Cordillera Department covers 4,948 km² in the center of the Eastern Region, just 50–54 km east of Asunción. With 271,475 inhabitants (2022 Census), it is the sixth most populated department in the country. Its capital is Caacupé, known as the "Spiritual Capital of Paraguay": every December 8, more than one and a half million pilgrims make their way to the Basilica of the Virgin of Miracles in one of the most important mass religious events in Latin America. The department takes its name from the low-altitude mountain range that crosses its territory, where numerous streams originate and waterfalls, native forests, and cooler microclimates than the rest of the country are found. San Bernardino, on the shores of Lake Ypacaraí, is the main summer destination for Greater Asunción: sandy beaches, water sports, gastronomy, and nightlife, with a real estate offer ranging from lakeside lots to gated condominiums with lake views — recently highlighted by Forbes Paraguay. The economy relies on diversified agriculture (pineapple, bitter orange, sugarcane, peanuts, strawberries), handicrafts, and religious and natural tourism. For the international investor and expat, Cordillera offers a retreat or second-home option very close to Asunción, with unique landscapes, growing tourism, and prices still well below Greater Asunción.
