I was excited to arrive in Asuncion, with a new country, new climate, and new experiences upcoming!
¿Cómo estás? Bienvenido a la capital de Paraguay.
How to get from the airport Asuncion (ASU) to the city center
Arriving at the airport, you might be surprised to have a quiet and relaxed time. No one is bothering you with forcing you to take a taxi or any suggested help. You can leave the airport and make your own decisions. First, I wanted to take the bus to the center. The station is easy to find - leave the airport and go straight through the exit gate; you'll see a vast roundabout connected to the main road, right in front of you. On the right side, there is the bus station. The busses arrive every 20 minutes, ask for the center, and they can take you. The ticket is around 2.000 Guarani (~25 cents). Make sure to get cash from the ATM at the airport, and take little money! I had the problem that the bus driver had no change for my huge 100.000 Guarani bill and could not take me. That is easy to avoid with a bit of planning. The bus will take around 40 minutes then.
If you still prefer a comfortable taxi ride, you can choose one of the taxis right in front of the airport. They use a taximeter and take you to your booked place for a relatively low price. Cost: more pricy than the bus, around 90.000 Guarani (~ 12€).
Costanera
You will encounter this stretch of beach already on the way from the airport to the city center. It is located on the Paraguay River, in the Bahia de Asuncion. During the day people sunbathe here, you can eat ice cream and enjoy the sun. There were hardly any people bathing here. During the day it may be quiet here whereas in the evening it is booming. Numerous small stalls for Popcorn are set up along the promenade, soft drinks and sweets are offered. Families and couples walk along the water, surrounded by loud music, the evening atmosphere, playing children and happy faces. Nevertheless, there was less going on than expected. Who is in a party mood should prefer the city center with clubs and bars and can also better satisfy hunger there. Overall, nevertheless, highly recommended to end the evening and catch a glimpse of the night skyline.
Mercado Municipal 4
This market is hard to miss after winding along the main street, from alley to alley, with many offerings. It symbolizes the traditional, shows the locals in their element, and offers whatever you need. On Sunday, the market was closed. Otherwise, it opened daily around 8 o'clock. The food stalls were a highlight with quantities of meat skewers and steaks. Here I could eat super breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For 3,000 Guarani, you get a skewer, a drink for about 2,000 Guarani. I would highly recommend the market; it is a part of the wild city life. I could also get an adapter at the last minute, for only 1,000 guarani.
Independence House Museum
A small museum, hidden on a street corner and inconspicuous from the outside. The entrance is free, at the entrance I was greeted directly friendly and I was offered a tour. But you can also explore the museum alone. Guarded by attentive staff, you can look at different rooms, filled with historical objects, information about the independence of Paraguay at that time, decoration. However, everything in Spanish. It is divided into different rooms, such as the study, dining room, bedroom or hallway. Furniture from the 19th century is used to represent the time. For me it was not very interesting, but if you are more interested in history, this is a good place to go.
Loma San Jeronimo
This area is known as the small artists' district of Asuncion. Narrow streets with graffiti decorated walls and colorful paintings. Except for me, no tourists were to be seen, only construction workers of an adjacent construction site were doing their work. Nevertheless, it was pleasant to walk along there, take photos and enjoy the somewhat alternative atmosphere. Famous are the colorful steps that form a small steep path, decorated with colorful paintings between the pretty front gardens of hidden small houses. There were also a few cafes, with Spanish music and a modern menu.
Centro Cultural Manzana de la Rivera
A well-known symbol of the city that presents itself magnificently and proudly in full splendor, right next to the Plaza de los desaparecidos. It is a complex with several buildings, and restaurants. From the outside it is impressive, but we did not go closer inside. At that time it was closed, fences surrounded the area which was additionally secured with police. Why? I do not know. However, it is still worth to walk there and explore the area with the park.
Plaza de Armas
This place was supposed to be a symbol, with the big stately statue. It is surrounded by a park, is located on one of the main streets and has changed a lot recently. Due to the bad floods that also hit Paraguay, many people had to be relocated. A large part of them now live in this place, in tents, improvised huts and tin homes. The improvised toilets and showers are separated from the outside world only by a piece of cloth. Children happily walk around barefoot. And you can see and smell the misery from far away. It is enough to walk along the street. Further and closer you also do not come; due to already known criminality, there are policemen and guard the area. We entered the neighborhood on the outskirts and looked around a bit, but then for the sake of our safety we were escorted outside by a policeman. Really well I would not feel in the hustle and bustle of poverty then also. A few looks collect and then move on, so I would do again.
Cabilo
This building is the City Council and is directly adjacent to the Plaza de Armas. It is also guarded and surrounded by tents and huts. Nice to look at from the outside and walk around, but nothing more.
Cathedral Metropolitan
It is considered the main christian church in Asuncion and is located around La Catedral neighborhood, the historic area of the city. This is a bit outside, we took an Uber which was around 20 minutes each way. Once there, you are crushed by the size of the cathedral. Surrounded by flowering trees, palm trees and small houses, it forms a beauty. The entrance was free. From the inside it is even more impressive, with high ceilings, a little ornamentation and large round arches. Compared to the temperature outside, you could cool off a bit there and enjoy the peace and quiet. A short walk in the area is also worthwhile.
Cerro Lambare
It is an impressive monument, positioned on a hill with a promisingly fascinating view. It is located in the southeast of the city and can be reached quickly and conveniently by Uber. The ride takes around 20 minutes from the center and costs around 30,000 guarani. By car, you can drive to the top and park there as well. We asked our Uber driver just to wait there and then take us back. Otherwise, you might have to walk back for a while. That's certainly not a problem either, will just take some time. At the viewpoint, a group of runners had gathered, celebrating their arrival in a big way. A few steps will take you to the proud column, surrounded by statues. Unfortunately, the viewpoint is surrounded by trees, sparing you most of the view. Nevertheless, you can see the Paraguay River, far over the city and also part of the poor neighborhoods, where shacks and garbage merge into one.
Definitely worth a trip. Be prepared for steep but tarred paths if you want to walk up. After many people were jogging and running, need not worry about safety here.
Holy Trinity Church
This church was for me one of the most fascinating in Paraguay. It is located north, also about 20 minutes from the city's center. Again, I chose an Uber after that was the fastest and easiest solution. The cost is around 25,000 Guarani. A large parking lot is in front of the church, where the Uber driver could wait as usual. In many blogs I read that the church was often closed and unfortunately you could see it only from the outside. I was probably lucky on this day - it was open to the public and you could admire the interior. From the inside it was even bigger than from the outside, with a wide, long aisle that ends crowning in everyday life. Outside is a small garden, which was decorated with flowering trees. In fact, there is not much to see. But beautiful it is in any case. I was also fascinated by the surroundings - a quiet residential area, but with palm trees along the roadside, delicate fences and well-kept houses. A great atmosphere. After a few minutes, a church employee appeared and closed the large fences behind me. I could still get through a small gate outside, lucky to have caught the right time.
That's not all! Get a sneak peak of more cities and attractions from Paraguay here.
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