Quito, Ecuador City Break: The Middle of the World
Ecuador, a small country with immense biodiversity, has always been on my list of countries to visit. When I visited Ecuador for the first time, I had been living and teaching in neighboring Colombia for about six months. The year was 2023, and Ecuador was going through a difficult time concerning crime, political unrest and corruption. I had actually postponed my ticket once due to the ongoing instability. However, by November, I was able to take a few days off and use my ticket.
Quito has One of the Largest and Best Preserved Historical Centers in All of Latin America
I flew from Bogota to Quito’s Mariscal airport for just over an hour. Despite the short distance, the ticket (with a carry-on) cost about 250 USD. International flights within South America are on the pricier side, but sometimes you can get a good deal by doing your research. Ecuador is also famous for being visa-free for tourists from almost all countries in the world. I had pre-arranged a taxi with my accommodation. The airport is about an hour away from the city center, and a taxi ride typically costs $30. There is a bus service from the airport. However, considering that I was landing past 8 PM, I chose to pay extra for a taxi and ensure a safer and smoother journey.
The official currency in Ecuador is the US Dollar. This takes a lot of stress out of exchanging money makes it much easier to pay for things without doing extra math. Make sure that you have enough small bills when you arrive. Not all places take cards, so having cash on you in advance is important.
Quito is the capital of Ecuador and is home to about 2 million inhabitants. It is renowned for its historic center, the largest and best preserved in Latin America and for sitting right on the equatorial line (hence the name, Ecuador). Quito is nestled very high up in the Andes mountains. In fact, it is one of the world’s highest capitals at over 2,850 metres above sea level. Altitude sickness muse be a challenge for some visitors and it is recommended to have at least 2 days of rest before going on hikes or other physically demanding activities.
I had booked a private room at the Viajero Quito Hostel, which is located in a prime location in the historic center. My room was tastefully decorated and well-equipped, and it cost less than $30 per night. Housed in three large connected colonial mansions was also one of the most beautiful hostels I have seen, and the décor and quality of service exceeded my expectations by a stretch. It has a beautiful garden and a roomy bar area with pool tables and board games. Indoor. Upon arrival, check-in was seamless and I had a quick dinner before heading straight to bed to rest before my early-morning tour the next day.
Otavalo: Indigenous Capital and South America’s Largest Outdoor Market
About 90 minutes from Quito is the town of Otavalo. Otavalo is known for its vibrant indigenous culture, natural landscape and giant outdoor market. It is particularly busy and operates in full capacity on Saturday mornings, so that is the best way to visit. Luckily for me, I arrived in Quito on Friday night. As someone who is highly passionate about handicrafts, I could not miss this market, so I made sure to book a tour on Airbnb in advance for about $65 USD. Otavalo can be visited from Quito by bus, but I chose a tour for a safer and more curated experience. The tour guide picked me up at 7 AM from the historical center in Quito.
Ecuador Produces the World’s Finest Chocolate
Our first stop on our way to Otavalo was in the town of Cayambe, which is famous for a local snack called Bizcocho. It is a type of cheese that is eaten with crackers and different types of spreads. We sampled Bizcocho at a local family-run producer. There was a small shop to buy snacks to bring home, along with local chocolate brands such as Hoja Verde. Ecuador is world-renowned for its chocolate, and I bought a bar made from 100% cocoa for less than $3. Pure chocolate tastes very different from most store-bought types. It is very bitter and acidic, with no hint of sweetness to it. It did, however, get better with each bite.
Upon arrival to the Otavalo town center, we had about 2 hours to explore the market starting with Plaza de Los Ponchos. The Plaza of Ponchos is the epicenter of this large outdoor market that is comprised of over 20 rows over at least 10 city blocks selling colorful merchandise traditionally made in the Otavalo region. Here you can find ponchos in different designs, home textiles and carpets, clothing made from alpaca wool and many more accessories from Ecuadorian folklore.
The locals retain their cultural heritage proudly. Here you can still hear the local Kichwa language (now designated an official language in schools), as well as marvel at the locals’ traditional costumes. The men have long hair and the women wear hats and embroidered blouses under a shawl. Visitors are welcome to bargain with the vendors and the prices are much lower than anywhere else, considering the quality of the items and the wool materials. I ended up buying many gifts, sweaters for myself and home accents for less than $100. Even for those who are not planning to buy anything, Otavalo market is absolutely worth a visit for all the colors and designs that interweave throughout the stalls. It is the largest crafts market in South America. Its only downside is that I noticed that many merchants sold exactly the same merchandise, many of which is no longer produced locally or in the old-fashioned way due to cost. It is also an ideal place to have a local lunch in one of the cafes or from the street vendors.
A traditional local dish synonymous with this part of Ecuador is Cuy, or grilled guinea pig. It has been a staple in Indigenous Ecuadorians’ diet for millennia. If you are on the less adventurous side like myself, there are plenty of other meat or vegetarian options to choose from—with a full meal and a drink costing less than $5.
A short drive from Otavalo market is Cuichoca Lake. Ecuador is a country known for its many active and nonactive volcanos. Cucichoca Lake is formed inside the crater of a volcano. There are two tree-covered mountainous islands within the lake. There are several observation points to take memorable pictures, and the blue water becomes more transparent as you descend the stairs and get closer to the lake shore. You can also take a boat cruise along the lake, but the people on the tour, including myself were feeling a bit tired after a day at the market, so we decided to head back to Quito. It was already nightfall by the time we all got back to our hotels.
During the night, I mostly stayed at the hostel and had my dinner and drinks there. Unfortunately, the area was not very safe at night and we were advised by the staff to stay indoors. It could be risky to just walk a few blocks alone past nightfall.
Centro Historico Walking Tour
For the next day, a Sunday, I chose to sleep in and stay within the historical center. I opted in for a free walking tour of the area, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage since 1978.
Our first stop was the Basilica del Voto Nacional, about a 15 minute walk from where I was staying. The elegant basilica is the largest Neo-Gothic cathedral in all of the Americas. It took over a century to construct and is not yet 100% complete. Local legend has it that when the Basilica is complete, the world will end. The interior is marked by stunning stained-glass windows leading to the altar. The main draw are the clock towers. Visitors can climb up very narrow stairs all the top for immersive views of the historical city and the surrounding neighborhoods of Quito.
There are hundreds upon hundreds of preserved historical buildings and over 30 colonial-era churches and cathedrals within the historical center, perfectly positioned within pedestrian streets and lively city squares. Getting from one site of interest to another is relatively easy, but be prepared to go up some steep and hilly streets while walking.
The City of Quito is Very Long and Narrow
Art Vendors on a Pedestrian Street
The historical center is relatively safe to walk through at daytime (provided tourists are careful with their belongings), and it is very enjoyable to walk along the streets that are lined with colorful heritage houses on both sides. They were designed with very intricate detail, from their windows to the robust wooden doors and columns, some of which date back to the 16th century. Despite the district’s breathtaking beauty, I noticed a high vacancy and many ground-floor spaces, designed for commercial activities were empty. There are some cafés and shops along the streets, but not enough to do the place justice. Unfortunately, the levels of crime during the recent years had driven much of the commerce and life out of the historic center.
Ecuador is very notably a Catholic society. Several shops in the historical center had luminous icons, statues and Nativity installations featured in their window displays for an added festive feel, as it was late November and the holiday season was about to start. We passed through the Plaza Grande, famous for its independence monument and municipal palace that houses the local government. There are many park benches to sit back and watch the passersby. It was a Sunday and some side streets were getting busier towards the afternoon, with street vendors selling candies and painters displaying their artwork on the pedestrian sidewalks.
Our next stop was the magnificent Iglesia de La Compañía (or The Church of the Society of Jesus), which is regarded but some as the most beautiful church in Latin America, if not the whole world. The interior of this cathedral, which was completed in the mid 1700s, is entirely covered in gold sheets. The design is also very fine and intricate, with the walls and ceilings covered in geometrical signs somewhat resembling the Alhambra Palace in Andalusia, Spain, with hints of an Eastern Orthodox church considering the amount of ornamentation found inside.
The golden interior really shines and bedazzles visitors. The central dome is a light blue, with stained glass doors that allow the light in to reflect beautifully against the gold interior. Photography is not allowed inside the church, but for a few dollars extra visitors can accompany a guide to the rooftop. From the outside, the central cupola is a light green color. Step inside through one of the glass doors that lead into the dome interior, and you can look down to see the main alter from above and admire the fine details of the dome up close, with vivid Jesuit-era mosaics on all sides of the circular dome. The views from the top are some of the best in Quito and overlook the city’s most famous square, Plaza San Francisco--the perfect background for a typically Quito picture.
Quito’s Principal Plaza, with a View of the San Francisco Cathedral
During my visit, Quito was getting ready to celebrate 489 since its foundation. There were many municipal celebrations underway, and we got to meet the ‘Queens of Quito’ beauty participants as they were posing for the local media around Iglesia de La Compañía. Beauty pageants are very popular in Latin American cultures and are done on a much larger scale than in other countries.
We stopped for lunch at La Capilla restaurant right on San Francisco Square. The two-story restaurant is very tastefully decorated in traditional Ecuadorian style with a central courtyard. As a starter, I had cheese empanadas and patacones, or deep-fried plantains. In my experience, the empanadas in Ecuador are slightly larger than in neighboring Colombia. A typical dish to try in Quito is the Locro Quiteño, a creamy soup with a potato base garnished with toasted corn and avocado chunks. Locals enjoy hearty soups with most meals—even breakfast. I also had the Seco de Gallina, a plate of chicken marinated in Chicha, a fermented drink made from corn. Corn has been a staple ingredient in Andean cuisine since ancestral times.
The San Francisco Cathedral is Quito’s largest and oldest church, whose construction dates all the way back to 1535. Like the closeby church of La Compañía, it is renowned for its very elaborate interior with gold-plated walls and very ornate central altar. We got to visit during mass, so we could not wander around and take pictures freely inside the church.
The church complex also houses a monastery and the Museo San Francisco, which houses a large collection of religious art and relics from since the colonial times. Entrance is $3, which also gives visitors access to a beautiful courtyard within the convent and the Cerveceria Antigua del Convento, a small museum recreating the beer hall and preparation techniques in the oldest beer brewery in South America.
You likely won’t see churches as detailed and beautiful as Quito’s anywhere else in the world!
Cotopaxi National Park: Zig-Zagging up a Volcano
A Llama Happily Posing to a Background of Snow-Capped Cotopaxi
While Quito’s Historical Center is one of Ecuador’s main tourist draws, most visitors come here for its majestic volcanoes. Cotopaxi Volcano is the most visited active volcano for its proximity to Quito and the stunning views that the surrounding area offers. I booked my tour to visit Cotopaxi National Park online, which s cost $80, and I was picked up at about 7:30 AM. Upon booking, the tour guides specific that it was crucial to have enough warm clothing for the trip, including lots of sunscreen, a hat, scarf and gloves because the temperatures gate very low at the high elevation.
About an hour into our tour, we stopped at the south-west entrance to the national park to explore a small science museum which gives a detailed view into the special ecosystem in the National Park and the type of fauna and flora we would encounter. We were at a sub-paramo level, and were expected to ascend to paramo and super-paramo levels of elevation. The paramo is a special moor-like ecosystem with minimal vegetation that can only be found in the Andean mountain ranges of Ecuador and Colombia. We also tried coca leaf tea and coca flavored candies to help us withstand the high elevation.
Throughout recorded history, Cotopaxi has erupted over 80 times, with varying degrees of intensity. The most recent eruption happened in 2015, when the area was evacuated. Luckily, the eruption was not major, otherwise it would have destroyed much of Quito and the effects could have been felt as far as the Pacific Ocean. On a clear day, the snowcapped Cotopaxi can be seen well from a distance. Its perfect symmetry and beauty resembles that of Mount Fuji in Japan-especially as it reflects from the lake. As we drove through the national park, we could also see the dormant Ruminawi Volcano and Sincholagua Volcano. This park of the park is sometimes referred to as ‘Volcano Avenue’ for the stunning views offered.
From there on, our van went through a very rocky road uphill for about another 20 minutes. As we got higher, the road became much more narrow and curvy. Only drivers who are well trained in this terrain can navigate the difficult terrain. It is also highly recommended to do this activity with a group tour. The area is very vast and can be extremely difficult to explore on your own, even if you rent your own car. We reached a parking lot, and from there, it would have been about an hour each way to reach the mountain refuge, which sits at an elevation point of 4,684.
I could only climb up about 15 minutes before feeling dizzy and out of breath. It was getting foggy during that part of the morning and I didn’t want to wear myself out completely. I just headed back to the van and waited there, while also taking pictures of the views from there. It was also extremely cold, so it is absolutely essential to come prepared with the right climbing gear. There are also other tour companies that offer horse-riding tours in the park, biking and overnight stays in the park for tourist who would like to see more of the local fauna and discover the park and its many viewing points at a more leisurely pace.
About two hours later, and by the time everyone from the tour group was back, we descended the mountain to our next destination within the park: Limpiopungo Laguna. The lake offers panoramic views of the mountains, which reflect beautifully over the water on a clear day. There is an observation deck connected by a long pier, as well as some hiking trails that can be taken from there.
On our way back to Quito we stopped for a typical lunch of Locro Costeño soup and grilled meat. We were surprised to find llamas grazing in the restaurant garden. As one of the Andes’ mountains most prolific animal, llamas are very social and friendly. These gentle animals approached us with a lot of curiosity and we got to feed them carrot sticks at the end. We all left with lots of cute pictures and selfies with the llamas.
Last Day in Quito: Museum Galore
As the capital city of Ecuador, Quito has many worthwhile museums to check out. I saved my museum visits for the last day after finishing with all my day trips outside Quito. The vast majority of Quito’s museums can be explored by walking within the historical center. However, there are some that can only be accessed by car.
Ecuador Sits Right on the Equator, Hence the Country’s Name
A major tourist site just on the outskirts of the city is the Middle of the World. I took a taxi, which cost about $15 to get there. There are also buses that go there directly from the city center. The entrance to the attraction costs $5. The Middle of the World is kind of like a theme park with a museum and science center that is located right on the equator. Once inside, a long yellow line marks the northern and southern hemisphere. You can have one foot in each hemisphere and literally be in both places at once. You can also have your passport stamped there free of charge.
The Middle of the World is a large tourist complex that is a mini city in itself. After it had already been built, scientists discovered that the actual Ecuador line was about 200 meters from the place that had previously been marked. There are shops and restaurants in the main square and an ethnographic museum. Visitors can also partake in fun science experiments such as balancing an egg on a nail and the Coriolis effect to see how water drains in the northern and southern hemispheres (clockwise and anticlockwise). The monument itself is a large stone structure with a globe-shaped observation deck at the top. It is a bit of a tourist trap, but is a fun way and unique to spend a few hours while in Quito – especially since you’ve already made it this far.
From there, I took a taxi back and stopped in La Mariscal district, a residential and commercial area that is also popular with international tourists. If you don’t get to go to Otavalo, La Mariscal’s artisanal market is a sizeable indoor market that carries handicrafts from all over Ecuador. As a lover of handicrafts and all things folklore, I absolutely had to buy some tribal masks from Ecuador to add to my collection. A popular figure in local folklore is Diablo Huma (or Aya Huma in Kichwa language). The name translates into ‘devil’s head’ and is a recurring character in local festive dances. As per local legend, the Diablo Huma costume was used in rejection to Catholic colonial culture imposed on Indigenous communities. The masks are either wooden (for decoration) or are woven and to be worm. They are very colorful and the tongue sticking out makes for them especially comical.
While in La Mariscal, I also Visited the Ethnohistoric Museum of Mindalae. Entrance cost $3 and I was really impressed by the number of artefacts displayed. The museum consists of 5 floors, each with a distinct theme and focused on the different artforms of the ethnic peoples of Ecuador. The collection varies from pottery to statues and ceremonial costumes. Once back in the historical center, I had three more museums to visit. Similar to the Mindalae, the of Pre-Colombian Art Museum (or Museo Casa del Alabado) includes archeological discoveries from the civilizations that flourished in Ecuador before the conquistadors arrived. All pieces are displayed beautifully and with great illumination. The 1,000 plus items are displayed thematically instead of chronologically and some date back as far as 4,000 BC.
Hats and Ponchos Help Protect from the Cold and Strong UV Rays of the Andes
Similar to the Mindalae, the of Pre-Colombian Art Museum (or Museo Casa del Alabado) includes archeological discoveries from the civilizations that flourished in Ecuador before the conquistadors arrived. All pieces are displayed beautifully and with great illumination. The 1,000 plus items are displayed thematically instead of chronologically and some date back as far as 4,000 BC.
I was recommended the Hasta La Vuelta Señor restaurant for lunch. It is one of the historical center’s most popular restaurants for locals and tourists alike, with colorful décor and an inner courtyard. As a starter, I ordered the Humita de Sal. It is a puree-like mix of choclo (corn) and cheese wrapped in green corn husks, which resembles a vegetarian tamal. As a main dish, I had the Seco de Chivo lamb stew in Uvilla gooseberry sauce and served with rice, salad—and of course avocado and fried plantain.
When in the historical center, do not miss the Museum of the City, which is located in Quito’s oldest building. Entrance to the museum costs $2.5 and there are also temporary exhibitions which are free to the public. I found the temporary exhibition, with paintings depicting memory and family matriarchs, to be very joyful and uplifting. Another free part of the museum is a recreation of the old hospital of San Juan de Dios, which was comprised of one room and run by monks. The wax figures make this exhibition room very atmospheric. The main part of the museum chronicles the evolution of Quito from the 15th century to present times, also with many life-sized replicas, wax figures as well as historically relevant documents and artifacts.
The last museum that I visited was the Casa Maria Augusta Urrutia, housed in the mansion that the owner once inhabited. It gives a glimpse into how the nobility of Quito lived at the turn of the 20th century. The original furniture and personal items used by the philanthropic widow are on display for the visitor. The best part of the museum are the paintings by Victor Mideros, in bright colors and an art deco style.
Before heading back to the hostel, I stopped at La Ronda Street for coffee and chocolate. As one of the world’s most distinguished producers of coffee and chocolate, there are many chocolate shops and quaint cafes on both sides of the narrow pedestrian street. La Ronda is also home to some quirky boutiques and art galleries. As night falls, La Ronda comes alive with street performers and hole-in-the wall bars. The area is relatively safe at night, but make sure to take a taxi back and avoid walking in the surrounding streets alone.
While I wish I had more time to explore other destinations in Ecuador, such as the Galapagos Islands, and Cuenca, often voted as the most beautiful city in Andes, a short trip to Quito offered a great balance of history, local culture, beautiful architecture and nature. If you are visiting Ecuador for the first time, spend at least four days in Quito before hopping onto your next adventure.
Quito, Ecuador Pros:
Affordable
Rich in history and culture
Magnificent nature
Hiking and outdoor sports
Quito, Ecuador Cons:
Safety and high crime rates
Altitude sickness might be difficult at first
