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Capital and most populous city of Paraguay
Photo: Aldo Rafael Bordon, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Asunción is the capital and largest city of Paraguay. Unlike other capitals of South America, such as Buenos Aires, Quito or Lima, Asunción is off the beaten path as it lacks well-known tourist attractions. However, the number of visitors is on the rise, and those who visit the Paraguayan capital will discover an authentic Latin American city which has managed to keep a quiet atmosphere and preserves interesting sights and monuments of its rich history and colonial past. Asunción is nonetheless a thriving city with an important commercial activity, a rich cultural scene with interesting museums, theaters and art galleries, an active nightlife and some excellent hotels and restaurants.
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Palacio Legislativo
One of the more impressive new buildings in the city. It was built in 2002 with a US$20 million donation from the Republic of China (Taiwan) government. Paraguay is one of the few countries and also the only country in South America that recognizes the Republic of China (Taiwan) as opposed to mainland China (People's Republic of China). Most striking is its mirrored façade, which reflects the nearby slums along the bank of the river. You can ask for a tour in English, and maybe get one. Arrive by 13:00, so that you will be able to visit the small museum inside.
Catedral Metropolitana
The national cathedral. Next to the broad and picturesque plaza Independencia.
Houses the tomb of the unknown soldier along with other national heroes from Paraguay's history, also commemorative plaques for heroes of the Triple Alliance and Chaco War. Changing of the guard occurs every other day.
One of the few museums that open on weekends it's in an old colonial building that was the Congress Palace until 2003. Near the riverside costanera it has various exhibition spaces. The Sala Museo del Barro is one of the sections which presents pieces of indigenous art from native groups of Paraguay and Latin America. Another permanent exhibition space is the Sala Agustín Pío Barrios - Mangoré, which treasures the life and work of the great composer of the Paraguayan guitar. Another section is the Sala de la Escena Paraguaya - Edda de los Ríos which aims to disseminate everything related to the performing arts in Paraguay. There are also works from potter artist Julia Isídrez exhibiting a variety of clay works, in dark tone, with designs of faces, animals and nature figures. The Cabildo also incorporates works from traditional Christmas cribs by local artists such as Lucy Yegros, Gabriela Zuccolillo and Carlo Spatuzza.
Historic house built in 1772 where the independence of Paraguay was secretly planned in 1811. Well preserved historic museum furnished with items of historic and artistic interest.
Government Palace
Houses the Paraguayan executive branch government. Very well lit at night. The interior is not open to the public.
Central Railway Station
Paraguay was the first country in South America to have a steam-powered train. It now houses a museum, but more impressive is the building itself and old wagons.
Renovated; check for regular shows. Nice cafe at one of theater's corners.
Cultural and exhibition complex in a series of interconnected old colonial houses comprising an entire square block. Has a nice outdoor cafe overlooking the Palacio de López.
Big church with a big pipe organ, the only one in the country.
The name translates as "the chief house" in Guarani language. It's where the presidential family lives. Not open to the public. Only the exterior is visible from its main entrance on Avenida Mariscal López.
Best museum in town. Displays of Paraguayan art, dating from pre-colonial ceramics and textiles to avant garde contemporary art.
Lively park where people perform jogging and walking. It belongs to the Archdiocese of Asunción and it has a nice brick church, the Capellanía del Migrante, with English services.
A nice shady park with bookstores and some old buildings around it. Free wifi.
The name means red stone rock in Guaraní. Pleasant small park at one of the edges of the city. Attractive lookout over the river Paraguay with nice views of sunsets in the afternoons. Officially the lookout is "temporarily" closed and fenced off, but locals opened the doors through it. Ita Pyta Punta is not the safest neighbourhood at night. Maybe better accessible by taxi if you're alone.
An exhibition booths, food, music and liquor. This is a good way to learn about what goes on in the country, the exhibitors range from agricultural suppliers to liquor manufacturers. Keep an eye out for the many free samples of food, soap, drinks, etc.
Spend the day or enjoy a picnic at Ñu Guazu, Asunción's biggest park. Full of ponds, and people playing sports.
Lots of elite Asunceños work off the stresses of their days at Parque Ñu Guazú, just outside Asunción in the city of Luque, on the way to the airport. There's a great paved 9-km loop for jogging or walking.
Visit the botanical garden and zoo - it's a very peaceful place filled with trees and nice paths. Find a nice shady spot and enjoy a picnic lunch. Inside the park you can visit Madame Lynch's house, very beautiful example of Paraguayan colonial architecture.
Walk the main roads of the center in Asunción between 15-17:00 for beautifully illuminated alleys and colored buildings for some great pictures.
42,354 capacity stadium which is home of the Paraguay national football team, Club Guaraní and Club Olimpia.
45,000 capacity stadium home to Cerro Porteño.
If you fancy something you know. Also, open in the evening.
Very busy for lunch, you may need to wait for a table. Main lunches cost –. Great juice bar there too.
Korean buffet, with many vegetarian options where you fill your plate and pay per weight.
Opened in 1960, it's one of the oldest restaurants in town. It has a café and pastry section, and a separate restaurant section. Also, an outdoor section on the sidewalk is pleasant in the evenings. International and local dishes. Very popular among locals and tourists.
Established 1954 in the style of a contemporary American cafe-bar, Lido Bar has hardly changed. It was the first place Anthony Bourdain visited when he made his tv program on Paraguayan food. All the customers sit around a big circular bar. The menu offers Paraguayan foods, pasta, meat and a selection of desserts and fruit juices. The fish soup (sopa pescado) is famous and recommended. Very popular during peak times, particularly lunch and dinner.
Really good Mexican food (not "chips & salsa Tex-Mex"). The margaritas are particularly good, but the food is even better.
Good Chinese food.
One of the oldest restaurants in town. A mix of traditional and fine cuisine. Excellent food and service in a very traditional feeling atmosphere. Really fantastic beer on tap served in their chilled Oktoberfest steins.
Brazilian-style barbecue and steak restaurant.
Popular hangout for locals and foreigners. Try their microbrewed Britannia Beer and the chicken platter.
A lot like Britannia: similar food, similar drinks, similar prices. Has a pool table, and occasionally puts on live-music shows.
Dance club, fashionable but loud
Dance venue for mostly gay people.
Food plaza with a selection of bars and restaurants to go at noon for lunch and after office until late at night. One of the most popular places in Asuncion during the night and on weekends.
A cafe bar with good atmosphere, good music, drinks and very friendly staff (if you like 1970s, 80s, 90s rock & pop).
Really nice views of the López Palace. Good food/drink menu, but slightly pricier than other bars in the centre.
temporarily closed, momentarily we only offer tourist advice
The first hostel for backpackers in Asunción. Breakfast included in room rate, fully equipped kitchen for the guests and WiFi Internet, luggage storage and safety deposit. Swimming pool and a beautiful terrace with a grill for cookouts.
Breakfast included.
Situated in a historical building in downtown Asuncion. Clean, comfortable dorms as well as privates rooms. Toilets and showers separated for men and women w/ 24h hot water. Common area w/ cable-TV, rustic fully equipped kitchen, free breakfast and free Internet/WiFi. Double rooms comes with a double bed and a/c. 4 bed dorms come with a/c or fan.
Air conditioning, cable TV, free WiFi, parking. Continental breakfast included.
No breakfast. Big patio with trees. The rooms are basic but spacious with private bathroom.
No sign outside of the hotel
In a historic building dating from 1858.
Near downtown and Plaza Uruguaya. Breakfast included. Swimming pool. Free Internet and WiFi. Car parking.
In a 19th-century building, close to the centre.
A landmark. Most centrally located hotel in Asunción.
On top of one of the seven hills of Asunción, it offers good views of the city.
Hotel Sabe
Residential-style property in a quiet neighbourhood. Swimming pool.
Breakfast included in room rate. Free WiFi. Swimming pools and gym.
Bed and breakfast in a renovated residential house.
Owned by the same people who own the Los Alpes - Villa Morra. The Los Alpes - Santa Teresa is larger and has better swimming pools. Wi-Fi, breakfast included. This location is better except for the fact that it's harder to catch a bus from here since they don't pass down Santa Teresa.
Breakfast included. Restaurant is renowned in town.
Business oriented hotel at the heart of the Asuncion business district. Surrounded by Asuncion's largest shopping malls.
17 km from Asuncion city centre in the northern suburb of Mariano Roque Alonso.
Hotel del Yacht
14 km from downtown in the suburb of Lambaré. It has a private beach on the River Paraguay. Various restaurants and cafés. Two swimming pools. Golf, tennis, aquatic sports.
delSol Shopping & Lifestyle
The main shopping street. Pretty much everything you can buy here, you can get cheaper in one of the parallel streets.
A chaotic market where you can buy just about anything very cheaply, it is particularly good for counterfeit clothing and pirated CDs and DVDs (of varying quality). Most Paraguayans still shop at local produce markets, but you can buy everything at great prices. Good street food and some foreign, mostly Chinese, restaurants.
Several old men set up their tables selling trinkets, photographs and books.
By bus
Ticket offices for all bus companies are inside the terminal on the first floor.
By car
Asunción is very well connected to all the major cities of Paraguay; moreover, as the capital, it is the beginning and terminus of the country's main highways.
By boat
Copanatra car ferries link Asunción to Argentina crossing the river Paraguay between the Port of Ita Enramada at the end of Avenida Perón on the southern edge of the city with Puerto Pilcomayo, on…
By train
There is no longer any train service to Asunción. The beautiful 19th-century train station building next to Plaza Uruguaya is now a museum and cultural events venue.
By bus
Buses are ubiquitous, cheap and an experience in themselves (be careful while exiting, since many only slow down rather than stop for passengers to get off).
By taxi
Taxis are also available and reasonably inexpensive. Many of the taxis are old, lumbering diesel Mercedes, which can be a fun throwback.
By car
Driving a car is an excellent way to explore the city and visiting the sights as many of them are off the downtown area (microcentro).
By boat
The old Port of Asunción is at the riverside end of calle Colón and El Paraguayo Independiente, where small motor boats and car ferries make the 25-minute river crossing to Chaco'í, a small town on…
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Asunción · International · ASU
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