Mercado 4: things to see in Paraguay

Leandro Neumann Ciuffo · CC BY 2.0

Asunción, the capital Asunción

Mercado 4 (Mercado Municipal N.º 4)

Must-seeMarket

Asunción's biggest and most chaotic market: herbs for tereré, no-frills eateries, Guaraní and haggling in every aisle.

in Asunción

2–3 hoursDuration

₲₲₲Budget or free

DirectionsSee on map

What it is

A maze of covered aisles and streets taken over by stalls selling just about everything: tropical fruit, cassava (mandioca), chipa, clothing, electronics, tools and handicrafts. Most fascinating of all are the yuyeras, the herb vendors who pound medicinal plants (pohã ñana) in a mortar for tereré and mate, tailored to each customer's ailment. Between the stalls, cocinerías — simple market kitchens — serve hearty, cheap lunches. Guaraní dominates the conversations and the pace is frantic: there's no better place to understand everyday Paraguay.

What to see and do

The yuyera stalls: ask for your own pohã ñana herb blend for tereré
Seasonal fruit: mango, mburucuyá (passion fruit), pineapple, avocado
Lunch at a market cocinería
Guampas (tereré cups), bombillas (metal straws) and thermoses to put together your own tereré kit
In December, stalls selling coconut palm flowers (mbokaja poty), traditionally used to scent the Nativity scene

Did you know…?

The "practices and traditional knowledge of tereré in the culture of pohã ñana" have been on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list since December 2020.

The Paraguayan thriller "7 Boxes" (2012) takes place almost entirely in the aisles of Mercado 4.

National Tereré Day is celebrated on the last Saturday of February; tereré has been the national drink by law since 2011.

History

It was born in May 1942, when the old Mercado Guasu, which stood where Plaza de la Democracia is today, moved to the area. It grew to cover several blocks of the Pettirossi neighborhood and beyond, with shops run by immigrants of many origins. In 2012 it was the main setting of the film "7 Boxes" (7 cajas), by Juan Carlos Maneglia and Tana Schémbori, which made it known abroad.

Tips

Go in the morning, when it's busiest and cooler; many stalls close early in the afternoon.
Carry little cash (in guaraníes), keep bags zipped and your phone put away: it gets very crowded and pickpocketing happens.
If it's your first time, it's best to go with a guide or a local.

Open daily from very early; busiest in the morning (check before you go).

Best time: Monday to Saturday mornings; in summer, go early to beat the heat.

What to try

Tereré with herbs freshly pounded on the spot
A home-style lunch at a cocinería: vori vori (hearty chicken soup with cornmeal-and-cheese dumplings), bife koygua (steak smothered in onions and topped with a fried egg) or a milanesa (breaded cutlet) with cassava
Fresh-from-the-oven chipa

Activities

Shopping Food Photography Shopping Food & drink Living culture

Festivals and events here

Apr

International Jazz Day in Asunción

Jazz concerts at cultural centers and stages around the capital to celebrate the genre’s world day.

MusicAsunción, Asunción (Distrito Capital)May→ Jun

Asunción International Book Fair (FIL)

Ten days of books, authors and language: the country’s great literary festival, with free entry and a guest country.

CulturalAsunción, Asunción (Distrito Capital)Featured May

Independence Days (May 14 and 15)

Two public holidays for the 1811 independence: flags, ceremonies, sopa paraguaya and chipa guasu all over the country.

CulturalAsunción, Asunción (Distrito Capital)Aug

August 1: National Carrulim Day

On the first day of August people drink carrulim—cane liquor, rue and lemon—to ward off the ills of the most dreaded month.

TraditionAsunción y todo el país, Varios Aug

August 15: Founding of Asunción and Feast of Our Lady of the Assumption

The birthday of the Mother of Cities coincides with the feast of its patron saint: Mass at the Cathedral, a public holiday and cultural events.

ReligiousAsunción, Asunción (Distrito Capital)Featured