What to see in Asunción in 1 day

Asunción is one of South America's oldest cities, founded in 1537 along the Paraguay River, so much so that it was called the Mother of Cities for its role in the Spanish colonisation of the continent.

Paraguay's capital overlooking its namesake river, it unites a colonial historic centre with a waterfront in continuous transformation, with an identity still strongly tied to the Guaraní language spoken daily by the population.

The Palacio de los López is the natural starting point: the seat of Paraguayan government, overlooking the river, with its neoclassical architecture inspired by the Louvre Palace, remains the institutional symbol of the city.

A few steps away is the National Pantheon of Heroes, a mausoleum that houses the remains of Paraguayan national heroes, guarded by a honor guard in historical uniform.

Continuing you reach the Manzana de la Rivera, a block of restored colonial houses transformed into an open-air museum of the city's history.

For lunch, the downtown restaurants offer sopa paraguaya and chipa, among the most representative dishes of local cuisine.

The Costanera is the riverfront redeveloped in recent years, with cycling paths and a view of the Paraguay River that marks the border with the Chaco.

The Mercado 4, the large popular market of the city, is instead the place to bargain for everything among stalls of fruit, tereré artisanship, and local products.

As evening falls, heading back to the historic center, the restaurants around Plaza de los Héroes remain an excellent base for dinner, closing the day where it began.

Palacio de los López, Panthéon, and Manzana de la Rivera are enough to show Asunción's historical soul, while an afternoon choice between the Costanera and Mercado 4 completes the picture with the riverine or popular side.

La Recoleta neighborhood and a trip to the Jesuit ruins of Trinidad, UNESCO heritage, remain chapters for a second journey. Watching the Paraná River open along the Costanera at sunset is what you remember longest of Asunción.