Asunción

Asunción is the capital of Paraguay and one of the oldest cities in South America, founded in 1537 and called the “mother of cities” because expeditions to found Buenos Aires and others set out from here. It sits low on the Paraguay river with a compact colonial centre of pastel government buildings, the pink Palacio de los López on the waterfront and a cathedral that has stood since the eighteenth century. Guaraní is spoken alongside Spanish by almost everyone. The Panteón de los Héroes anchors the pedestrian centre, and terere is drunk everywhere. The centre is compact and walkable, and the heat decides the pace.