Carapeguá

City

Capital of poyvi: loom-woven blankets, hammocks and ponchos on the banks of the Caañabé stream.

80 km≈ 1 h 15 from Asunción

2–3 hoursDuration

₲₲₲Budget or free

DirectionsSee on map

What it is

On the PY01, Carapeguá is the place to stop for poyvi textiles ('thread' in Guaraní): cotton blankets, quilts, bedspreads, hammocks and ponchos made on family looms and sold at shops along the highway. The town has the Artisan History Museum at the Oñondivepá Cultural Center, and around it rise Cerro Bogarín, a municipal wildlife area with trails, and the road to the Acahay massif. From the Caapucumí community, a canoe trip through the Ypoá wetlands leads to Mosito Island.

What to see and do

Poyvi textile shops along the highway
The Artisan History Museum at the Oñondivepá Cultural Center
Cerro Bogarín (294 m), a municipal wildlife area
Canoe trip to Mosito Island

Did you know…?

Poyvi means 'thread' in Guaraní.

Mosito Island, in the Ypoá wetlands, can be reached by canoe.

In the Pacheco community there's a tajy (lapacho tree) so big it takes eight people to hug it.

History

It was founded in 1725 by Governor Martín de Barúa on the banks of the Caañabé stream. Its cotton weaving tradition, handed down through generations, earned it the title 'capital of poyvi'. Its patron saint is the Immaculate Conception, celebrated on December 8.

Tips

Ask whether a piece is hand-loomed: it's worth more than the factory-made kind and lasts for years.
For Mosito Island, contact local canoe operators or guides and ask about water levels.

Textile shops along the highway: regular business hours.

Best time: Year-round as a shopping stop. December 8, feast of the Immaculate Conception. Winter is the best time to buy blankets.