Things to do in Ciudad del Este, beyond the shopping

The highlights at a glance

1. Monday Falls
2. Itaipu Dam
3. A city tour of Ciudad del Este and Presidente Franco
4. Shopping in the city centre
5. Friendship Bridge
6. Lake of the Republic
7. San Blas Cathedral and El Mensú Museum
8. Tierra Guaraní and Tatí Yupí Park
9. Moisés Bertoni Scientific Monument
10. A night with a Paraguayan show
11. The Three Borders, on the Argentine and Brazilian sides
12. Iguazú Falls, from both sides

12 places and plans in Ciudad del Este

1. Monday Falls

In Presidente Franco, right next to Ciudad del Este, the Monday river drops into the Paraná in a series of falls you can see head on from walkways and viewpoints. It is the best known natural attraction in Alto Paraná and the closing stop of LTO's City Tour, which includes the park entrance and a food stop inside the park. Wear comfortable shoes: the viewpoints have stairs and walkways.

2. Itaipu Dam

The binational dam of Paraguay and Brazil, in Hernandarias, is one of the largest hydroelectric plants in the world, and it can be visited from the Paraguayan side too. The guided visit to Itaipu covers the works and its viewpoints: with LTO it takes about 2 hours, costs Gs 150.000 and we pick you up at your hotel. Book 24 hours ahead.

3. A city tour of Ciudad del Este and Presidente Franco

The quickest way to get to know the city: San Blas Cathedral, El Mensú Museum and the Monday Falls with a bilingual guide, in half a day. The City Tour leaves at 09:00 and 13:00 from Shopping del Este and costs USD 22 per adult, Monday Falls entrance included. If you have the whole day, City Plus adds lunch, a boat trip on the Paraná and a shopping tour for USD 40.

4. Shopping in the city centre

Trade is the city's best known face: electronics, computers, perfume and drinks a few blocks from the Friendship Bridge, in one of the largest shopping hubs in South America. The shopping tips further down help you buy without surprises.

5. Friendship Bridge

The bridge over the Paraná river has linked Ciudad del Este and Foz do Iguaçu since 1965 and carries much of the traffic between the two countries. Crossing it is part of the trip, but at peak times the queues are long: if you have a flight or a fixed time on the other side, a transfer with a driver who knows the bridge pays off.

6. Lake of the Republic

The Lago de la República, in the middle of the city, is where locals walk, run or share tereré at sunset, away from the bustle of the shopping district. The Hoplon Club, home of the Paraguayan Night Show, sits on the lake.

7. San Blas Cathedral and El Mensú Museum

San Blas Cathedral, dedicated to the city's patron saint, is the landmark of the centre of a city founded in 1957 that grew on border trade. El Mensú Museum tells the story of the mensú, the yerba mate workers of Alto Paraná who were paid by the month. Both are stops on the City Tour; if you go on your own, check the museum's opening hours first.

8. Tierra Guaraní and Tatí Yupí Park

In Hernandarias, the Tierra Guaraní tour combines the Tierra Guaraní Museum, the Itaipu Dam and Tatí Yupí Park in half a day for Gs 175.000, with hotel pick-up at 08:30. The park does not open on rainy days.

9. Moisés Bertoni Scientific Monument

The home of Swiss naturalist Moisés Bertoni, surrounded by forest on the Paraná river in Presidente Franco, is today a museum within a protected area. A quiet plan for anyone looking for history and nature away from the shops. It is not one of our regular tours: message us and we will see how to fit it in.

10. A night with a Paraguayan show

Evenings in Ciudad del Este have their own plan: dinner with Paraguayan harp and dance, or a night out that adds late shopping and the casino. Both are described below, in Ciudad del Este at night.

11. The Three Borders, on the Argentine and Brazilian sides

The three countries meet where the Iguazú river flows into the Paraná, and the two classic viewpoints are across the border: the Hito Tres Fronteras in Puerto Iguazú, Argentina, and the Marco das Três Fronteiras in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil. We visit the Argentine one on our Puerto Iguazú trip, and the Brazilian one on the Three Borders Show, an evening out with the Rafain dinner show and the Yup Star observation wheel (Gs 750.000 for up to 4 people).

12. Iguazú Falls, from both sides

The Falls are not in Ciudad del Este, but you can reach them in a day on both sides. On the Brazilian side, our round-trip transfer to the Iguazú Falls leaves at 08:00 and returns at 16:00, for Gs 650.000 for up to 4 people (park tickets paid separately). On the Argentine side, the Puerto Iguazú trip covers the Falls, the Devil's Throat and the Three Borders landmark, for Gs 800.000 for up to 4 people. Message us on WhatsApp to book either one.

What to do depending on your time

Half a day

The City Tour at 09:00 or 13:00: in a few hours you see the Cathedral, El Mensú Museum and the Monday Falls, and keep the other half of the day free for shopping. If you prefer engineering, the Itaipu visit takes about 2 hours.

A full day

City Plus, from 09:00 to 17:00, combines the City Tour with lunch, a boat trip on the Paraná and a shopping tour. Another option is Tierra Guaraní in the morning, shopping in the afternoon and the Paraguayan Night Show in the evening.

Two or three days

• Day 1: Ciudad del Este and the Monday Falls on the City Tour, and shopping in the afternoon.
• Day 2: the Iguazú Falls, on the Brazilian or the Argentine side.
• Day 3: Itaipu and Tierra Guaraní in the morning, and a night with a Paraguayan show.

Tours can be combined and quoted together: see all our tours with prices and times.

If it rains

Museums, the Cathedral and shopping do not depend on the weather, and the dinner show is indoors. Tatí Yupí Park does not open in the rain. If the day looks bad, ask us before heading to the Monday Falls viewpoints.

Shopping in Ciudad del Este: what to know

The best known names are Shopping del Este, Shopping Paris, Monalisa and Intershop, surrounded by the arcades and shops of the city centre. To shop without surprises:

• Go early: mornings are quieter and the bridge is lighter.
• Compare prices in two or three shops before deciding; on electronics the difference can be large.
• Check the goods and get an invoice before you leave the shop.
• Do not follow people offering deals in the street: buy directly in the shops.
• If you are heading back to Brazil or Argentina, check their current duty-free allowance before you cross.

City Plus includes a shopping tour of Shopping del Este, Intershop and other shops, with the rest of the day already planned.

Ciudad del Este at night

The Paraguayan Night Show is the dinner show at the Hoplon Club, on the Lake of the Republic: barbecue buffet, Paraguayan harp, traditional dance and a taste of caña, from 19:00, for USD 30 per adult, with free pick-up from hotels in Ciudad del Este.

A Night in Ciudad del Este covers the whole evening, from 18:00 to 23:00: shopping at New Zone, the dinner show at the Hoplon Club and a final stop at the Casino del Este, for Gs 300.000. The date is arranged when you book.

Getting here and crossing from Foz or Puerto Iguazú

Ciudad del Este is on the other side of the Friendship Bridge from Foz do Iguaçu, and one more border away from Puerto Iguazú, Argentina. To enter Paraguay every passenger needs a valid ID card or passport, depending on nationality, including children. Our tours include pick-up at hotels in Ciudad del Este; if you are staying in Foz, the crossing is quoted separately. The details are in visiting Ciudad del Este from Foz do Iguaçu.

Practical tips

• Currency. The official currency is the guaraní; shops also take Brazilian reais and US dollars. Carry some cash for tickets and small expenses.
• The bridge. The Friendship Bridge gets congested at peak times: leave early if you have a fixed time on the other side.
• Weather. Summers are hot and humid: water, sunscreen and light clothes.
• Shoes. The Monday Falls viewpoints have stairs and walkways: trainers are better than sandals.
• Taxis. If you get around on your own, agree the fare before you get in.
• Transfers. Almost all our tours include pick-up at your hotel in Ciudad del Este.

Frequently asked questions

What is there to do in Ciudad del Este besides shopping?

The Monday Falls, the Itaipu Dam, San Blas Cathedral, El Mensú Museum, the Lake of the Republic, Tatí Yupí Park, the Moisés Bertoni Scientific Monument and a dinner show with Paraguayan music. With one more day you can add the Iguazú Falls and the Three Borders.

Are the Iguazú Falls in Ciudad del Este?

No. They are in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, and Puerto Iguazú, Argentina, but you can visit them in a day from Ciudad del Este: the transfer to the Brazilian side costs Gs 650.000 for up to 4 people, tickets apart, and the trip to the Argentine side Gs 800.000 for up to 4 people.

How many days do you need in Ciudad del Este?

One day is enough for the city and the Monday Falls. With two or three days you can add the Iguazú Falls, Itaipu and Tierra Guaraní, and a night with a Paraguayan show.

What to do in Ciudad del Este when it rains?

Museums, the Cathedral, shopping and the dinner show all go ahead. What does not open in the rain is Tatí Yupí Park, one of the Tierra Guaraní stops.

What to do in Ciudad del Este at night?

The Paraguayan Night Show, a dinner with harp and dance at the Hoplon Club from 19:00, or A Night in Ciudad del Este, from 18:00 to 23:00, which adds shopping at New Zone and the Casino del Este.

Do the tours include hotel pick-up?

Almost all of them. The City Tour includes the transfer from your hotel in Ciudad del Este to the meeting point, and the Itaipu, Tierra Guaraní and Night Show tours pick you up at your hotel.