Today we’ll be going over the best neighborhoods to stay in Asuncion, Paraguay!
Whether you’re here for a short trip or you’ve just moved here, the following barrios are among the best Asuncion has to offer in terms of safety, amenities, and infrastructure.
Let’s get started!
Top 6 Neighborhoods in Asuncion
Villa Morra
Many locals and newcomers to Asuncion claim that Villa Morra is the city’s best neighborhood. We can see why! It’s one of Asuncion’s safest and most affluent barrios. It boasts many restaurants, boutiques, and modern shopping centers. With plenty of hotels to choose from, it’s no surprise that the majority of tourists opt to stay in or around Villa Morra!
Recoleta
The neighborhood of Recoleta lies just south of Villa Morra (it’s sometimes grouped in with Villa Morra). It’s one of Asuncion’s oldest barrios. It is famous for its cemetery, in which many significant figures of Asuncion’s past are buried. Like Villa Morra, it’s a safe and walkable neighborhood with modern amenities.
Carmelitas
Carmelitas lies just north of Villa Morra and is known as Asuncion’s bar district. Here you’ll find many bars that fill up with people from Wednesday to Saturday night! In addition, it’s a safe and affluent area with many car dealerships and shops. If you prioritize nightlife, Carmelitas is, without a doubt, the best place to live in the city!
Los Laureles
Los Laureles is another one of Asuncion’s more affluent barrios. It’s a smaller, somewhat quiet, and walkable neighborhood. Since it doesn’t have the nightlife selection of Villa Morra and its surroundings, Los Laureles would be a good option for someone looking for something a bit more laid back.
Ycuá Satí
Ycuá Sati is another relatively affluent neighborhood with plenty of options for dining and shopping. If you like Villa Morra but find it too expensive to rent an apartment, Ycuá Satí may be the perfect alternative.
Mburucuya
Mburucuya is a favorite middle-class neighborhood among both locals and expats. It’s cheaper than Villa Morra and Recoleta, safe, and relatively quiet. It’s still got everything you need in terms of shopping and entertainment. Suppose you’re looking to rent in a low-key Asuncion neighborhood that isn’t too expensive. In that case, Mburucuya is one of your best options.
5 Underrated Asuncion Neighborhoods
Las Mercedes
Las Mercedes is one of Asuncion’s most underrated neighborhoods. It’s a surprise more foreigners don’t choose to live here! It’s conveniently located halfway between downtown and Villa Morra and has plenty of bars, cafes, and restaurants to enjoy. Apartments are affordable, and they’re always seems to be plenty of them available to rent.
Villa Aurelia
Villa Aurelia is a quiet, safe, and unassuming neighborhood. It’s perfect for someone who isn’t looking to spend a whole lot on rent and who wants to live somewhere laid-back while still being close to the action of Villa Morra.
Nazareth
Nazareth is a small, residential neighbourhood located to the south of the Recoleta neighborhood. It’s quiet, safe and unassuming. What makes Nazareth a good barrio is the fact that, due to it’s location, it’s easy to get to almost anywhere in Asuncion. If you intent to split your time between the affluent areas Villa Morra and/or Ycua Sati and downtown, staying in Nazareth will give you easy access to both!
San Vicente
San Vicente is growing in popularity among the expat population here, mainly due to its attractive rent prices and easy access to downtown and Villa Morra. Although there isn’t much in the way of restaurants or nightlife here, it’s one of the better options to live if you’re on a budget.
Salvador del Mundo
Salvador del Mundo is probably our most ‘controversial’ choice to include in a list of Asuncion’s underrated neighborhoods, but hear us out! It’s a tiny barrio that borders the district of Mburucuya and the beautiful Ñu Guasu park. In addition, it’s a short 8-minute drive to Villa Morra in one direction and an 8-minute drive to the airport in the other direction. So if you’re looking for favorable rent prices, something close both to nature and nightlife, Barrio Salvador del Mundo is an excellent logistic option!
Is Downtown Asuncion a Good Place to Stay?
Now, you might have noticed we omitted downtown Asuncion in this list (otherwise known as Centro).
A couple of reasons for this.
It can be somewhat dangerous at night and slightly hectic with noise and traffic during the day.
Two, downtown Asuncion seems to be slowly…well, dying. Over the past couple of years, there have been increasing “for rent” or “for sale” signs on vacant businesses.
While the downtown area used to be while all the action was, it has now decidedly fallen out of favor with locals and expats.
That said, you can get good deals on rent downtown now! It’s possible to get a large, spacious apartment for as little as USD 300/month.
Also, the nightlife scene downtown is still somewhat active. After suffering a downturn during the pandemic, popular downtown bars like Arsenal Cue and Negroni are back to their former glory!
You’ll also be within walking distance of the iconic restaurants: Lido Bar and Bolsi.
So it’s not a poor choice by any means. However, we’ve decided not to actively recommend downtown to new arrivals since it can be somewhat intimidating and moderately dangerous.
The Best Neighborhoods in Asuncion, Paraguay: Final Thoughts
To recap:
The Six Best Neighborhoods to stay in Asuncion Are:
- Villa Morra
- Recoleta
- Carmelitas
- Los Laureles
- Ycua Sati
- Los Laureles
Five underrated Asuncion neighborhoods are:
- Las Mercedes
- Villa Aurelia
- Barrio Nazareth
- San Vicente
- Salvador del Mundo
Honorable mentions:
- Barrio Jara
- Mburicao
That’s about it, folks!
In short, if you’re here for a quick visit, we recommend staying in or near Villa Morra.
If you’re planning to live here, any of the eleven neighborhoods we recommended are fine choices. Visit them all, narrow down which ones suit you the best, and start that apartment hunt!
Thanks for reading!
We hope to see you down here soon.