QUITO - PICHINCHA
Quito the capital of Ecuador has 2,576,287 inhabitants and sits at 2,850 meters above sea level, making it the second highest capital in the world, second only to the city La Paz in Bolivia. A few hours from Quito, there are several natural destinations such as: The thermal Volcanic baths of Papallacta, the north eastern tropical forests of Quito, 3. The middle of the world: This monument is located in the north of Quito. Here you can see the emblematic monument that divides the hemispheres from North to south. Jump from one side of the planet to the other with just one step! A few minutes from the monument you will find the ‘Intiñan museum’, where you can see with a few simple experiments the the equatorial line and monuments in the north, and the ruins of Cochasqui. For this reason we recommend a stay of at least 4 days. These are some of our favorite sites:
1. Historical Center: One of our favorites is talking a walk through the colonial Historical Center which has the best preserved principles of physics and gravity at this two hemispheres.
4. Telefériqo: Don´t settle with merely seeing the Pichincha mountain if you can go up it! Thanks to a modern cableway on he east of Quito, you can go up to this majestic vulcano side. Once there, you can walk through the paths to the volcano peaks, Ruco
colonial hull in Latin America, we guarantee it will be a day with many surprises. You can visit colonial churches such as the Basílica, the Catedral, the Compañía, San Francisco or Santo Domingo, which were built in a colonial style. We recommend a walk through the recently renovated Bohemian neighborhood of La Ronda and enjoy the typical ‘empanadas de viento’ with a hot ‘canelazo’ beverage.
2. The Panecillo: From this natural viewpoint you can enjoy a 360° view of the Ecuadorian capital; from the Historical Centerto the cities outskirts in the north and south. The Panecillo is crowned by a giant sculpture of the Virgin of Quito, which is an impressive site as it is 41 meters tall.
and the Guagua Pichincha. At the top of the cable cars you will be at 4000 meters above sea level and from there you will have the best view of Quito.
5. Guayasamin Museum: Visit the house where the famous Ecuadorian artist Oswaldo Guayasamín lived, and discover all of his artworks and art collections. Enjoy do bird watching, eat trout or steak in a stone, and visit some attractions like; the Butterfly House, The Cacao tour or the frog concerts.
9. Papallacta: After a one-hour trip to the west of Quito, you can take a break in the hot volcano Springs of Papallacta. Mountains and nature surround this area, the Man’ s chapel; an archeological site that became a cultural center.
6. Itchimbia Park: Located at the hill of ‘El Dorado’ neighborhood, you can find the Itchimbia Park. The view that this place offers is astonishing and its green areas allow a note local experience and us relax leave the city behind. You can visit the Crystal Palace in the 10. Pasochoa: The Andean Forest of Pasochoa is only thirty minutes away from Quito heading south. You can hike and camp in this place, just as in the Pululahua geo-botanic reserve, located near the equatorial line.
park, where there are art exhibitions. Try a local dish in one of the food spots of the park.
7. Mariscal: In Quito, fun, food, dance and drink take place in the Mariscal District. International gastronomy, bars and music, a delicious coffee culture, discos, salsa bars, pubs and more; are just a part of what this neighborhood offers. As for art and learning, this area is rich in art galleries, museums, design workshops, handicrafts, salsa schools and some of the best Spanish institutes in the city.
8. Mindo: Just two hours northwest of Quito, you can find peace in the cloud forest of Mindo. At this little but amazing ecosystem, you can enjoy many adventure sports, visit waterfalls and rivers,