Level4 · CC BY-SA 3.0Puerto Rosario y Villa del Rosario
A fishing port on the Paraguay River, and June festivities with bulls and a music festival.
What it is
Puerto Rosario is Villa del Rosario's balcony over the Paraguay River: a fishing village with its Paseo de los Pescadores (Fishermen's Promenade), the Héroes del Chaco plaza and the Cnel. Román Escurra Cultural Center at the water's edge, where you can watch launches and barges heading north. A few kilometers inland, Villa del Rosario has its church, a diocesan museum and the Casa de la Cultura. It's a simple, authentic destination for eating river fish, watching the sun set over the Chaco and, if your timing's right, joining in the June festivities.
What to see and do
- The Paseo de los Pescadores along the Paraguay River
- The riverside cultural center and the Héroes del Chaco plaza
- The church, Diocesan Museum and Casa de la Cultura in Villa del Rosario
- The Festival del Kuarepoti and the mid-June founding festivities
Did you know…?
The Festival del Kuarepoti, which recalls the town's old name, reached its 27th edition in 2024.
The June founding festivities end in Puerto Rosario with a traditional bullfight.
Villa del Rosario and San Pedro del Ycuamandiyú were founded a year apart, both under the governorship of Pedro Melo de Portugal.
History
Villa del Rosario was founded on June 14, 1787, by Governor Pedro Melo de Portugal; it was originally called San José de Ybyracapá and Puesto de Kuarepoti. Its port on the Paraguay River historically linked it with Asunción and the north. Club Cerro Corá, considered the department's first sports club, was founded here and turned one hundred in 2024.
Tips
- Services are limited: combine your visit with San Pedro del Ycuamandiyú or Santaní.
- To go fishing, hire a local boatman and bring your fishing license.
- Ask the municipality for the June festival program; exact dates change every year.
Best time: Mid-June for the Festival del Kuarepoti and the June 14 anniversary; March to October for fishing outside the closed season. Sunsets over the river all year round.
What to try
- Pira caldo (fish soup) and fried fish from the Paraguay River
- Chipa and mbeju at the festival stalls
Activities
Festivals and events here
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Researched and reviewed in September 2026 with 6 sources. A second reviewer checked dates, coordinates and lodging. Hours and prices may change.