The popular holiday resort of San Bernardino, on the shores of Lago Ypacaraí, makes an excellent day trip from the capital. From December to March it's packed with weekenders enjoying the dark blue waters ringed by clean, white sand. Water sports are a popular pastime—windsurfing equipment can be rented at the beaches.
Looping back toward Asunción, the road passes through Caacupé, a mostly Catholic town where the Día de la Nuestra Señora de Los Milagros (Day of Our Lady of the Miracles) is celebrated on December 8. Hundreds of thousands make a pilgrimage to the basilica here.
