In this guide
The must-see in Caazapá is its Franciscan centre: the Ykua Bolaños spring, San Pablo church with its original altarpiece, the Acera Pucú, the Museo Fray Juan Bernardo and the San Roque oratory, all within a few blocks or 1 km. With an extra day, the department adds the Fierro Punta railway bridge, the town of Fulgencio Yegros and, for the adventurous, the Tavaí cenote.
What to see in town
- Ykua Bolaños: the spring of the legend of Friar Luis Bolaños, who founded the town in 1607. It is 1 km from the urban area, at the Prof. Ignacio Falcón Real sports centre (ABC Color, March 2023 (opens in a new tab)). Locals say it has never run dry (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)).
- San Pablo church: in the centre, with the wooden altarpiece carved by Indigenous craftsmen under Franciscan guidance, which survived the fire that destroyed the old church. It is set to become the diocese's cathedral (ABC Color, May 2023 (opens in a new tab)).
- Acera Pucú and Casa de Indio: facing the church, houses from the old San José de Caazapá mission, more than 400 years old (ABC Color, May 2023 (opens in a new tab)).
- Museo Fray Juan Bernardo: opposite San Pablo. It tells the local story, including guitarist Carlos Talavera, author of "Guyra Campana", and comics writer Robin Wood, born in Colonia Cosme (ABC Color, March 2023 (opens in a new tab)). Allow about two hours (ABC Color, May 2023 (opens in a new tab)).
- San Roque oratory: in the cemetery of the San Roque neighbourhood. ABC calls it possibly the only surviving oratory of the Franciscan missions in the River Plate region, with an 18th-century altarpiece (ABC Color, March 2023 (opens in a new tab)).
- Main square and Naranja Sapatu: the square has a statue honouring the farmer, and the Naranja Sapatu monument remembers the women who walked barefoot along the dirt roads (La Nación, 2020 (opens in a new tab)).
Festivals: January is the big month
- 10 January: founding anniversary, with a morning mass and a festival (Última Hora, 2022 (opens in a new tab)).
- Ykua Bolaños festival: every January beside the spring, with music and dance since 1989 (La Nación, 2020 (opens in a new tab)).
- 25 January: feast of San Pablo, the patron saint (La Nación, 2020 (opens in a new tab)).
If you go on those dates, book a room early.
What to do around the department
- Fierro Punta bridge: a railway bridge over 330 m long across the Pirapó River, built in 1909 by the American Bridge Company, between Fulgencio Yegros and Yuty (Infonegocios, 2026 (opens in a new tab)). It also carried small cars while the PY08 was being built (ABC Color, March 2023 (opens in a new tab)).
- Fulgencio Yegros: about 46 km from Caazapá, known for its liqueurs and its Fiesta del Licor (Infonegocios, 2026 (opens in a new tab)). It has the Elvio Romero Public Museum and Library and the old railway station (ABC Color, March 2023 (opens in a new tab)).
- Yuty: the department's other Franciscan mission town; its sights include the Itacurú stone (Infonegocios, 2026 (opens in a new tab)).
- San Juan Nepomuceno: the department's commercial hub; at night people visit the Ykua Kurusu and the floodlit parish church (ABC Color, March 2023 (opens in a new tab)).
- Tavaí cenote: a semi-open cenote on Cerro Moroti in the San Rafael hills. Access is via the Tavaí–María Auxiliadora road to Tava Porá and then Costa San Miguel; the descent needs climbing gear and a rope of about 50 m (ABC Color, March 2023 (opens in a new tab)). Go only with a guide and if you are fit.
- Chorro de K10: waterfalls and clear water in the K10 settlement of Abaí, on a gravel road towards Tarumá (ABC Color, March 2023 (opens in a new tab)).
Infonegocios lays the circuit out over two days: Yegros and Yuty first, Caazapá town the second (Infonegocios, 2026 (opens in a new tab)). For the town alone with a timed plan, see our day trip to Caazapá.
What to buy
Caazapá offers wines, cigars, cheeses, fruit and Indigenous and criollo crafts (Última Hora, 2022 (opens in a new tab)). In Yegros, liqueurs are the local speciality.
Getting there and where to stay
- Road: PY02 to Coronel Oviedo and the PY08 south through Villarrica, 50 km from Caazapá (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab); ABC Color, May 2023 (opens in a new tab)). From Asunción it is over 200 km and about three hours or more by car (Infonegocios, 2026 (opens in a new tab)).
- Bus: the town has a bus terminal (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)); ask for times at the Asunción terminal.
- Sleeping: there are hotels and guesthouses (ABC Color, May 2023 (opens in a new tab)); La Nación suggests looking them up on the Senatur and Caazapá governorate websites (La Nación, 2020 (opens in a new tab)).
FAQ
What is there to do in Caazapá?
Visit Ykua Bolaños, San Pablo church with its Franciscan altarpiece, the Acera Pucú, the Museo Fray Juan Bernardo and the San Roque oratory, all in the centre or 1 km away.
What is Ykua Bolaños?
A spring 1 km from town that, legend says, appeared through a miracle of Friar Luis Bolaños during a drought. A festival is held there every January.
Where is the Fierro Punta bridge?
Over the Pirapó River between Fulgencio Yegros and Yuty, in the south of Caazapá department. It is over 330 m long and dates from 1909.
How do you get to the Tavaí cenote?
Via the Tavaí–María Auxiliadora road to Tava Porá and Costa San Miguel, up Cerro Moroti; the descent needs climbing gear and rope, so go with a guide.
