Crafts and shopping

What to buy in Asunción: Paraguayan souvenirs and where to find them

Checked 13 October 2026

The souvenirs worth making room for are the ones you will actually use: a piece of ñandutí lace, an embroidered shirt, a small ceramic bowl or your own tereré cup. Asunción is a useful place to compare Paraguayan crafts from different towns. Start with two verified central shopping stops, ask a few questions about the maker and materials, and leave space in your bag.

Colourful ñandutí lace with circular floral motifs stretched on a wooden frame — Ñandutí acquired in Asunción in 1986, photographed in 2009. An example of the craft, not current shop stock. Photo: Trey Jones (Trey314159) / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain (released by the photographer). Resized and converted for the web.

What to buy · Shops and maps · Buying thoughtfully · Packing for home

What to buy: five ideas with a practical purpose

1. Ñandutí: colour without much luggage weight

Ñandutí is Paraguay’s intricate, web-like needle lace, especially associated with Itauguá. The radiating motifs work beautifully as small decorative pieces; larger textiles make more of a statement but need more space and care.

For an easy gift, look for a small piece you can keep flat. Ask whether it is intended for display, clothing or everyday table use, and how the maker recommends cleaning it. Check the joins and edges, and make sure you like the reverse as well as the front. Describe the actual item when buying: not every colourful souvenir uses the same technique.

2. Ao po’i and embroidery: something you can wear

Ao po’i is a fine cotton textile tradition closely associated with Yataity, in Guairá. Shirts and other embroidered textiles are a practical choice if you want a souvenir that spends less time in a drawer.

Try clothing on rather than relying on a familiar size label. Ask separately about the fabric and the embroidery: Is the cloth handwoven? Is the embroidery done by hand? Who made this piece? Those are different questions. Check the seams and ask about washing and possible shrinkage. A smaller embroidered textile is easier to choose as a gift when you do not know someone’s measurements.

Light-blue and turquoise embroidered ao po’i shirts displayed in a craft shop — Ao po’i garments on display in Atyrá, Paraguay, in 2008. Photo: Veronica83 / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain (released by the photographer). Resized and converted for the web.

3. Ceramics: choose one piece you can protect

Areguá and Itá are well-known Paraguayan ceramics centres. A small vase, ornament or bowl can be a more manageable purchase than a large decorative piece. Look closely at the rim, base and handles before it is wrapped.

If you want to eat or drink from it, ask whether the piece and its glaze are suitable for food use; a decorative object is not automatically tableware. Ask the seller to wrap it with the journey in mind. For a ceramics-focused outing, use our Areguá guide rather than trying to turn a quick shopping stop into a rushed day trip.

Colourful ceramic figures and pots at craft stalls along a street in Areguá — Ceramic craft stalls in Areguá, photographed in September 2012. Photo: Leandro Neumann Ciuffo / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0. Resized and converted for the web.

4. A guampa and bombilla: take the tereré ritual home

A guampa is the drinking vessel; the bombilla is a drinking straw with a filter, usually metal. Choose the size and feel you will use, then ask whether the vessel needs curing before its first drink and how to clean it.

Materials vary. You may encounter horn, wood, metal, glass or vessels with leather coverings. If you want to avoid animal materials, ask specifically for a non-leather, non-horn option and check the covering, handle and accessories too. Stainless steel or glass may suit that preference, but verify the actual item rather than judging by its outside alone.

A bulky insulated jug is useful if you will keep drinking tereré here; a cup and straw are easier to carry home. Our tereré guide explains the drink and the social ritual.

5. A smaller gift: textile details or a labelled packet of yerba

When space is tight, choose a small textile piece, a simple ornament or a sealed packet of yerba mate from an ordinary shop. Check the ingredients if you want plain yerba rather than a blend. These are gift ideas, not a promise that every shop below has each item in stock.

Food, herbs, wood and animal materials can have destination-specific import restrictions. Check the rules for where you are going before buying them. Keep packaging and receipts; a compact textile is often the simpler choice when you have not checked yet.

Where to shop in central Asunción

Turista Róga Centro: a first stop on Palma

SENATUR lists Turista Róga Centro as a tourist-information centre with a shop for Paraguayan crafts and souvenirs. Its location on Palma 468, between Alberdi and 14 de Mayo, makes it a straightforward starting point for a central-city walk.

Ask what is available that day and where the pieces were made. The official visitor listing is also the place to check its opening hours and contact details before a dedicated trip. Continue with our Calle Palma guide for the surrounding street.

Open Turista Róga Centro in Google Maps

La Recova: use the temporary Puerto location

La Recova is temporarily on the ground floor of Centro Cultural del Puerto de Asunción. The Culture Ministry’s 29 August 2026 opening notice says the move accommodates restoration of the traditional La Recova building. Do not rely on an old map pin for the historic corridor.

The ministry lists the craft shops’ hours as Monday to Saturday, 08:30–18:00. That is the published schedule for the temporary shops, not a guarantee of every stall’s availability or the opening hours of every cultural-centre activity. Check the official relocation notice and current updates before going.

The map below points to the cultural centre that houses the shops. The building is on Avenida República and Colón. For exhibitions and visiting the building, see our Centro Cultural del Puerto guide.

Open Centro Cultural del Puerto in Google Maps

How to buy thoughtfully

Ask about the maker and place of origin. If the seller knows the artisan’s name or workshop, write it down. Ask before photographing people or their work.
Separate handmade, machine-made and assembled items. Each can have a use; what matters is knowing what you are buying. A shop location, tiny irregularity or “authentic” label is not proof by itself.
Compare like with like. Size, materials, technique and the amount of work all affect a price. Ask the price clearly before committing, and avoid treating every purchase as a bargaining contest.
Check payment and change. Ask whether cards are accepted and what currency the price uses. Carry a sensible cash backup for small purchases; our cash, cards and ATMs guide covers the basics.
Get care instructions. A beautiful object is a better gift when the recipient knows how to wash, cure or use it.

Pack it so it reaches home

Keep lace flat and dry between clean sheets of paper or card. Fold embroidered clothing gently and keep it away from anything that can leak. For ceramics, cushion each piece separately and protect handles and rims; do not let two hard surfaces touch. Check your carrier’s baggage rules before assuming a fragile item can go in the cabin.

For guampas, follow the material-specific care advice and let the vessel dry fully before packing. Keep a note of the maker, material and town with the gift. That small detail often carries more meaning than adding one more object to the bag.

Sources and last check

Locations and published schedules were checked on 13 October 2026. Stock, individual stall attendance and hours can change. The photographs illustrate the craft traditions; they are dated examples, not photographs of current stock at these shops.