Clothing stores in San Bernardino: where to shop and what to check

In San Bernardino, the clothing most worth looking for is handmade and seasonal: coats and leather at the Saturday market, crafted garments and accessories at the tourist centre in Casona Büttner, and beachwear at the La Rotonda stalls in summer. For a wide range of sizes and brands, plan that shopping on the way, along Route PY02, or in your own city before heading up to the lake.

Where to buy clothes in San Bernardino

• Saturday market: the "Shopping mercado San Ber" sets up in Plaza General Bernardino Caballero from 8:00 to 14:00. According to ABC Color (2023), alongside cheese, honey and food you will find coats, leather goods and wood carvings (ABC Color⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). Good for a winter coat or a leather belt; go early, as it closes at midday.
• Tourist Experience Centre (Casona Büttner): on Colonos Alemanes, near the Nuestra Señora de la Asunción pedestrian street. When it opened in January 2024 it displayed ao po'i garments, seed necklaces and leatherwork by local artisans, and opened Monday to Wednesday 8:00 to 20:00 and Thursday to Sunday until 21:00 (La Nación⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). Ask there which pieces are for sale and whom to contact.
• Playa La Rotonda: in the 2025 summer season there were permanent craft and food fairs every day from 8:00 to 20:00, with supervised parking at Gs. 10,000 (ABC Color⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). Handy for whatever you forgot: a hat, a sarong, something light.

Coming along Route PY02?

If you drive in on PY02 you pass through Itauguá, about 30 km from Asunción, where several shops along the highway sell ñandutí lace; with more than 300 patterns, it is used in garments, accessories and home décor (ABC Color⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). It is a good stop for a blouse or a traditional gift.

San Bernardino is about 50 km from Asunción (Wikipedia⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). Besides PY02, you can get there via the Luque–Ypacaraí branch road or the Luque–San Bernardino road on the other side of the lake (Última Hora⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). Pick your route according to where you want to shop.

When to go

• High season (December to mid-February): when most visitors arrive from Greater Asunción (Wikipedia⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). There are more stalls and more buzz, but also longer queues and fewer sizes.
• Long weekends: on Saturday 26 September 2026 traffic was heavy on PY02 from the San Bernardino turn-off to the Ypacaraí toll booth (ABC Color⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). If you are going to shop, leave early or choose a weekday.
• Winter: the Saturday market is your best bet for coats.

What to check before you pay

• Size and fitting: markets and stalls do not always have a fitting room. Bring your measurements, especially when buying for others.
• Exchanges: for handmade and market clothing, ask before paying whether exchanges are accepted, and note the seller's contact. If a warranty is offered, Paraguay's consumer law (Ley 1.334) requires it in writing, with its term and coverage (Ley 1.334⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠).
• Price and invoice: Sedeco, the consumer protection office, says every sale must come with an invoice and a sale sign must show the old price, the discount percentage and the current cash price in guaraníes (ABC Color⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠).
• Payment: QR now makes up 7 in 10 electronic payments in Paraguay (ABC Color⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠), but carry cash in guaraníes at markets in case a stall does not take it.