Shrouded by a haze of mist high up in the Andes lies the world’s second highest city. Lodged between the looming mountain peaks standing guard on either side, Quito is picturesque with a charming centro histórico. Walking through the cobbled streets, the jovial cries of street sellers combine with the smell of traditional food from open restaurants. Old men sit and watch the world go by as shoeshiner’s carry out their craft. Tourists gaze in wonder at the 17th century churches, buildings and plaza’s uniquely blending the influences of European, Moorish and Indigenous cultures. This city has a lot to offer.
At some point or another, pretty much every traveller making their way through Ecuador will pass through the capital city. Whether you’re travelling along the Pan-American Highway or using the Mariscal Sucre Airport to fly out to the Galapagos, it is a gateway to the likes of Mindo, Otavalo, Cotopaxi and Baños. Having spent five nights in Quito (actually touring the city – not including the five nights under lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic), here are some great activities to maximise your time in this wonderful location.
It’s impossible to miss how Quito is cradled in the arms of the Andes mountains surrounding the city from every direction. It’s a stunning setting and can be enjoyed via the TelerifiQo, the sky tram that ranks as one of the world’s highest aerial lifts. Only a $5.00 ride from popular city centre districts such as Mariscal Sucre and San Blas, the cable car transports you 2.5km up the steep slopes of the Volcán Pichincha, affording some incredible views of Quito and the landscape.
There’s plenty to do when you reach the station at the top. To your left, soak in the breathtaking view from the Mirador de los Volcanes viewpoint, counting the ten volcanoes bordering the city. Follow the trail further uphill and you will find the Swing in the Clouds; a popular haunt for visitors to get snapped swinging high above the city skyline. For me, this was one of my favourite activities. The panoramic views were outstanding and are a must-do for any Quito itinerary.
If you’ve already spent a couple of days in Quito and are feeling adventurous, there’s the option of hiking up to the summit of Rucu Pichincha (4680m) which is approximately four kilometres and a five-hour round trip. We’d only arrived the night before and, frankly, didn’t feel up to the task as we’d travelled extensively for the preceding three days. However, I’m told it’s a wonderful hike that offers more dramatic views. Having since read up on this, the advice I’ve seen is to take warm clothes and plenty of water before starting the hike in the morning as the clouds typically arrive come noon. For more information, Just Chasing Sunsets has an excellent guide here.
Tip… If you’re hungry when you reach the top, avoid using the cafe above the souvenir shop as you exit the TelerifiQo on the right hand side. Instead, head to your left towards Mirador de los Volcanes where there’s a cosy little cafe next to the cable car exit. The food was much cheaper here and I bought two homemade pieces of banana bread and a pack of cookies for $3.00 – cheaper than one slice of cake on its own for $3.90 in the other place!
Transport… Roughly $5.00 to the TelerifiQo and $5.00 back to popular districts such as San Blas and Mariscal Sucre. Ask your hostel or hotel to book your taxi and agree the fare up front prior to departure.
Cost… Tickets for the TelerifiQo cost $8.50 for the return journey to Cruz de Loma station and back.
Read more… Cruz de Loma: Views from the Clouds
Ah, the Free Walking Tour, the good old standard suggestion for every guide that really can’t be beaten if you want to get into the fabric of a city. We used CarpeDM who run a Free Walking Tour from outside The Secret Garden Hostel in the San Blas district. Our guide, Erika, was fantastic as she took us around Quito’s exquisite old town, starting by educating us on the highly impressive neo-gothic Basilica del Voto. Inspired by the Notre Dam, construction work began in 1892 and it apparently remains technically incomplete; local legend has it that the day work is finished, the world will also come to an end.
From here, we moved on to the Museo Camilo Egas, dedicated to the modernist painter before visiting a 17th century building home to a spiritual shaman. Here, we learnt about the rituals of numerous Amazon tribes including the process of shrinking a human head for use as a trinket. The comprehensive tour continued through the old colonial streets taking in a wonderful chocolate tasting session at Republica del Cacao, a rooftop view of the city from the Centro Cultural Metropolitano and a walk through the Plaza Grande. Here, Erika informed us about the significance of the monument situated at the heart of the square and how it represents Ecuadorean liberation from the Spanish Kingdom. It was extremely interesting especially when she pointed out the symbolism behind certain intricate works.
Having worked up an appetite, the group were then taken to a local restaurant, Los Jugos de la Sucre for lunch where we were able to buy fresh, delicious empanada’s for $1.00. I’d genuinely say that, on par with those I ate at Mora Castilla in Popayan, Colombia, they were the best empanada’s I ate throughout my six weeks in South America. As typical with the geography of Quito, the heavens opened that afternoon with a torrential downpour causing everybody to dash for shelter. Our guides did a great job of continuing the tour though, taking us around the Museo de la Ciudad which was the first hospital in the city and had some rather dark tales.
It’s a great tour that delves deep into the history of Quito introducing you to places you’d unlikely visit on your own.
Tip… If, like me you love ice cream, try the homemade 75% cacao chocolate ice cream at Republica del Cacao. It was priced at $2.25 and was so good, I went back again a few days later.
Cost… It’s a Free Walking Tour but of course, like any other, tips are expected at the end. Make sure you take money to spend in Republica del Cacao and for lunch at Los Jugos de la Sucre.
Read more... about the CarpeDM Free Walking Tour in a dedicated article here.
After your first taste of the Basilica on the walking tour, make sure you return to climb the towers for some fantastic views of the city and surrounding mountains. This unique building, adorned with statues of various animals including Iguanas, Tortoises, Armadillos and Condors, is at the heart of Quito and provides some outstanding panoramic views. Neighbourhoods stretch out as far as the eye can see and there’s a great photo opportunity to snap the iconic Virgin of El Panecillo statue standing proud above the city.
You can scale the towers via a set of black iron stairs winding upwards but take care; they are very narrow and you literally have to crouch through at the top to get out onto the tower. The views are worth it though. After walking back downstairs and just before making your way over to the second tower, you can step out onto the Vista Panoramica balcony. Here, you can use the telescope free of charge and get an even closer look at El Panecillo in all it’s glory.
Not for the faint hearted, there’s a third tower called the Tower of the Condors. This no doubt offers the best views in the entire building, but requires climbing a very steep flight of stairs that wrap around the tower to reach the summit. I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t do it, but must stress that this was due to my fear of heights rather than any concerns about the safety of the building. Plenty of people navigated the climb and enjoyed the views from the tower with no problems.
Tip… The only toilet is outside of the church located to the left of the ticket office. I’d recommend going before you enter the towers or, like me, you might be caught short and need to get down rather quickly! They charge $0.50 entry.
Cost… Tickets cost $2.00 to climb the towers and are separate from entry into the church itself. Make sure you have the change – in keeping with what seemed to be quite common in South America, they were unable to provide change for notes.
Ever wanted to visit the centre of the Earth? Quito has become famous for its Mitad del Mundo attraction based just 20 kilometres outside of the city. Although there is of course only one true centre of the earth, it’s possible to visit two monuments proclaiming this title (and here’s why).
It’s quite extraordinary when you think about it. In 1736, a French expedition team led by the explorer Charles-Marie de la Comdamine “pinpointed” the equator. They were only inaccurate by 250 metres. Phenomenal given that the technology nearly 300 years ago is light-years away from what we have today. Following the discovery, a 30-foot statue was erected complete with a line indicating the equator. Of course, we now know that this is all wrong, but it is still a very popular destination for visitors to this day.
Around the corner are, thanks to GPS, the exact coordinates for the Equator at the Museo Solar Inti Ñan. Entry was $4.00 and we were given a guided tour of the site which involved an educational talk on indigenous tribes as well the equator. Of course, we were able to get the obligatory pictures next to the monument at the coordinates 00,00,00 latitude and witnessed the famous experiments the museum put on to demonstrate the subtle differences between the north and south sides of the equator line. One water demonstration involved draining a sink on either side of the equator, where the water drains clockwise on the southern side and anti-clockwise on the northern. Our guide also balanced an egg on a nail, eggs-xecuting it with aplomb (sorry, couldn’t resist the pun); a feat much harder than it looks, as each member of the group would attest having failed miserably.
There are also some nice shops selling indigenous crafted goods such as woven headbands, bracelets and homemade souvenirs. It’s a good morning, or afternoon out that is quite reasonably priced.
Tip… When the tour reached the centre of the earth monument, there was quite a rush to get pictures before the guide moved on. At the end of the tour, we circled back round and had it completely to ourselves, enabling enough time to get the pictures we wanted before the next group came along. Don’t worry about not getting a good shot first time around.
Transport… We did our trip with CarpeDM who advertised the tour during the Free Walking Tour. The price was $10.00 each for transport to, and from, our hostel at The Secret Garden (entry not included). As there was four of us, they organised a private taxi who waited for us whilst we viewed the attractions.
Cost… Entry into Museo Solar Inti Ñan was $4.00. A ticket for the other monument is $6.00.
Read more... about Mitad del Mundo in a dedicated article here.
A great little museum dedicated to Camilo Egas, one of Ecuador’s most important 20th century artists. It takes around 15-20 minutes to wander around the exhibition and admire a wealth of works from one of Quito’s most revered sons. Many paintings were unique at the time for featuring indigenous groups, faithfully recreating pieces of important cultural identity including costumes, customs and rituals.
Cost… Free
Address… Venezuela 1302 Cnr Esmeraldas, Quito 170150 Ecuador
I’ll be honest, I didn’t think much of La Ronda. Though I also think I may have walked through at the wrong time of day, with it being just after lunch. The colourful cobblestone street is said to be the prettiest in all of Quito; in my experience it was dead with not much going on. Having read multiple articles singing it’s praises, I’m now convinced I timed my visit poorly.
It’s said to come alive with traditional music in the early evening as tourists and locals alike gather to drink in one of its many bars. If you give it a try and think it’s good, please let me know!
Llama Love… This small, cosy and affordable restaurant offers an excellent selection of food. Just up the steps from La Ronda, when we arrived at lunchtime it was completely full. Thankfully, a couple had just paid up and were leaving, praising the food as they left. We all had the vegan quesadillas which were delicious.
Address: Venezuela S1-28 and Rocafuerte, Next to Hump Day Hostel, Quito, 170143
Republica del Cacao… Good for a snack rather than a meal, but so good I went twice. After discovering this wonderful chocolate store on the CarpeDM Free Walking Tour, I returned for another scoop of its mouthwatering chocolate ice cream later in the week. Whilst not cheap, it has a fine selection of delicacies for those who, like me, have a sweet tooth. Stop by for a coffee and enjoy the incredible selection of chocolate for sale.
Address: Museo y Chocolate-Boutique, Centro Histórico de Quito, Venezuela N5-44 y Chile, Quito 170150.
Los Jugos de Sucre… Another one discovered courtesy of the walking tour. It’s a great local restaurant if you’re exploring the old town and want to grab a quick, cheap lunch that tastes delicious. The empanada’s were only $1.00 each and quickly ranked as one of the very best I had during my time in South America.
Address: Garcia Morena N2-54 y Sucre, Quito
Dulce Ecuador… Little did I know that this would actually be my last meal eating out in Ecuador before the Coronavirus pandemic shut the country down. Just around the corner from The Secret Garden Hostel in the neighbourhood of San Blas, this homely little restaurant is great for travellers looking for some good food at a reasonable price. It’s located on the street corner with an atmosphere led by traditional Spanish music and very friendly staff. Also, if you need something sweet after you’ve had your meal, they sell bars of Pacari chocolate.
Address: Oriente y Vicente Leon, Oriente N10-04 y Vicente León, Quito 170113
Atavico Arte Cafe… A cool place to stop by for a coffee if you’re stopping at The Secret Garden Hostel in San Blas, this quirky cafe has walls lined with traditional Ecuadorean masks and other weird and wonderful items. It served a good variety of food including vegetarian and vegan options. I could quite easily have wiled away an afternoon writing in here; it’s a calm, pleasant and welcoming atmosphere with great staff.
Address : Antepara y Vicente Leon, Quito
So don’t rush through Quito. Embrace it. It is one of the more unique capital city’s that you’ll visit.
Read more… Quito: The Historic Old Town
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