We spent a couple of days in the Paraguayan capital, Asunción during our South American adventure. I have to admit that it wasn’t one of my favourite places. My guide book described Paraguay as ‘off the beaten track‘ and I can see why it’s not a popular tourist destination; it has little tourist infrastructure, it’s hot and dirty and dangerous enough for most shops and restaurants (and any other building really) to have armed guards. Nevertheless, here is my pick of the top 10 things to do on a visit to Asunción.
How to get to Asunción
We travelled to Asunción by bus from Ciudad del Este and departed by plane for Buenos Aires. The bus terminal is 4 miles south east of the city centre. There are several bus operators. We used Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, which runs several services a day from Ciudad del Este, with prices starting at 110,000 guarani (around £11.40) for a single ticket. NSA also connect Asunción with several other destinations in Paraguay, as well as Argentina and Brazil.
The airport is 12 miles north east of the city. Theoretically, you can travel to/from the airport by bus. We booked a taxi. There isn’t a huge choice of flights; 15 destinations in 9 countries, primarily in South America, but also Panama City and Madrid.
Getting around Asunción
The city centre is compact enough to visit on foot. My city itinerary covers less than 2 miles. A walk to the Costanera and back would add another couple of miles, depending on how far you continue along the riverside.
Where to stay in Asunción
We stayed at the Hotel Chaco; a bit tired but very centrally located and with a rooftop pool with a great view. I don’t think it’s still open – the last post on its FB page was a sale of hotel furniture…
Asunción: Top 10 Things to do
| 1 | Visit South America’s first railway station, Estación Central del Ferrocarril |
| 2 | Take a walk in Plaza Uruguaya |
| 3 | See the Catedral Metropolitana de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción |
| 4 | See the Cabildo |
| 5 | Visit the Plaza de Armas |
| 6 | Learn more about Paraguay’s history at the Casa de la Independencia |
| 7 | Reflect at the Panteón de los Héroes |
| 8 | Stroll along the Costanera |
| 9 | Take a selfie on the Paseo de las Turistas |
| 10 | Eat empanadas |
No 1 – Visit South America’s first railway station, Estación Central del Ferrocarril
The railway station; Estación Central del Ferrocarril was South America’s first railway station.
There is what can loosely describe as a museum, plus an original train from 1861.
The station museum is open daily except Monday from 10 am until 5 pm. Entry costs 10,000 guaraní (around £1).
No 2 – Take a walk in Plaza Uruguaya
The station is on the edge of the Plaza Uruguaya; a small park with some statues.
No 3 – See the Catedral Metropolitana de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción
We tried to visit the 18th Century cathedral; the Catedral Metropolitana de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, to give it its full title. The building was locked. A security guard told us that it is always locked unless there’s a religious service taking place. So you may have to make do with looking at the outside of the cathedral like we did.
No 4 – See the Cabildo
The Cabildo; the historic pink former town hall building dates back to 1844. It now houses a cultural Centre. To quote my guide book; “this influential cultural center is a meeting place for Bohemian thinkers.” When we visited, it was shut.
No 5 – Visit the Plaza de Armas
Unfortunately, when we visited, the entire Plaza de Armas, in front of the the Cabildo was a shanty town where hundreds of people (Comunidad Takuara’i) were living under tarpaulins. These indigenous people were evicted from their land by soy producers and had been camping in the central square for months demanding a solution to their plight. Hence, the Cabildo was closed. There was a lot of police. And guns. And shouting. And general unrest.
No 6 – Learn more about Paraguay’s history at the Casa de la Independencia
The Casa de la Independencia was built in 1772. It is here that Paraguay declared independence from Spain in 1811. It now houses a museum. However, when we visited, the Casa was also closed due to the political unrest. And a very drunk man was arguing with the police at the entrance, so we moved swiftly on. Normally, open hours are Monday to Friday from 7.30 am until 4 pm and Saturday from 8 am until 9 pm. Entry is free.
No 7 – Reflect at the Panteón de los Héroes
The Panteón de los Héroes is a building where the remains of prominent Paraguayans are kept under ceremonial guard.
The Panteón is open daily except Monday from 7 am until 5 pm. Entry is free.
No 8 – Stroll along the Costanera
We were warned against walking along the Costanera by the cathedral security guard. However, the old man did brave a walk along the coastal promenade which runs along the River Paraguay. I retired to the hotel rooftop for a swim and a beer. I could see enough of the River Paraguay from up there…
No 9 – Take a selfie on the Paseo de las Turistas
Along the Costanera are some monuments and the Paseo de las Turistas with the obligatory photo op sign. The old man returned unscathed, although he was approached by a man with a taser who was either trying to mug him or sell him a taser – he’s not quite sure which!
No 10 – Eat Empanadas
My favourite thing about our visit to Paraguay was the food. We visited a couple of restaurants and had excellent empanadas at both of them.
- Trip taken: January 2019
- Updated: September 2025
I hope you found the above information useful. For more top picks from other destinations in the 50+ countries we have visited, check out my full Top 10 Things To Do list here.
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