Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
administration charge of Gs20,000-
30,000 is usually applied.
You'll get the best exchange rates if you
exchange money midweek at a casa de
cambio; prices tend to rise at weekends.
Do not use street moneychangers -
when you are dealing with hundreds
of thousands of guaraníes you can be
easily tricked. The chain MaxiCambios
( W maxicambios.com.py) has branches in
Asunción and Ciudad del Este and is
reliable for both exchanging money and
cashing travellers' cheques.
Asunción
Less intimidating than many South
American capital cities, ASUNCIÓN sits
astride a broad bay on the Río Paraguay.
Once the historic centre of government for
the Spanish colonies of Río de la Plata, the
city declined in importance with the
founding of Buenos Aires, while the
impenetrable Chaco prevented it from
becoming the envisioned gateway to the
riches of Peru. The quirky city brims with
the history of its despots and dictators, but
the real stars are its friendly and accommo-
dating citizens, whom you'll meet if you
take advantage of the city's fun nightlife.
OPENING HOURS
Opening hours for shops are generally
Monday to Friday 8am until 6pm,
plus Saturday until early afternoon.
Restaurants are open around 11.30am to
2.30pm and 6.30pm to midnight. Banks
are typically open Monday to Friday 8am
to 1pm and closed at weekends, though
ATMs can be used at any time. Many
museums are only open in the mornings,
or not at all unless you find the guide or
guardian, but persevere.
WHAT TO SEE AND DO
While Asunción offers the usual dichotomy
of Latin American cities with a crumbling
historical centre and modern, wealthy
suburbs, its personality shines through once
you start getting your head around the
country's crazy history. The historic centre ,
or casco histórico , is spookily deserted in the
evenings and at weekends, but it provides
enough cultural attractions for at least a
couple of days of wandering. The action is
centred around the Plaza Uruguaya , the
Plaza de los Héroes and the waterfront .
Many of the city's high-end restaurants are
in the area around the mammoth Shopping
del Sol complex in the suburb of Villa Mora ,
but the old centre is still the best place to
look for cheap accommodation, as well as
cutting-edge nightlife. Those seeking more
tranquil surroundings will find solace in the
arty towns around the peaceful Lago ( Lake )
Ypacaraí , easily reached as a day-trip from
the city.
Note that in the historic centre, the
street names running east-west change
after Independencia Nacional, which cuts
them north-south, so Cerro Corá and
Oliva, for example, are the same street.
8
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
In addition to the national holidays
listed below, some local anniversaries
or saints' days are also public holidays,
when everything in a given town may
close down.
January 1 New Year's Day (Año Nuevo)
February 3 Day of San Blas, patron saint
of Paraguay (Día de San Blas)
March 1 Heroes Day (Día de los Héroes)
March/April Easter and Holy Week
(Pascua y Semana Santa)
May 1 Labour Day (Día del Trabajador)
May 15 Independence Day (Día de la
Independencia Patria)
June 12 Commemoration of the end of
the Chaco War (Paz del Chaco)
August 15 Founding of Asunción
(Fundación de Asunción)
December 8 The Immaculate
Conception and the Virgin of Caacupé
(Concepción Immaculada y la Virgen de
Caacupé)
December 25 Christmas Day (Navidad)
Plaza de los Héroes
he casco histórico is easy to explore on
foot and a good starting place is the main
square, Plaza de los Héroes . A lively and
vibrant place, filled with lapacho trees
that bloom a dramatic pink in July and
August, it is a frequent concert venue and
 
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