital, advance booking is recommended. All hotels in Asuncion are usually fully booked during the holiday season (July – August). Further information can be obtained from the Secretaría Nacional del Turismo (see addresses).
Culture
Religion
89.6% Roman Catholic. Protestant, Bahai and Mennonite minorities.
Social Rules of Conduct
Manners: When greeting someone shakes hands. Smoking: Smoking is not permitted in cinemas and theatres. Clothing can be casual, sportswear is popular. Photographing: Military installations should not be photographed. Tipping: Hotel and restaurant bills usually add 10-15%.
Climate
Best travel time
Subtropical climate with year-round changing temperatures. Sometimes very hot in summer (December – March), rather mild in winter (June – September) with some cold days. Most rain falls from December to March.
Country data
Phone prefix
+595
Area (sq km)
406752
Population
7,132,538 (Source: homosociety)
Population density (per square km)
17
Population statistics year
2020
Main emergency number
911