In this guide
The best way to go out in Presidente Franco starts in daylight: the Monday Falls, the Moisés Bertoni Scientific Monument and the Triple Frontier landmark are its main draws (La Nación (opens in a new tab)). At night Franco is quiet and local, and the busiest bar area is next door in Ciudad del Este, around the Lago de la República and Avenida Campo Vía (La Nación (opens in a new tab)).
Morning: the Monday Falls
- What it is: the city's main tourist hub, with trails, viewpoints, a zip line, cabins and camping (La Nación (opens in a new tab)). The drop is over 45 metres and there is also a tree-top course (Última Hora, 2026 (opens in a new tab)).
- Where: about 3 km from Franco's urban centre (Última Hora, 2018 (opens in a new tab)) and some 10 km from Ciudad del Este. There are parks on both sides of the falls; the municipal one charges entry, with the zip line, tree-top course and the panoramic lift down to the river priced separately (Última Hora, 2022 (opens in a new tab)).
- Tip: go early with water and closed shoes. After rain the flow is more spectacular, but the trails get slippery.
Afternoon: Bertoni and the Triple Frontier
- Moisés Bertoni Scientific Monument: a reserve with trails, a natural amphitheatre and the family necropolis of the Swiss-born scientist; his house can only be seen from outside. The environment ministry (Mades) runs it and partly reopened it in September 2024. In January 2025 entry was G. 20,000 for over-18s, G. 5,000 for ages 11 to 17 and free up to 10, with a guide extra. The access road has 5 paved kilometres (La Nación, 2025 (opens in a new tab)).
- Hito Tres Fronteras: about 3 km from the centre, where the Paraná and Iguazú rivers meet and you can see Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)). Take Avenida Bernardino Caballero towards Puerto Tres Fronteras (ABC Color (opens in a new tab)). The Paraguayan side has no food or drink yet (Última Hora, 2026 (opens in a new tab)), so go before dinner. A revamp with Guaraní culture, regional food and night activities is planned by a joint tourism ministry and municipal team (Última Hora, 2025 (opens in a new tab)).
- Plaza Libertad: the square whose improvements the tourism minister praised on a 2025 visit (Última Hora, 2025 (opens in a new tab)). Good for a tereré or an ice cream at sunset.
Eating and shopping in Franco
The local food scene is growing around traditional Paraguayan dishes, the municipality promotes a traditional food fair, and visitors buy crafts, especially from Indigenous communities (La Nación (opens in a new tab)). To pick a dinner spot, search your phone map near the centre and message to check the kitchen is still open: Franco gets between 2,700 and 3,000 tourists a week, mostly at weekends (La Nación (opens in a new tab)).
At night: over to Ciudad del Este
Franco borders Ciudad del Este along the Saltito stream (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)), so the livelier night is minutes away:
- Avenida del Lago, facing Lago de la República: lakeside bars, beer halls, live music and DJs; some open only Wednesday to Saturday (ABC Color, 2022 (opens in a new tab)).
- Avenida Campo Vía (Área 3): bars and food courts with shows (ABC Color, 2022 (opens in a new tab)).
- Boquerón: Arab restaurants and show bars for a long dinner (ABC Color, 2020 (opens in a new tab)).
Bars draw a mostly Paraguayan crowd, while around 90% of nightclub-goers are Brazilian (La Nación (opens in a new tab)).
Dates worth planning around
- 13 October: the city's anniversary and the feast of Our Lady of Fátima. In 2015 there was a serenade, a fair, live artists and midnight fireworks (Última Hora (opens in a new tab)).
- March: the Integration and Brotherhood Festival at the Triple Frontier (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)).
Getting around and getting back
- No late buses: public transport stops at a certain hour and bar staff go home by ride-hailing app (La Nación (opens in a new tab)). Book your ride from inside.
- Integration Bridge to Foz: from 14 September 2026, residents' private cars with the border-resident document (DTVF) cross 7:00–13:00, and the Franco–Foz city bus runs 7:00–19:00 (Paraguayan Foreign Ministry (opens in a new tab)).
- Driving: zero tolerance; 0.251–0.399 mg/l is a very serious offence and 0.400 or more is a criminal offence (ABC Color (opens in a new tab)). Winter dew and fog are frequent (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)).
FAQ
What can you do in Presidente Franco in one day?
Morning at the Monday Falls, afternoon at the Bertoni monument and the Triple Frontier landmark, then dinner in Franco or by Lago de la República in Ciudad del Este.
How much is entry to the Moisés Bertoni monument?
In January 2025 it was G. 20,000 for over-18s, G. 5,000 for ages 11 to 17 and free up to age 10, with a guide extra.
Are there bars or clubs in Presidente Franco?
Nights in Franco are low-key. Bars with music and clubs are next door in Ciudad del Este, on Avenida del Lago and Campo Vía.
Can you eat at the Triple Frontier landmark?
Not on the Paraguayan side yet. Visit in the afternoon and have dinner afterwards in Franco or Ciudad del Este.
