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Jesuit Mission of Trinidad

Travel guide · Jesuit missions, tereré and Guaraní

Travelling to Paraguay

The Jesuit missions of Trinidad and Jesús, the Itaipú dam, the Encarnación carnival, Lake Ypacaraí and a bilingual culture of Guaraní and tereré. We tell you when to go, what to see and what to eat.

Updated 18 October 2026 · How we make our guides

  • Best time: from March to November
  • Where to eat: a Paraguayan comedor or a chipa stall
Photo: Maurice Chédel · CC BY-SA 3.0

Paraguay in 30 seconds

  • The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Paraguay are from March to November.
  • To eat like a local: a Paraguayan comedor or a chipa stall. Don’t leave without trying: Sopa paraguaya, Chipa, Chipa guasu.

Paraguay in November

Yes: November is a good time to travel to Paraguay. Our data shows no weather or seasonal warnings that month.

November is one of the months when people search most for travelling to Paraguay: book early. More destinations for November

When to travel to Paraguay

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Paraguay are from March to November.

  1. Jan with warnings
  2. Feb with warnings
  3. Mar no warnings
  4. Apr no warnings
  5. May no warnings
  6. Jun no warnings
  7. Jul no warnings
  8. Aug no warnings
  9. Sep no warnings
  10. Oct no warnings
  11. Nov no warnings
  12. Dec with warnings

More destinations for those dates: where to travel in March · where to travel in April · where to travel in May · where to travel in June

  • from December to February

    Intense heat

    Summer is very hot and humid, with violent storms.

    What to do: The best time is May to September, when it’s cooler.

What to see in Paraguay

The cities and areas most worth your time, with their highlights. Open each one for all the places, where to stay and its day trips.

  • Asunción

    Asunción

    One of the oldest cities in South America, on the bay of the Paraguay River.

    • Pantheon of the Heroes
    • López Palace
    • Costanera
    • Mercado 4
    Asunción guide
  • Encarnación

    Encarnación

    The “pearl of the south”, with river beaches, carnival and the Jesuit missions nearby.

    • Trinidad Jesuit Mission
    • Jesús Jesuit Mission
    • San José Beach
    • Costanera
    Encarnación guide
  • Ciudad del Este

    Ciudad del Este

    The shopping city on the triple border, with the Itaipú dam and the falls nearby.

    • Itaipú Dam
    • Monday Falls
    • Friendship Bridge
    • Shopping district
    Ciudad del Este guide
  • San Bernardino

    San Bernardino

    The summer resort on Lake Ypacaraí, founded by German settlers.

    • Lake Ypacaraí
    • Old town
    • Hotel del Lago
    • Lake beaches
    San Bernardino guide
  • Areguá

    Areguá

    A village of potters and strawberries, with old houses above the lake.

    • Pottery
    • Cerro Koi
    • Church
    • Strawberries
    Areguá guide

Day trips and activities

What’s most worth booking from each city. We take you straight to the best-rated tour on GetYourGuide, with its reviews and dates.

From Asunción

From Encarnación

From Ciudad del Este

From San Bernardino

From Areguá

Some links are affiliate links: if you book through them, Bagintravel may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

What to eat in Paraguay

To eat like a local: a Paraguayan comedor or a chipa stall, and order sopa paraguaya or chipa. And don’t leave without trying:

  • Sopa paraguaya

    A cornbread with cheese and onion.

  • Chipa

    A cassava-starch and cheese roll.

  • Chipa guasu

    A fresh-sweetcorn bake.

  • Vorí vorí

    A soup with little balls of cornmeal and cheese.

  • Mbejú

    A starch and cheese flatbread.

  • Tereré

    Cold mate with herbs.

The typical dish of Paraguay, at home

Sopa paraguaya
Photo: Aterovi · Public domain

Sopa paraguaya

Despite its name, it isn’t a soup: it’s a fluffy bake of cornmeal, cheese, onion and milk, served alongside a Paraguayan asado. Legend has it that it was born from a president’s cook’s mistake.

  • Serves 8
  • 1 h 15 min

Ingredients

  • 500 g yellow cornmeal
  • 2 onions
  • 100 g butter
  • 4 eggs
  • 400 g semi-cured fresh cheese
  • 500 ml milk
  • 1 teaspoon salt

How to make it at home

  1. Fry the chopped onion gently in half the butter until translucent, and leave it to cool.
  2. Beat the eggs with the salt, the rest of the butter and the onion.
  3. Add the crumbled cheese, the milk and the cornmeal, and mix to a thick batter.
  4. Pour it into a greased dish, about 4 centimetres deep.
  5. Bake at 200 °C for about 45 minutes, until golden on top.

The trick: Leave it to rest for 10 minutes before cutting into squares.

The typical food of each city, with a recipe

Curious facts about Paraguay

What guidebooks don’t tell you and will help you understand the country better.

  • Guaraní is an official language and is spoken by most of the population.
  • Its flag has a different emblem on each side.
  • Sopa paraguaya isn’t a soup: it’s a cornbread.
  • Tereré (cold mate) is part of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage.
  • The Itaipú dam is one of the largest in the world.
  • It has no coastline, but it does have a navy on its rivers.

Traditions of Paraguay

Customs and celebrations that will help you experience the country like a local.

  • 8 December Virgin of Caacupé

    The country’s great pilgrimage.

  • February Encarnación Carnival

    The most famous in the country.

  • 24 June San Juan Ára

    Fire games and traditional food.

  • 14 and 15 May Independence

    A national holiday.

What not to do in Paraguay

First-trip mistakes that are easy to avoid.

  • Don’t go to rural areas in the north without checking first.
  • Don’t turn down tereré if you’re offered it.
  • Don’t underestimate the summer heat: it goes above 40 °C.
  • Don’t change money on the street.
  • Don’t leave things on show in the car.
  • Don’t leave without trying chipa.

Before you go

Entry requirements depend on your passport and change: always check them with official sources before travelling.

Frequently asked questions about Paraguay

What people search for most before travelling to Paraguay.

What’s the best time to travel to Paraguay?

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Paraguay are from March to November.

What to see in Paraguay in a week?

The essentials of Paraguay: Asunción, Encarnación, Ciudad del Este, San Bernardino and Areguá. How many places fit into your days, and in what order, depends on your dates and how you get around: the Bagintravel app plans your trip day by day in a minute.

What to eat in Paraguay?

Sopa paraguaya, Chipa, Chipa guasu, Vorí vorí, Mbejú, Tereré. To eat like a local: a Paraguayan comedor or a chipa stall.

What is the typical dish of Paraguay?

Sopa paraguaya. Despite its name, it isn’t a soup: it’s a fluffy bake of cornmeal, cheese, onion and milk, served alongside a Paraguayan asado. Legend has it that it was born from a president’s cook’s mistake.

What should you not do in Paraguay?

Don’t go to rural areas in the north without checking first. Don’t turn down tereré if you’re offered it. Don’t underestimate the summer heat: it goes above 40 °C.

Is it worth travelling to Paraguay in November?

Yes: November is a good time to travel to Paraguay. Our data shows no weather or seasonal warnings that month.

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Guide reviewed 18 October 2026. Seasonal data, places and areas: the same ones the Bagintravel app uses. Sources and method.

Photos: cover, Maurice Chédel (CC BY-SA 3.0). Asunción, Robert Servin (CC BY-SA 4.0). Encarnación, Cmasi (CC BY-SA 4.0). Ciudad del Este, Cmasi (CC BY-SA 4.0). San Bernardino, Santiviago (Public domain). Areguá, Patty P (Public domain).