The capital of Paraguay, the greater Asuncion metropolitan area includes other cities such as San Lorenzo, Fernando de la Mora, Lambare and Luque, and is inhabited by more than 1.500.000 people. Asuncion is one of the oldest cities in South America, founded by Spanish colonists in 1537, and in its heyday was the point of departure for many colonial expeditions.

Due to its central position on a river port, Asuncion was in the past a thriving merchant city. It has seen many changes over the years, including occupation by Brazilian troops between 1870 and 1876. Paraguay’s political upheavals have also greatly affected the city, with the country closing itself to visitors for a time. It has only recently become a desirable tourist destination once again.

Asuncion is home to a number of interesting buildings, including the pink-domed Pantheon Nacional de los Heroes, where the bodies of the national heroes rest. Construction in the port area in the 1970s and 80s has left little of the old colonial port intact, however some evidence of the city’s colonial past can still be seen in the historical section along the river.

Often referred to as the ‘Pearl of the South’, Encarnacio is located in south-eastern Paraguay. Approximately 400 kilometres south-east of the capital Asunción,...