Asuncion Sign
Yeah three months in Asuncion really was to way…. to long! Now, not to say it was all bad, but we just never really felt that warm & fuzzy feeling that would make us want to live here forever. I guess the first thing that hit us was arriving during the “extremely” hot summer season! Now I know I have said MULTIPLE times that I would take hot over cold as these old bones just can’t handle the cold BUT… I had to admit to The Big Guy about two weeks into our stay here that I HATED the Asuncion heat. (I was told later that this was one of the hottest summers in Asuncion so shame on us for that one). Asuncion summer heat is unforgiving & after three months we were more than ready to leave. Just as a side note, the evenings came alive once the sun went down temps cooled a bit which made the temps a little easier to handle.
I think the best way to describe Asuncion is to compare it with any conservative U.S. city. We stayed in Colombia the maximum amount of time on a tourist visa & it was time for us to leave. We needed to find a place to go in South America that was budget & tourist friendly. Our intent was to return to Colombia in the new year. We researched a number of places, but decided on the historic city of Asuncion, Paraguay. It was known as one of the safest places to visit in South America & allowed 90 day stays on a U.S. passport. Upon our arrival in Asuncion – a city of a little over 3.5 million with an average age of 27 yrs in 2025 – we stayed in the older historic neighborhood near the Presidential Palace. There was a very strong police presence in the Centro Historical neighborhood where we spent our first month I believe because of all the government buildings as well as the Palace.
We had to spend the full 90 days in Asuncion in order to meet our budget requirements. We decided that although we arrived in Asuncion during the summer months it was not our first time traveling into an area during the summer months. It just made more sense with our budget vs incurring travel debt for another flight. Three months fits our budget the best, but six month stays are prime!
As a side note, prior to our flight, we had read so many blogs & social media posts stating that you have to pay a $160 fee each upon arrival for a “Visa on Arrival” in Asuncion? We were prepared to pay if we had to but once we arrived at Asuncion airport we saw the Visa on Arrival office but we walked pass (we figured the worst that could happen is they send us back to the Visa on Arrival office) & directly to Immigration. The Immigration official checked our passports for 90 days, nary a question of how long our plans were to stay or anything regarding a $160 entry fee!
Asuncion, Paraguay is the capital city of Paraguay & has had a violent but interesting history. It was founded in 1537. The city was originally named Nuestra Señora Santa María de l’Asunción, it was customary to name a city after the religious calendar. Asuncion is one of the oldest cities in South America & that is how it became know as the “Mother of Cities” & the World Capitol of Friendship.
Paraguay has approximately seven (7) million people of which about 10% of the population speak Spanish, but 90% of the population speak the native language of “Guarani”. This is not the place to learn Spanish!
In 1617, the Spanish Río de la Plata governorate separated Buenos Aires from Paraguay & created Asunción as its capital, effectively making Paraguay lose it access to the sea. Paraguay gained its independence from the Spanish crown in 1811. Then in 1869, Brazil, Uruguay & Argentina defeated Paraguay in what is known as the worst war in the history of Latin America (War of the Triple Alliance). In the end, Paraguay lost over half (1/2) of its population & large tracts of land as a result of the War.
This monument sits in the park next to Palacia Lopez. They say a picture paints a thousand words? Well this art project speaks volumes about the horrific past of Paraguay.
Paraguay is rated a Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions. There was a noticeable presence of police & military staff in the Centro Historic area we spent our first month in Asuncion but it made sense. Our Airbnb was located almost directly across the street from the Palacio Lopez where the President works.
Now walking on the streets of Asuncion after dark also is not safe. Dark quiet streets…don’t travel down. Use your head & you should be fine. All the police & military (yes they had guns of various sizes) we saw day to day were always pleasant.
Temps in Asuncion ran as high as 112 heat index on some days. Most days were close if not at 100! We had a pool available to us for swimming, but at the heat temp the pool never looked that clean for me to jump in. The heat is simply exacerbated by way of Paraguay’s location in the South & the urban building going on. With the location it simply is a tropic country with direct sun year round so be careful when you say you can take hot heat cause you might have to eat those words like I did. Ha.
Coffee shops are in abundance in Asuncion, Paraguay. The one thing I can tell you about cafes & restaurants is that you just can’t get in a hurry here but I assign that to just living in South America & its easy pace of living. If you are in a rush to be served, you are likely to walk away unhappy! We are always checking out local coffee shop & Karu has everything. Friendly staff, great coffee, brunch & awesome bread, I see why it is a favorite! It was just a few blocks from our Airbnb off Santa Teresa street.
The National Pantheon of Heros in Asuncion is a landmark for remembrance of lost heros. If you hit the right time, you can watch the changing of the Guards!
There is a lot of older architecture, some in better shape than others, but all the same beautiful to me.
Bolsi was a great place to eat. It featured indoor as well as outdoor tables which was our choice if there happen to be a breeze that affternoon! For traditional food, the Bolsi has been owned & operated by family since 1960.
The Bahai Paraguay Riverwalk was really nice for very early morning or late evening walks. It ran for over 5 km along the river. There were areas of beach for fishing, boating & other water sports. The walk also passed wooded & marsh areas benefiting the wildlife as well as several lookout points over the river & Asuncion. On cooler night the vendors were out & runners/walkers were out. Along the boardwalk there was an incredibly large number of police both walking & on motorbikes traveling the way. So yes it felt pretty safe.
The Paraguay River is over 2500 km long & the fifth largest river in South America from Brazil thru Bolivia, Paraguay & Argentina to the ocean. It is used by several countries to get products to the ships at the ocean port.
West Coffee Shop – Now we did not find this coffee shop until the last two weeks of our stay in Asuncion & we were sorry that we did not find it sooner. Walking across the drive to the cafe door, the guard smiled & greeted us. When we walked in the door the owner “Alex” greeted us with the warmest smile & hello. As we watched other come in, the greeting was just as enthusiastic! If you are in Asuncion, this place not only offers a great cup of hot or cold coffee, other drinks & sandwiches, but probably the most awesome customer service & kindness we experienced in Asuncion!
We are glad we went but we now know we don’t need to go back. The weather was just to hot & honestly we did not get the warm & fuzzies of this city. Now we did meet quite a few Europeans who loved it & have made it their home for their own personal reasons. You go!
The one thing that seemed so strange to me was their love of fruitcake! It was in every grocer & ranged from fruitcake loaves covered in powder sugar to HUGE fruitcakes. Seems it is a traditional dessert & since it contains alcohol for preservation, it can be stored for months. Never been a fan & I am still shaking my head over that one.
All your dreams may come true in Asuncion, Paraguay but you won’t know until you visit.
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