Must-see attractions in Paraguay

  • Yaguarón Church

    Paraguay

    This 18th-century Franciscan church is a landmark of colonial architecture that is not to be missed. The simple design of the exterior, with its separate…

  • Trinidad

    Paraguay

    A visually striking red-sandstone structure with an ornate style incorporating Roman arches, and strongly featuring the passion-flower motif, signature of…

  • Museo Jesuítica de Santa Fe

    Paraguay

    A must-see for those interested in Jesuit history, housing fine examples of religious carving. The indigenous carvers were taught their trade by a Jesuit…

  • Panteón de los Héroes

    Asunción

    Asunción's most instantly recognizable building, the imposing Panteón de los Héroes protects the remains of Mariscal Francisco Solano López and other key…

  • Casa de la Independencia

    Asunción

    The Casa de la Independencia dates from 1772 and is where Paraguay became the first country on the continent to declare its independence in 1811. Rooms…

  • Chaco Lodge

    Paraguay

    Chaco Lodge is a forest reserve around a large salt lake famous for its flamingos. It is one of the last in the area to dry out, and is accessible only…

  • Museo del Barro

    Asunción

    Everyone's favorite, Museo del Barro displays everything from modern paintings to pre-Columbian and indigenous crafts, to political caricatures of…

  • Sambadromo Carnaval

    Paraguay

    The Sambadromo (Carnival parade ground) is along Av Costanera, which is Encarnación's main strip for nightlife. Outside of Carnival season it is used for…

  • Monumento Bertoni

    Paraguay

    A family of Swiss immigrants led by father Moisés, the Bertonis had the idea of breeding a community of scientists deep in the Paraguayan jungle at the…

  • Salto del Monday

    Paraguay

    This impressive 80m-high waterfall, located 10km south of Ciudad del Este, suffers from its close proximity to Iguazú Falls on the other side of the…

  • San Cosme y Damián

    Paraguay

    The only Jesuit church that still functions for services, San Cosme y Damián is more impressive for its wooden statues than for the church itself, which…

  • Jardín Botánico

    Asunción

    From the center, Av Artigas runs approximately 6km to the Jardín Botánico. The former estate of the ruling López dynasty, it now houses the city zoo, a…

  • Jesús de Tavarangüe

    Paraguay

    The name Jesús de Tavarangüe means 'Jesus the town that was never finished,' as the Jesuits were expelled before it could be completed. The Spanish…

  • Palacio López

    Asunción

    The grand pink Palacio López is the seat of government. During the early years of independence you could be shot for merely looking at the exterior! These…

  • Cabildo

    Asunción

    North of the Plaza de los Héroes near the waterfront is the pink cabildo (colonial town council), which was once the center of government. This…

  • Basilica de Caacupé

    Paraguay

    Paraguay's answer to the Vatican City, the enormous Basilica de Caacupé looks quite out of place in this otherwise quiet provincial town. Though modern,…

  • Museo del Doctor Francia

    Paraguay

    In a little colonial house with a pleasant garden, the Museo del Doctor Francia is the house where Paraguay's first president/dictator spent much of his…

  • Conmebol

    Asunción

    The headquarters of Conmebol, the South American football confederation, is in Luque, on the road to the airport. It houses an impressive museum depicting…

  • Museo del Cuartel de la Villa Real

    Paraguay

    The museum in the beautifully restored barracks exhibits historical and war paraphernalia. The attack on Mato Grosso, Brazil, was launched from here…

  • Cabildo Histórico

    Paraguay

    The old seat of local government is a two-tiered wood-and-adobe building on the leafy plaza.

  • Flora and Fauna Itaipú Binacional

    Paraguay

    In the creation of the Itaipú Dam, the dam company was obliged to set up a series of eight private reserves that now protect the last remnants of the Alto…

  • Fortín Boquerón

    Paraguay

    Fortín Boquerón is the site of one of the decisive battles of the Chaco War (1932–35). There is an excellent museum, as well as a graveyard of the fallen…

  • Estación Ferrocarril

    Asunción

    The Asunción–Encarnación railway line was the first in South America. One of the first trains to run the route is on display at the old Estación…

  • Ita Cajón

    Paraguay

    The former Jesuit quarry has now been turned into a pleasant park. The Jesuits removed the stone by hammering along fault lines until the rock broke,…

  • Manzana de la Rivera

    Asunción

    Just across the street from Palacio López is the Manzana de la Rivera, a complex of nine colorful and restored houses. The oldest is Casa Viola (1750),…

  • Colonists' Museum

    Paraguay

    The creaky wooden building that houses the museum is the original colony headquarters. It's filled with a bit of everything, from information about…

  • Cementerio de la Recoleta

    Asunción

    This cemetery, 3km east of the center along Av Mariscal López, is a maze of incredible mausoleums as Asunción's wealthy try to do outdo each other in the…

  • Tupasy Ycuá

    Paraguay

    No trip to Caacupé would be complete without bathing yourself in the holy water of the Tupasy Ycuá. You can also take some home with you. Virgin-shaped…

  • Jakob Unger Museum

    Paraguay

    The natural-history museum, named after the famous Mennonite naturalist, is stuffed with taxidermied animals and is part of the impressive Filadelfia…

  • Museo de Arqueología Industrial

    Paraguay

    If machines rev you up, this open-air museum down the middle of Concepcion's main avenue features an assortment of antique industrial and agricultural…

  • María Auxiliadora

    Paraguay

    Concepcion's most eye-catching monument is the enormous statue of María Auxiliadora (Virgin Mary), which towers over the northern end of the main avenue.

  • Catedral Metropolitana

    Asunción

    On the eastern side of Plaza Constitución is the unremarkable Catedral Metropolitana, with its equally unremarkable museum.

  • Museo Loma Plata

    Paraguay

    A small museum of Mennonite history, next to the tourist information office. Information in English available.

  • Former House of Stroessner

    Paraguay

    The former house of dictator Alfredo Stroessner is now a private university just behind the bus terminal.

  • Escalinata San Pedro

    Paraguay

    A Gaudí-esque ornamental stairway in a residential neighbourhood at the far end of Av Costanera.

  • Museum

    Paraguay

    Contains assorted war memorabilia from the era of the War of the Triple Alliance.

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