Asuncion and the heartland holidays

Paraguay’s capital has undergone a real transformation. Once one of Latin America’s most side-lined capitals, in spite of a colourful and eventful history, Asunción attracted little beyond backpackers – now it stands as a destination in its own right. 

New parks, pergolas and period street lamps have improved the historic streets, and the riverside promenade has been pedestrianised into attractive public spaces.

The city’s character lies in its contrasts. Graceful old colonial buildings sit alongside contemporary murals, while a burst of creative activity, especially among the young population, has filled the centre with new bars, restaurants and boutique hotels reflecting a renewed sense of optimism.

Beyond the capital, within easy reach, lies sleepy Sapucaí, once the centre of Paraguay’s rail industry, built with the help of British engineers – its enormous train sheds, now a museum, still house wagons and machinery bearing British insignia, with old steam engines left in their final resting places in overgrown fields nearby. 

Further out, a necklace of small towns known as the Golden Circuit sits one to two hours from Asunción: some known for arts and crafts like filigree jewellery and lacework, others for their place in Paraguayan history – sleepy Pirebebuy was briefly the country’s capital, while lakeside Areguá remains popular with artists and weekenders drawn to its cobbled parade of faded mansions and pretty plaza.