In this guide
To buy ceramics in Areguá, start at the permanent potters' fair on Avenida De la Candelaria in the town centre, then head out to the Asociación de Artesanos Aregüeños on the Areguá–Patiño road if you want high-fired glazed tableware. If you'd like to see good work before you shop, the Centro Cultural del Lago has a ceramics museum and a shop. Areguá is about 30 km from Asunción (La Nación (opens in a new tab)), so a morning or an afternoon is enough.
Where to buy ceramics in Areguá
- The permanent fair on Avenida De la Candelaria. This is the main craft strip in the centre. In May 2023, ABC Color (opens in a new tab) reported it open 08:00–22:00, selling planters, amphorae, paintings, religious figures, porcelain-style kitchenware, jugs, water fountains, garden ornaments and clay-framed mirrors, with prices from G. 5,000. Walk the whole strip before you buy: some stalls sell the same moulded pieces, others make their own.
- Asociación de Artesanos Aregüeños (AAA). Its workshop is on the Areguá–Patiño road just outside the centre, with the showroom about 500 m from the Patrulla Caminera highway police post (ABC Revista, 2023 (opens in a new tab)). The group fires in a Noborigama kiln built in 2005 with Japan's JICA, which reaches 1,200–1,300 °C (Última Hora (opens in a new tab)). They sell tableware, glasses, mugs, vases and jewellery.
- Centro Cultural del Lago. At Yegros 855, it sells ceramics, books, textiles and paintings (ABC Color (opens in a new tab)). Its Ceramics Museum shows work from Areguá, Itá and Tobatí (La Nación (opens in a new tab)), which is a quick way to train your eye before you shop.
What to check before you pay
- What it's for. Traditional pieces are fired at 400–600 °C; Noborigama pieces at 1,200 °C or more, with a finer finish (ABC Revista (opens in a new tab)). If you plan to cook or serve food in it, ask how it was fired and whether the glaze is food-safe. For decoration or the garden, low-fired pottery is fine.
- Condition. Look at it in daylight, turn it over and tap it gently with a knuckle: a dull sound can mean a hairline crack. Check that the base sits flat and the paint doesn't rub off.
- Size and weight. A metre-tall planter or a big amphora won't fit every boot. Measure your car before you fall for one.
- Packing. Ask for paper and a box, or bring blankets and newspaper. Loose pieces on the back seat are the ones that break on the way back to Asunción.
- Payment. Bring cash in small notes, and ask whether the stall takes a bank transfer or QR before you choose.
When to go
- November–December, for nativity scenes. The Expo Pesebre is set up in front of the town hall on Avenida Mariscal Estigarribia. In 2024 it ran from 22 November to 23 December; ABC Color (opens in a new tab) reported miniature sets from G. 60,000, mid-size sets of about 50 cm at G. 250,000 and 1.2 m sets up to G. 30,000,000. In 2021, more than 200 local artisan families took part (InfoNegocios (opens in a new tab)). Dates change each year, so check with the municipality.
- Late May, for Ceramics Day (28 May). In 2026 there were workshops, tours and fairs through 31 May (La Nación (opens in a new tab)).
- Any weekend, if you want to mix shopping with a stroll. Go early: summer middays on the street are hard work, and big pieces are easier to load when it's cooler.
A half-day route
- Park in the centre near the La Candelaria church.
- Centro Cultural del Lago. See the museum and the shop. In March 2025 it opened Thursday and Friday 9:00–17:00, Saturday 10:00–18:00 and Sunday 10:30–18:00 (La Nación (opens in a new tab)); check its Instagram, @centroculturaldellago, before you go.
- Avenida De la Candelaria. Walk the fair, note two or three stalls, then go back and compare.
- Estación A. The old railway station is now a cultural space, and the platform is a lawn where people sit with tereré (La Nación (opens in a new tab)).
- Areguá–Patiño road. Finish at the AAA if you want glazed tableware; it's on your way out if you return via Patiño to Route PY02.
Getting to Areguá
- By car from Asunción: a short trip of about 30 km (La Nación (opens in a new tab)). The centre has narrow cobbled streets, so park and walk.
- By bus: the Aregüeña line serves the town and the road to Patiño (ABC Color, 2022 (opens in a new tab)). If you're on the bus, buy what you can carry by hand and have it wrapped well.
- Bring: cash, a sturdy box or bag, newspaper or blankets, water and a hat in summer.
FAQ
Where do you buy ceramics in Areguá?
At the permanent potters' fair on Avenida De la Candelaria in the centre. For high-fired glazed tableware, go to the Asociación de Artesanos Aregüeños on the Areguá–Patiño road.
When is Areguá's nativity fair (Expo Pesebre)?
It runs at the end of each year in front of the town hall on Avenida Mariscal Estigarribia. In 2024 it ran from 22 November to 23 December; check each year's dates with the municipality.
Can you cook with Areguá pottery?
It depends on the piece. Traditional pottery is fired at 400–600 °C and Noborigama pieces at 1,200 °C or more; ask how it was fired and whether the glaze is food-safe before using it in the kitchen.
How do I get to Areguá from Asunción?
It's about 30 km. Drive, or take the Aregüeña bus line; on the bus, buy what you can carry by hand.
