& what to do in Asuncion and how to plan your trip
In case you’re visiting the Iguazu waterfalls, why not stop by for a day in Asunción, the capital of Paraguay? This is exactly what I did and even though it’s not necessarily the place with the most sights to see, I’m still happy to having been able to gain some insights about this landlocked country. So here come my recommendations for a Day in Asuncion Paraguay:
First of all, a bit of information about the country itself. Population is surprisingly (at least to me) almost doble of the population of Uruguay – close to 7 million. A bit more than that live in the capital, Asunciòn, while some other big cities are Ciudad del Este and Encarnaciòn. If you are looking for an additional place to go, next to Asunciòn, probably Encarnaciòn is the best, easily reachable by bus.
In that city you can go and visit the Ruinas Jesuíticas de Jesús de Tavarangüé, which remind of the 17th and 18th century, in which Jesuits in South America were pursued and the ones that survived christianized.
How to arrive to Asunción:
As I was spending previous days around the Iguazu waterfalls on the Brasilian side, it was easy to just take a direct bus (about 6 hours) from Foz Do Iguazu to Asunción. As I often do, I just booked the ticket via BusBud. Remember to arrive a couple minutes early to collect your ticket on time.
Buses also go from Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, as well as Buenos Aires and many other places. Just check on busbud.com and try the different routes.
Other options of course are flying in from neighboring countries, such as Brazil, Argentina or Chile (as well as European destinations, however, there are very few flights). When I was there, the flights between 11 am and 6.30 pm totaled to 7 flights, so it will definitely never be the busiest capital airport.
Arrival from the bus station:
I arrived by bus in the afternoon, so my first stop was going to the hostel, drop my luggage, get some cash (as some places only take cash, I found it very helpful to have some) and go for dinner. In case you also arrive at the bus station, I recommend taking a Bolt taxi (Uber works too otherwise). The bus station has a small wifi station, in which you will get wifi for about 10-50 Euro cents an hour and you can order your cab from there. A super welcoming woman with her teenage daughter gifted me some, people are so kind you will figure out a way to get some coins 🙂
(Additional random note: I found Paraguay refreshingly cheap, especially after Rio Carnival and other places in Brazil, so you can look forward to very low prices.)
Stuff to see:
There is not too much to see so I recommend just walking around a bit.
A little anecdote: I asked my Bolt driver to tell me what to see in the city and he started talking about 600m high hills a couple of hours away hahah.
But what you shouldn’t miss out on and is still nice to see:
- Cathedral Metropolitana Nuestra Señora de Asunción (as it’s very much in the center)
- Palacio de los Lopez
- Lima San Jeronimo (a couple of cute streets with nice graffiti)
- Playa de la Costanera for sunset/the evening/afternoon when it gets a bit colder
Accomodation:
I chose to stay at the Nomada Hostel, Hostel Asunción Paraguay, which I can really recommend. Book without the breakfast, as you will find cheaper and better stuff around.
Overall, I stayed two nights so to have 1 full day to explore. I perceived this as the perfect lenght for exploring Asunción, as the vibe at night there is so different than during the day.
Restaurants:
The following places are super nice for some local food, however, always check opening times, as many restaurants close early at night.
- Las Delicias del Mercadito: very cute local and cheap restaurant
- La Cofia
- Mercadito 1
- Lido Bar
Best supermarkets:
- Supermercado Stock
- Biggie Express for 24hr service
Vibes:
I was there on a Sunday in February, meaning: it was a day off and very very hot. During the day I perceived the city to be somewhat of a ghost town – I swear there was nobody on the street, I’ve never seen a capital that empty. But at night, when it got a bit cooler, we went to the river and its beach and there were children fairs and a super cool vibe, with people selling popcorn, churros and burger!
So, just a reason to stay full 24 hours at least, so explore and experience different sides of the city!
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