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.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
The Asunción metropolitan area is home to 2.2 million of Paraguay's 6.9 million inhabitants. It is a cosmopolitan and demographically young city with 65% of its residents under the age of 30. Many landmarks and historical buildings in the old city centre have recovered their past splendour thanks to Paraguay's bicentennial independence celebrations that took place during 2011 and demanded a lot of restoration works throughout the city. In 2012, a new riverside promenade (costanera) was opened along the Bay of Asunción which added a much needed space for running, walking and family recreation.
The historic centre of Asunción is small enough to be explored by foot. However, some of the attractions, such as the Jardín Botánico (Botanical Garden) are a bit outside. In addition to the city's historical core - which is essentially between the streets Colón and Antequera - the Carmelitas area has become a hub for retail and entertainment, containing several large shopping centres and North American-style bars and restaurants. East-west street names change at Independencia Nacional, and North-South ones at Avenida Mariscal López. 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).
1 National Congress of Paraguay (Palacio Legislativo), ☏ +595 21 414-5198. One of the more impressive new buildings in the city. It was built in 2002 with $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.
Trade fair. Every July. 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. (updated Jun 2018) 1 Ñu Guazu. Spend the day or enjoy a picnic at Ñu Guazu, Asunción's biggest park. Full of ponds, and people playing sports. 2 Running, Parque Ñu Guazú. 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.
At lunchtime there is no shortage of cheap restaurants to dine in or take away – you can't miss them. The places where you help yourself and pay by weight are usually very cheap and a decent option besides the slightly more expensive restaurants with their daily menu. At dinner time only very few eating places are still open and finding a good deal – especially if you are budget-conscious – is a lot harder. Most shopping malls have decent food courts with a variety of restaurants, however, they are away from the centre.
1 Britannia Pub, Cerro Corá 851 (next to Hotel Crowne Plaza), ☏ +595 21 443 990, britpub@rieder.net.py. Tu-F from 19:30, Sa-Su from 20:00. Popular hangout for locals and foreigners. Try their microbrewed Britannia Beer and the chicken platter. 2 904 Bar, Cerro Corá 904 (in front of Hotel Crowne Plaza), ☏ +595 986 230963. M-Th from 18:00, F from 17:00, Sa from 19:00. A lot like Britannia: similar food, similar drinks, similar prices. Has a pool table, and occasionally puts on live-music shows. 3 Coyote, Sucre 1655 (100m from Avenida San Martín), ☏ +595 21 414 111.
The National Police has a highly visible presence. Under the dictatorship of Alfredo Stroessner crime in any form was not tolerated. Crime is not prevalent, although the perception of crime is that it has been high since Stroessner's fall in 1989. Some houses are protected by 20 ft (6.1 m) high walls topped by barbed wire and electric fence or razor wire, and those who can afford it have a full-time guard on their grounds. Despite the locals' rather high perception of crime, Asunción is one of the safer capitals in South America and violent crime is very uncommon. Because there are few tourists in Paraguay, visitors are not likely to be specifically targeted by criminals.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
In Jul, Asuncion typically sees ~23°C daytime highs and 4 rainy days.
Cheapest destinations travellers searched recently — refreshed daily.
Flight prices are real fares travellers found in the last 48 hours, refreshed daily — the booking site confirms the final price. Train, bus and ferry fares are shown on the operators' booking sites. Weather data by Open-Meteo; exchange rates: ECB reference. Data updated 2026-07-25. Some links earn Stayonomy a commission at no cost to you.
stayonomy