🇵🇾 Asunción: South America’s Best-Kept Secret

🏛️ Historic Core: Where Time Stands Still

Asunción is one of South America's oldest capitals, founded in 1537. Start at the Palacio de los López, a pink-hued presidential palace overlooking the river — stunning at sunset. Nearby, the Casa de la Independencia tells the story of Paraguay’s break from Spanish rule in a beautifully preserved colonial home.

Visit the Metropolitan Cathedral, with its neoclassical façade and peaceful interior, and stroll down Calle Palma, the city’s main artery filled with street vendors, museums, and hidden cafés.

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🎨 Street Art & Modern Vibes: Asunción’s Creative Pulse

Beyond its historic past, Asunción has a vibrant, youthful energy. Colorful murals decorate entire neighborhoods, especially in Barrio Loma San Jerónimo, a bohemian area full of painted stairways, street musicians, and artisan shops.

For a deeper dive into contemporary culture, head to the Museo del Barro — Paraguay’s premier museum for indigenous art, ceramics, and provocative modern pieces. It’s a cultural kaleidoscope that surprises many first-time visitors.

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🌿 Riverside Serenity & Sunset Spots

The city flows along the banks of the Paraguay River, offering lovely green escapes. Costanera de Asunción, the riverside promenade, is ideal for walking, biking, or enjoying street food with a view. At golden hour, locals gather here for tereré, Paraguay’s cold herbal tea, served in guampas with metal straws — a true cultural ritual.

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🛍️ Local Markets: Colors, Crafts & Culture

To feel the heartbeat of the city, visit the Mercado 4, a sprawling, chaotic market selling everything from fresh fruit to electronics to traditional ñandutí lacework. It's loud, colorful, and wildly authentic.

For curated artisan gifts, explore Manzana de la Rivera, a cultural complex where you’ll find art exhibits, a bookshop, and a cozy café all housed in colonial-era buildings.

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🍽️ A Taste of Paraguay: Hearty, Homemade & Unique

Asunción’s food scene is humble but full of flavor. Try sopa paraguaya, a cheesy cornbread that’s actually not a soup at all. Pair it with chipa guasu, mbejú (cassava pancake), or bife koygua — a local steak stew with eggs.

Don’t miss Tereré in a local plaza, and sample caña (sugarcane liquor) or Paraguayan beer at one of the trendy rooftop bars downtown.

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🛏️ Where to Stay

Asunción offers a mix of colonial inns, modern high-rises, and boutique hotels:

• Hotel Palmaroga – Historic colonial façade meets modern comfort, located on Calle Palma

• La Casona Hotel Boutique – A quiet, elegant option near the city center

• Factoria Hotel – Stylish, industrial-chic, with a pool and lush gardens

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🚖 Getting Around

Asunción is walkable in the historic center. For longer distances, use affordable taxis or rideshare apps like Bolt. Buses are very local (and crowded), but fun for adventurous travelers. Airport transfers are best arranged in advance.

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⭐ Final Travel Tips

• Best time to visit: May–September (cooler and drier)

• Currency: Paraguayan Guaraní (PYG)

• Safety: Asunción is generally safe, but stay aware in busy markets

• Language: Spanish and Guaraní are both official; English is limited, but locals are helpful

• Fun fact: Paraguay is one of the few landlocked countries with a navy!

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✈️ Why Visit Asunción?

Asunción offers raw authenticity, warm hospitality, and a gentle rhythm that sets it apart from more touristy capitals. It’s a city where colonial churches sit beside urban murals, and local traditions are alive in every street corner. Fly All Over to Asunción — and discover a capital full of stories yet untold.