The Best Places to Visit in Paraguay
It’s safe to say that Paraguay is one of the least visited nations in South America, maybe because of the lack of coastline or just the lack of attractions and hype in general. However, it’s a prideful country with a unique cultural mix between Guarani and Spanish colonial heritage, and the landscape features rivers, wetlands, and forests all over. Paraguay has a population of over 7 million, yet nothing is really polished up for tourists so if you do visit, your experience will probably feel very authentic.
Capital: Asuncion
Currency: Paraguayan Guarani
Language: Spanish, Guaraní
When to visit: September to December
1) Asuncion
Asuncion is the capital of the country, found on the eastern side of the Paraguay River, opposite the border with Argentina. It’s actually one of the oldest cities on the continent, founded back in 1537. Because of this, it has some historic sites all through the city, and is often cited as a nice walkable city. It’ll likely be your entry point to Paraguay.
Things to do:
In and around the Historic Center of Asuncion is where you should be spending your time in Asuncion, starting with the Palacio de López - the pink government building with the plaza out front. Then walk down the street to Plaza De Armas where the Cultural Center of the Republic building is, and check that out too. If you want a true historic site as well, a couple roads down is the Independence House Museum. This is the exact place where Paraguay’s independence movement began. In my opinion the coolest building in Asuncion is the National Pantheon of Heroes, located in Plaza de los Heroes. As you can probably guess from the name, it honors the country’s heros. Visit the Museo del Barro for more history, then end your day strolling the Costanera de Asunción along the river.
How to get there:
Silvio Pettirossi International Airport (ASU) is the best way for internationals to get into the country to visit.
Within Paraguay, buses connect the major cities.
2) Itaipu Dam / Ciudad del Este
Ciudad del Este is Paraguay’s second-largest city, located in the eastern part of the country on the border with Brazil and Argentina. It’s mainly known for two things: Shopping, and being the base to explore two of Paraguay’s best attractions, Itaipu Dam and Monday Falls (more on that below). Overall the city itself is primarily just a commercial hub.
Things to do:
If you are shopping in Ciudad del Este, visit either Shopping China or Shopping Paris as your mall options. Once you’ve walked around this busy hub, take your tour out to the massive Itaipu Dam. It’s One of the largest hydroelectric dams in the world with observation platforms you can walk along to see the scale. The crazy thing about the dam is that it generates nearly 90% of Paraguay’s electricity (and 17% of Brazil’s).
How to get there:
You can take a bus from either Asuncion, or Foz do Iguaçu in Brazil.
3) Monday Falls
Only a little further south of Ciudad del Este is Paraguay’s greatest attraction - Monday Falls. It’s a 45 meter tall complex of waterfalls which dramatically crash down into the Parana River from the Monday River, and it’s simply spectacular. It’s like Paraguay’s mini version of Iguazu Falls.
Things to do:
Simply just walk over to any of the viewpoints of the falls and admire the size and beauty. That’s all you can really do here, besides relax at the shaded areas around the attraction and get a great photo.
How to get there:
Take a taxi / local driver from Ciudad del Este to the falls.
4) Jesuit Mission of Jesús de Tavarangüe
The Jesuit Mission of Jesús de Tavarangüe is a set of ruins just on the brink of the town of Jesús de Tavarangue, and is probably the best example of Jesuit mission ruins in the entire country. The mission from the Society of Jesus was to build a large settlement to educate and guide the Guaraní people towards Christ. It’s an incredible attraction now, and so cool to see.
Things to do:
The centerpiece is the massive unfinished church, and you can just walk all through and around the remains on the nicely cut grass and see the whole complex from every angle. Small signs explain the history of the mission, its construction, and the life of the Guaraní residents.
How to get there:
It’s very far away, you need to take a bus from a major city to Encarnación and then bus to the site.
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