Judas Priest88 · Public domainLimpio
Karanda'y palm hats, a church with colonial roots and lagoons of giant water lilies beside the Paraguay River.
What it is
Limpio, north of Asunción, is hat-making country: hats woven from the leaves of the karanda'y palm are its best-known craft. Downtown, the parish church of San José keeps an 1850 facade. Toward the Paraguay River, the landscape changes: the Piquete Cue lagoons, with irupé (Victoria cruziana), a water lily with enormous floating leaves; Castillo El Peñón, a 1932 lighthouse on a rock in the river; and the Salado River, which drains Lake Ypacaraí and is a spot for fishing and boat trips.
What to see and do
- Handmade karanda'y palm hats
- The parish church of San José (1850 facade)
- Irupé water lilies in the Piquete Cue lagoons (December–January)
- Fishing and boat trips on the Salado River
Did you know…?
The irupé blooms mainly in December and January in the Piquete Cue lagoons, an old river port.
The Salado River carries the waters of Lake Ypacaraí to the Paraguay River.
Castillo El Peñón was built by Captain Lázaro Aranda in 1932 as a lighthouse on the Paraguay River.
History
Irala reached the area in 1537 and Friar Luis de Bolaños traveled through it with the Ortiz de Zárate expedition; the name comes from the 'Campos Limpios de Tapu'a' (the open, clear fields of Tapu'a). Governor Pedro Melo de Portugal raised it to the rank of villa (town) on February 1, 1785. It is one of the oldest settlements in the country and today has more than 139,000 inhabitants.
Tips
- Access to the lagoons and riverbanks is usually on dirt roads: check conditions after rain and, if you can, go with a local guide.
- To see the irupé in bloom, plan your visit for December or January.
Best time: December and January for the irupé; March 19 for the feast of San José.
Activities
Festivals and events here
Nearby
Villa Hayes / Mariano Roque Alonso · Presidente Hayes
Puente Remanso
The 1978 bridge over the Paraguay River linking Mariano Roque Alonso with Villa Hayes and opening the door to the Chaco.
Del Puente Remanso a la frontera con Bolivia · Presidente Hayes
Ruta Transchaco (PY09)
A road trip of some 780 km through palm groves, marshes and thorny scrub, from the Paraguay River to Bolivia.
Villa Hayes / Limpio · Presidente Hayes
El Peñón del río Paraguay
A rocky rise on a small island in the Paraguay River, between Villa Hayes and Limpio, topped by a small castle.
Villa Hayes · Presidente Hayes
Museo Histórico Salvador Garozzo Simón Bouvier
Villa Hayes municipal museum with about 3,000 pieces: Chaco flora and fauna, war objects, sacred art and founding documents.
Villa Hayes · Presidente Hayes
Embarcadero y mirador de Villa Hayes
A pier and promenade on the Paraguay River at the north end of the Villa Hayes waterfront, with 400 m² of rest area.
Mariano Roque Alonso · Central
Expo Mariano Roque Alonso (predio de la Asociación Rural del Paraguay)
Every July, the country's biggest fair: show cattle, Paraguayan industry, food and entertainment.
Researched and reviewed in September 2026 with 2 sources. A second reviewer checked dates, coordinates and lodging. Hours and prices may change.