San Bernardino: Costanera, Mirador and Culture

San Bernardino brings together the lakeside landscape of Lago Ypacaraí, places of remembrance, scenic views and interactive art. The 850-metre-long Costanera, the stairway climb to Mirador Bella Vista and cultural sites steeped in history and music offer different perspectives on the city. San Bernardino was founded as a summer resort in 1881.

On the shores of Lago Ypacaraí: the Costanera

The Costanera de San Bernardino, also known as “SanBer”, lies on the shores of Lago Ypacaraí. Areas with benches and viewpoints offer space to rest and linger; the Costanera also affords panoramic views of the lake. The route is also described as a cycling route. The Costanera is a popular place to take photographs, especially at sunset.

This stretch of lakeshore brings together several experiences: views across the lake, places to take a break and a route described as suitable for cycling. Anyone wishing to discover San Bernardino through its landscape will find a clear connection to Lago Ypacaraí here.

Places of remembrance and settlement history

Paseo de los Ilustres is an open-air area dedicated to commemorating notable figures from the city. Casa Hassler offers a different way to explore its history: exhibits include objects, antique furniture, photographs and household items used by the summer resort’s first European settlers. Most of these settlers were German. The tour of Casa Hassler is considered free and open to the public. Check the admission conditions before your visit, as they may change.

Casona Büttner is also part of the region’s heritage: the building houses the Centro de Experiencias Turísticas de San Bernardino. Casona Büttner is regarded as a symbol of the German settlers’ heritage and influence in the region. Together with the summer resort founded in 1881 and Paseo de los Ilustres, it shows how the city’s history and remembrance are expressed in different places.

Stairway climb and viewpoint

Visitors reach Mirador Bella Vista by climbing a stairway that leads to one of the city’s highest points. Escalinata y Mirador Bella Vista includes a representation of Virgen de la Aparecida, about four metres high. The climb and the religious image give this place a different character from the lakeside views along the Costanera.

Art, sound and music

Fuente de la Inspiración is located at Paseo Demetrio Ortiz: two eye-shaped sculptures face one another and blink. Paseo del Recuerdo, along the city’s cycle path, offers an interactive sound installation. Visitors can move levers attached to tubes; the sounds produced combine to form the chords of “Recuerdos de Ypacaraí”.

At La Morena, by the roundabout at the beach, music takes a different form: the open-air karaoke invites visitors to sing Guaranias. Anfiteatro José Asunción Flores is designed as a cultural and artistic venue for music events, performances, festivals and outdoor community activities. The cultural experiences therefore range from art to look at, to sounds you create yourself, to music and performances.

When looking for a holiday apartment in San Bernardino, the kind of trip you want can be a helpful starting point: are you most interested in lake panoramas and the waterfront, historic places of remembrance, or art and music? These different priorities make the choice more specific without reducing the town to a single attraction.

More destinations

Discover more destinations: Arroyos Y Esteros, Caraguatay, Nueva Colombia District, Caacupé, Tobati, Atyra, Altos, Piribebuy.

For the broader travel overview: Cordillera.