In this guide
For a first trip, the places to visit in Paraguay fall into a simple order: two days in Asunción, one day at Lake Ypacaraí or in the Cordillera hills, and then a single corridor: the south, with Encarnación and the Jesuit missions of Trinidad and Jesús, or the east, with the Itaipú dam and the Monday Falls. The Chaco and the far north (Cerro Corá, Vallemí) need a trip of their own, since each is more than 450 km from the capital.
Asunción: your base (one or two days)
- The historic centre in the morning. The National Pantheon of Heroes, with a changing of the guard at 10:00, Calle Palma with its old mansions, and the Palacio de López, which offers free guided tours (NYT, 2024 (opens in a new tab)).
- Loma San Jerónimo. The hillside neighbourhood of stairways and painted houses above the river; guided walks run at weekends (Uber Paraguay (opens in a new tab)).
- Mercado 4. The huge popular market between Rodríguez de Francia and Perú avenues (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)). Go early and carry little.
- Museo del Barro. Folk, Indigenous and contemporary art; open Tuesday to Saturday, 14:00 to 20:00, with free entry on Fridays and Saturdays (Museo del Barro (opens in a new tab)).
Full plan by area in things to do in Asunción.
Day trips from Asunción
- Areguá, about 30 km away (La Nación, 2025 (opens in a new tab)): potters' streets and a pier on the lake. San Bernardino, about 50 km (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)), on the far shore, for sunset. One day covers both: Lake Ypacaraí guide. Note that the lake is not safe for swimming (ABC Color, 2024 (opens in a new tab)).
- Caacupé, 54 km along PY02 (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)): the Basilica and the Cordillera hills. See places to visit in Caacupé.
- Yaguarón, 48 km along PY01 (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)): a Guaraní baroque Franciscan church, the Dr. Francia museum and a hill to climb. Plan in our Yaguarón day trip.
Do one per day: pairing towns on different sides of Asunción means more hours driving than walking.
Southern corridor: Encarnación and the Jesuit missions
- Getting there: about 370 km on PY01, roughly 7 hours by bus (Wikivoyage (opens in a new tab)). Stay at least two nights.
- Encarnación: the Costanera riverfront and Playa San José, the busiest of the municipal beaches (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)). On Saturdays in January and February, the carnival in the Sambódromo is the biggest in the country (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)).
- Trinidad and Jesús: the Santísima Trinidad del Paraná mission, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993, is about 30 km away on PY06 (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab); ABC Color, 2023 (opens in a new tab)). One ticket covers Trinidad, Jesús and San Cosme y Damián for 72 hours, day and night; in April 2026 it cost G. 40,000 for foreigners and G. 25,000 for Paraguayans (ABC Color, 2023 (opens in a new tab); La Nación, 2026 (opens in a new tab)). The night light show runs Wednesday to Sunday (Pilgrimaps (opens in a new tab)).
More in things to do in Encarnación and Trinidad: things to do.
Eastern corridor: Itaipú and the Monday Falls
- Getting there: 327 km on PY02 to Ciudad del Este (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)), 5 to 6 hours by bus (Rome2Rio (opens in a new tab)). Two nights is enough.
- Itaipú Binacional: on the Paraguayan side every visit is free and needs a booking (ABC Color, 2022 (opens in a new tab)). On Friday and Saturday nights there is the free Monumental Lighting show (ABC Color, 2023 (opens in a new tab)). Guide: visiting Itaipú.
- Saltos del Monday: in Presidente Franco, with drops of about 40 metres into the Monday river canyon (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab); C5N, 2025 (opens in a new tab)). A morning is enough: Monday Falls guide.
Coming from Foz do Iguaçu or Puerto Iguazú, this is the easiest corridor to add to the Iguazú Falls.
Separate trips: the Chaco and the north
- Central Chaco: Filadelfia is about 470 km up the Transchaco highway (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)). Mennonite museums, Chaco War forts and the Gran Chaco Interpretation Centre, free Wednesday to Sunday (La Nación, 2025 (opens in a new tab)). Allow at least two nights: Paraguayan Chaco guide.
- Cerro Corá: the national park where the War of the Triple Alliance ended, open daily 8:00 to 15:00 (La Nación, 2023 (opens in a new tab)). Base yourself in Pedro Juan Caballero: Cerro Corá guide.
- Vallemí: guided caves about 590 km from Asunción (Última Hora, 2024 (opens in a new tab)): Vallemí overnight.
Which corridor suits you?
Corridor · Distance from Asunción · Best for
Lake and Cordillera · 30 to 54 km · Short stays, crafts, churches
South (Encarnación, Trinidad) · about 370 km · Jesuit history, summer beach and carnival
East (Itaipú, Monday) · 327 km · Engineering, waterfalls, pairing with Iguazú
Central Chaco · about 470 km · Mennonite colonies, forts, birdlife
A sample week: days 1–2 in Asunción, day 3 at the lake, days 4–6 in your chosen corridor, day 7 heading back. Get on the road early: summer heat wears you down more than the distances do.
FAQ
What should I visit in Paraguay in one week?
Two days in Asunción, a day at Lake Ypacaraí or Caacupé, and three days in one corridor: the south (Encarnación and Trinidad) or the east (Itaipú and the Monday Falls).
Can I do Encarnación and Ciudad del Este on one short trip?
Better not. Each is about 330 to 370 km from Asunción in different directions; with five or six days, pick one.
How much does it cost to enter the Trinidad ruins?
In April 2026, G. 40,000 for foreigners and G. 25,000 for Paraguayans. The ticket lasts 72 hours and also covers Jesús and San Cosme y Damián.
Can I visit the Chaco as a day trip from Asunción?
No. Filadelfia is about 470 km up the Transchaco; plan at least two nights there.
