Why visit Paraguay?
Paraguay combines colonial history, Jesuit heritage and a living indigenous language within a manageable area. Asunción was founded in 1537, the UNESCO reductions of Trinidad and Jesús de Tavarangüé stand near Encarnación, and Mennonites who speak Plautdietsch and High German live in the Chaco.
This landlocked country borders Argentina, Brazil and Bolivia and covers 406,752 km². The Río Paraguay splits it into an eastern half of grassland, wooded hills and the major cities, and a flat, partly swampy Chaco that takes up around 60% of the land area but is home to only a small share of the population. The Federal Foreign Office, Germany describes the tourist infrastructure as modest, so travelers typically organize much of the trip themselves.
Sources: Wikipedia · Federal Foreign Office, Germany
What kind of destination is Paraguay?
Paraguay is bilingual, largely rural and not very touristy. According to the statistics office INE, 38.7% of people age five and older speak mostly Guaraní and Spanish at home, 27.9% only Guaraní, and 30.9% only Spanish. Travelers who know Spanish get around noticeably more easily.
The 1992 Constitution describes Paraguay in Article 140 as pluricultural and bilingual. In everyday life many people mix both languages into Jopará. There are also immigrant communities: the Federal Foreign Office, Germany counts around 150,000 people of German descent, including in the Mennonite colonies of the Chaco, and San Bernardino on Lago Ypacaraí was founded by German immigrants in 1881.
Two wars still shape the country's historical memory: the War of the Triple Alliance, which ended on 1 March 1870 at Cerro Corá with the death of Marshal Francisco Solano López, and the Chaco War, commemorated at forts such as Boquerón in the Chaco. Travel pace is unhurried and distances are large; patience belongs in the luggage.
Sources: Última Hora · Secretaría Nacional de Cultura, Paraguay · Visit Paraguay, SENATUR · Federal Foreign Office, Germany · Visit Paraguay, SENATUR · Ministerio del Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible (MADES) · Agencia de Información Paraguaya (IP)
Which regions are worth visiting in Paraguay?
For a first trip, three areas stand out: Asunción with Lago Ypacaraí, the south around Encarnación with the Jesuit reductions, and the central Chaco around Filadelfia and Loma Plata. Encarnación is 382 km and Filadelfia 462 km from Asunción; the east around Itaipú can only be recommended with reservations because of the security situation.
Asunción and Lago Ypacaraí
At the center of the capital stands the Panteón Nacional de los Héroes, begun in 1863 and, because of the war, not completed until 1936; it holds the remains of Francisco Solano López, his father Carlos Antonio López, and Marshal José Félix Estigarribia. Loma San Jerónimo was declared the country's first tourism neighborhood in 2013. On Lago Ypacaraí lie Areguá (28 km, ceramics and strawberries) and San Bernardino (50 km), while Itauguá is where the Ñandutí lace is made.
Encarnación and the Jesuit reductions
Encarnación, founded in 1615, sits on the Río Paraná opposite the Argentine city of Posadas. Its Costanera stretches for around 27 km along the river, and its 8.7-km-long western section with the 700-meter Playa San José opened in 2011.
La Santísima Trinidad de Paraná (1706) on the PY06 highway is, according to UNESCO, the best-preserved reduction; its church was built around 1745 to plans by the Milanese architect Juan Bautista Prímoli. Jesús de Tavarangüé lies 42 km from Encarnación and 12 km from Trinidad, and its 70-meter-long church was never completed. Both have been World Heritage sites since 1993.
Chaco: Filadelfia and Loma Plata
Filadelfia, founded on 17 August 1931 as the center of the Fernheim colony, lies 462 km from Asunción; Loma Plata, center of the Menno colony founded in 1927, is 20 km away. The Fernheim Cooperative runs nine museums, and salt lagoons such as Laguna Capitán attract flamingos from July to September.
East and national parks
Ciudad del Este lies 327 km to the east on the border with Brazil; in Hernandarias, also in the Alto Paraná department, Itaipú offers a power plant, a museum and a nature reserve. The border area in Alto Paraná is considered an area of elevated risk. Ybycuí National Park (5,060 ha, established 1973), 142 to 150 km from Asunción, protects forest, waterfalls, and the La Rosada iron foundry. Cerro Corá in the Amambay department lies in the border area and is not a standard destination for tourists.
| Region | Distance | Strengths | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asunción, Lago Ypacaraí | 0–50 km | Pantheon, Loma San Jerónimo, Areguá | Southern summer is very hot |
| Encarnación, missions | 382 km | UNESCO reductions, Costanera, carnival | FDFA: exercise greatest caution in the border area |
| Central Chaco | 462 km | Mennonite colonies, museums, flamingos | Rainy season: some tracks impassable |
| Ciudad del Este, Itaipú | 327 km | Dam, proximity to Iguazú | border area with elevated risk |
Sources: Visit Paraguay, SENATUR · Visit Paraguay, SENATUR · Visit Paraguay, SENATUR · Visit Paraguay, SENATUR · Visit Paraguay, SENATUR · Visit Paraguay, SENATUR · Visit Paraguay, SENATUR · Visit Paraguay, SENATUR · Visit Paraguay, SENATUR · UNESCO World Heritage Centre · SENATUR · Kooperative Fernheim · Agencia de Información Paraguaya (IP) · Wikipedia · Wikipedia · Itaipu Binacional · Federal Foreign Office, Germany · Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, Switzerland · Ministerio del Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible (MADES) · Ministerio del Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible (MADES)
When is the best time to visit Paraguay?
Paraguay is most pleasant during the southern winter, from May to September: days are warm, nights are cool, and from June to September Asunción sees noticeably less rain than during the rest of the year. From December to February it is hot, and the rainy season with flooding lasts, according to the Federal Foreign Office, Germany, from November to April.
Average daily highs and lows and monthly rainfall in Asunción and Encarnación
| Asunción | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °C | 35 | 35 | 33 | 30 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 28 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 |
| Low °C | 23 | 23 | 21 | 19 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 17 | 19 | 20 | 22 |
| Rainfall mm | 126 | 139 | 135 | 149 | 143 | 74 | 63 | 38 | 73 | 163 | 191 | 179 |
| Encarnación | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °C | 34 | 34 | 32 | 29 | 25 | 23 | 23 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 33 |
| Low °C | 23 | 23 | 20 | 18 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 16 | 18 | 19 | 21 |
| Rainfall mm | 156 | 125 | 149 | 186 | 147 | 112 | 92 | 90 | 122 | 215 | 191 | 188 |
Average daily highs and lows, and monthly rainfall. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station SILVIO PETTIROSSI INTL (6 km, 89 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station POSADAS (12 km, 131 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020.
The table shows the basic pattern: from December to February average highs in both cities are well above 30 °C, while in July average lows drop to 12–13 °C. The wettest months are October to December, and Encarnación is wetter than Asunción throughout the year.
During the rainy season, roads and bridges regularly become impassable, according to the Federal Foreign Office, Germany, especially in the Chaco. In summer, bush and forest fires threaten there and in the northeast; the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, Switzerland also names the south and the region around Asunción as at risk of wildfires.
| Destination | Favorable months | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Asunción, missions in Itapúa | May to September | milder days, less rain |
| Central Chaco | May to September | outside the rainy season, flamingos July to September |
| Playa San José, Encarnación | Mid-October to Easter | swimming season with lifeguards |
| Encarnación carnival | January and February | January to February, on several Saturday evenings |
Sources: Federal Foreign Office, Germany · Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, Switzerland · Agencia de Información Paraguaya (IP) · Visit Paraguay, SENATUR · Visit Paraguay, SENATUR · Agencia de Información Paraguaya (IP) · ABC Color
What do I need to enter Paraguay?
Germans, Austrians and Swiss nationals do not need a visa for tourist stays of up to 90 days (as of September 2026). Germans and Austrians enter with a passport valid for the entire length of stay; German national ID cards are not accepted. The authoritative sources are always the relevant official agencies.
- Germany: passport, provisional passport or children's passport; a one-time 90-day extension is possible with approval from the migration authority.
- Austria: passport; the cream-colored emergency passport is accepted; other purposes and longer stays are handled via the embassy in Vienna.
- Switzerland: the migration authority's January 2026 list shows Switzerland as visa-free for up to 90 days; the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, Switzerland says Paraguayan representations confirm which documents are accepted.
- Other nationalities: separate rules apply. The Paraguayan migration authority's list of visa agreements shows, for each country, whether a visa is required for tourism, extension, or residence; Paraguayan consulates provide further information.
On overland crossings, such as between Encarnación and Posadas or Ciudad del Este and Foz do Iguaçu, travelers must make sure they get an entry stamp themselves. If it is missing, a penalty fee of around 600,000 PYG (about 80 EUR) applies, according to the Federal Foreign Office, Germany. Anyone entering from Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, French Guiana or Venezuela needs a yellow fever vaccination certificate, issued at least 10 days beforehand, if they are between 1 and 59 years old.
Entry requirements can change at short notice. Before departure, the authoritative sources are the Paraguayan authorities and representations, along with the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, the Federal Foreign Office, Germany, and the BMEIA, Austria.
Sources: Federal Foreign Office, Germany · Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA), Austria · Dirección General de Migraciones, Paraguay · Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, Switzerland
What vaccinations and health precautions does Paraguay require?
Only a yellow fever certificate is mandatory when entering from risk countries such as Brazil, Bolivia or Peru. According to healthytravel.ch, hepatitis A and yellow fever are recommended for the whole country, including the Iguazú Falls, but not for trips limited to Asunción. Dengue, chikungunya and Zika occur nationwide; Paraguay has been malaria-free according to the WHO since 2018.
- Rabies: dogs play a particular role, according to the Federal Foreign Office, Germany, and vaccine is barely available in the country; check with a doctor before travel about a pre-exposure vaccination.
- Measles: vaccination protection is part of travel preparation; check that both MMR vaccinations are up to date.
- Typhoid: worth considering for longer stays or basic hygienic conditions, according to the CDC.
Round-the-clock mosquito protection, even in cities, helps against dengue, chikungunya and Zika. Chagas disease is transmitted via kissing bugs and non-industrially produced fruit and sugarcane juices; in simple rural accommodations a mosquito net offers protection. Outside Asunción, medical care is not guaranteed, according to the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, Switzerland, and hospitals require payment in advance. Travel insurance with repatriation cover is therefore important.
Sources: healthytravel.ch, Schweizerisches Expertenkomitee für Reisemedizin · CDC Travelers' Health · World Health Organization · Federal Foreign Office, Germany · Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, Switzerland
How safe is Paraguay for travelers?
The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, the Federal Foreign Office, Germany, and the BMEIA, Austria describe elevated crime with a high readiness for violence; the BMEIA specifically names Asunción, Ciudad del Este and Pedro Juan Caballero. The departments of Concepción, San Pedro and Amambay are considered particularly risky and are not tourist areas.
The border area with Brazil in Amambay, Canindeyú and Alto Paraná is considered particularly risky. The FDFA urges the greatest caution throughout the entire border area with Brazil and Argentina and warns of express kidnappings as well as poorly maintained excursion boats. The FDFA and the Federal Foreign Office, Germany advise against displaying valuables, not resisting during robberies, and not driving overland at night.
Current situation: Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, Federal Foreign Office, Germany, BMEIA, Austria.
Sources: Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, Switzerland · Federal Foreign Office, Germany · Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA), Austria
How do you get to Paraguay and travel around the country?
The only airport with scheduled flights is Silvio Pettirossi (ASU) in Luque, a few minutes from Asunción. Air Europa is the only carrier flying nonstop to Europe, from Madrid; other connections run via Panama City, São Paulo, Buenos Aires, Santiago de Chile, Lima or Bogotá. Within the country, long-distance buses from Asunción's bus terminal connect Encarnación, Ciudad del Este and the Chaco.
According to FlightConnections, Asunción has nonstop flights to 16 destinations in 9 countries (as of September 2026). The longest route is to Madrid, at around 9,185 km and roughly 11 h 5 min. There are no direct flights to North America, Africa, Asia or Oceania; travelers from those regions connect via Madrid, Panama City or a South American hub. Uber and Bolt also operate in Asunción.
| Region | Destinations | Airlines |
|---|---|---|
| Europe | Madrid | Air Europa |
| Central America | Panama City | Copa Airlines |
| Brazil | São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Florianópolis (seasonal) | LATAM, Gol, JetSmart, Paranair |
| Argentina | Buenos Aires (Aeroparque, Ezeiza), Rosario, Salta, Jujuy | Aerolíneas Argentinas, Flybondi, JetSmart, Paranair |
| Rest of South America | Santiago de Chile, Lima, Bogotá, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Montevideo, Punta del Este (seasonal) | LATAM, Avianca, BoA, Paranair |
From the Asunción bus station, carriers including NSA, Río Paraguay and La Encarnacena run to Encarnación, and NASA serves the Chaco. Rental cars are available for all tourist destinations; Germans and Austrians need an international driving permit together with their national license. Many roads have deep potholes, and there is no mandatory vehicle insurance.
| Destination | Road | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Encarnación | Route PY01 | 382 km |
| Ciudad del Este | Route PY02 | 327 km |
| Filadelfia (Chaco) | Transchaco (PY09) | 462 km |
| Ybycuí National Park | PY01, Carapeguá turnoff | 142–150 km |
Sources: FlightConnections · Travel South America · Airline92 · Visit Paraguay, SENATUR · Visit Paraguay, SENATUR · Estación de Buses de Asunción, Municipalidad de Asunción · Federal Foreign Office, Germany · Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA), Austria · Wikipedia · Wikipedia · Agencia de Información Paraguaya (IP) · Ministerio del Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible (MADES)
What currency is used in Paraguay, and what does the trip cost?
Payment is made in Guaraní (PYG), in circulation since 1944. Credit and debit cards and QR payments work in most shops. ATMs are widespread but usually dispense only 1.5 to 3 million PYG per day, roughly 220 to 440 EUR (as of September 2026).
According to the BMEIA, Austria, only exchange bureaus change euros; cash up to 10,000 USD may be brought in, according to the Federal Foreign Office, Germany. In restaurants, around 10% tip is customary, according to the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber. The combined ticket for the Jesuit missions is valid for 72 hours, and children up to 12 pay nothing.
| Item | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Itapúa Jesuit missions | 40,000 PYG | foreigners; Paraguayans 25,000 PYG |
| Ybycuí National Park | 20,000 PYG | age 18+; ages 11–17: 5,000 PYG |
| Itaipú visitor complex | free | bring your passport |
| Missing entry stamp | around 600,000 PYG | penalty fee, about 80 EUR |
Sources: Visit Paraguay, SENATUR · Federal Foreign Office, Germany · Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA), Austria · Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, Foreign Trade · Visit Paraguay, SENATUR · Ministerio del Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible (MADES) · Itaipu Binacional
Where do you stay in Paraguay?
In Asunción and Encarnación, most travelers stay in city hotels; in the Chaco the selection is smaller, with the Fernheim Cooperative in Filadelfia naming the Hotel Florida, which has a restaurant and pool. In the countryside, the state Posadas Turísticas program arranges rooms in family homes.
A Posada Turística offers at least three guest rooms, and around 90% are run by women as small business owners, supported by the tourism authority SENATUR. Book early in Encarnación during the swimming season and on carnival Saturdays. Camping is allowed in Ybycuí National Park.
Sources: Invertur América · Kooperative Fernheim · Visit Paraguay, SENATUR · Ministerio del Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible (MADES)
What do you eat and drink in Paraguay?
Classics of Paraguayan cuisine, according to the tourism authority, include Sopa paraguaya, chipa baked in a clay oven, mbejú, vori vori and, for festive occasions, vitel toné. The typical drink is tereré, cold mate with medicinal herbs, which UNESCO recognized as intangible cultural heritage in 2020.
Tereré is prepared with cold water and crushed herbs known as Pohã Ñana, and drunk through a bombilla straw from a glass filled with yerba mate. In the Chaco, Filadelfia thrives on milk, meat, sesame and peanuts; Areguá is known for strawberries and San Bernardino for baked goods made in the German tradition.
Non-industrially produced fruit and sugarcane juices such as garapa can transmit Chagas disease, according to the Federal Foreign Office, Germany.
Sources: Visit Paraguay, SENATUR · UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage · Visit Paraguay, SENATUR · Visit Paraguay, SENATUR · Visit Paraguay, SENATUR · Federal Foreign Office, Germany
What should you know about culture and language in Paraguay?
Guaraní is an everyday language, not a museum piece: together, 66.6% of people speak Guaraní alone or alongside Spanish at home. Besides tereré, UNESCO has listed the musical form guarania (2024), the poncho weaving of Piribebuy (2023) and the ceramic art of Ñai'ũpo (2025) as intangible cultural heritage.
Settlers of the Menno colony arrived from Canada between December 1926 and November 1927 to preserve their German-language education; to this day, the Mennonites speak Plautdietsch and High German. The Ñandutí lace from Itauguá has been nominated by Paraguay for UNESCO recognition, but is not yet listed. On 8 December, thousands make a pilgrimage to the Santuario de la Virgen de Itacuá near Encarnación.
Sources: Última Hora · UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage · Wikipedia · Visit Paraguay, SENATUR · Visit Paraguay, SENATUR
What can you experience in Paraguay?
The strongest experiences are the evening programs at the missions, the Encarnación carnival, the museums of Filadelfia, and the flamingos in the Chaco. There are also hikes in Ybycuí National Park and tours of the Itaipú hydroelectric plant.
- Trinidad by night: the "Luces, Sonidos e Imágenes" tour tells the story of the encounter between the Guaraní and the Jesuits, Wednesday to Sunday, in 30 to 40 minutes.
- Jesús de Tavarangüé: video mapping on the unfinished church, whose trefoil arches in Mudéjar style are, according to UNESCO, unique in the region.
- Carnival: Encarnación celebrates in January and February on several Saturday evenings on the Costanera, each from about 9 p.m. to midnight.
- Filadelfia: the Jakob Unger Natural History Museum with around 191 bird species, and Fort Boquerón from the Chaco War, 50 to 60 km away.
- Itaipú: power plant tours and, on Fridays and Saturdays, the illumination of the dam wall, with reservation required by Thursday.
- Ybycuí: trails from 550 m to 2.5 km leading to waterfalls and the La Rosada iron foundry, open daily 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sources: Visit Paraguay, SENATUR · Visit Paraguay, SENATUR · UNESCO World Heritage Centre · Visit Paraguay, SENATUR · Kooperative Fernheim · Agencia de Información Paraguaya (IP) · Itaipu Binacional · Ministerio del Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible (MADES) · Itaipu Binacional
How do you travel responsibly in Paraguay?
The greatest impact comes from booking and buying locally: a room at a Posada Turística, Ñandutí lace directly from the workshops in Itauguá, ceramics at the daily market in Areguá. When fire risk is high, strict bans apply in the Chaco and forested areas, and these should be followed closely.
Protected areas are thinly staffed: for the 5,683 ha of Cerro Corá National Park, the environment ministry reported only eight park rangers in 2021. Paying the entrance fee, staying on marked trails and not lighting fires all help.
Sources: Invertur América · Visit Paraguay, SENATUR · Visit Paraguay, SENATUR · Federal Foreign Office, Germany · Ministerio del Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible (MADES)
How can Paraguay be combined with Iguazú and neighboring countries?
The most obvious pairing is Iguazú: the falls lie on the border between Argentina and Brazil and can be reached via Ciudad del Este and Foz do Iguaçu, or via Encarnación and Posadas. Anyone returning to Paraguay from Brazil needs a yellow fever vaccination certificate.
UNESCO describes Iguazú as a semicircular waterfall around 80 m high and nearly 3 km wide. Because the border area around Ciudad del Este is considered an area of elevated risk, the route via Posadas to the Argentine side, where the national park lies in Misiones province, is a good alternative; there too the FDFA urges caution in the border area. The Transchaco highway ends after 780 km at the border with Bolivia, and via the Buenos Aires hub, Uruguay can be added to the itinerary.
Sources: UNESCO World Heritage Centre · Federal Foreign Office, Germany · Visit Paraguay, SENATUR · Wikipedia · healthytravel.ch, Schweizerisches Expertenkomitee für Reisemedizin · Travel South America
Who is Paraguay suited for, and who is it less suited for?
Paraguay suits travelers more interested in history, languages and everyday culture than postcard scenery, and anyone wanting to combine Iguazú with a little-visited country. It is less suited to beach holidays by the sea, to travelers who expect extensive tourist infrastructure, and to those sensitive to heat during the southern summer.
- Well suited: people interested in Jesuit history and UNESCO sites, travelers with Spanish skills, people with ties to the German-descended colonies.
- Less suited: those seeking the sea (Paraguay is landlocked, with only river beaches), those wanting to travel without Spanish, and those who find the safety precautions needed in cities burdensome.
Sources: Federal Foreign Office, Germany · Wikipedia