About Quito:

“Quito, the capital of Ecuador, was founded in the 16th century on the ruins of an Inca city and stands at an altitude of 2,850 m. Despite the 1917 earthquake, the city has the best-preserved, least altered historic centre in Latin America. The monasteries of San Francisco and Santo Domingo, and the Church and Jesuit College of La Compañía, with their rich interiors, are pure examples of the 'Baroque school of Quito', which is a fusion of Spanish, Italian, Moorish, Flemish and indigenous art.” – UNESCO World Heritage Site

Local Attractions:

Centro Historico:

Museos Guayasamin:

“Painting is a form of prayer at the same time as a shout. It is almost a physiological attitude and the highest consequence of love and society. Therefore, I want everything to be neat, clear, that the message be simple and direct. I do not want to leave anything to chance, that every figure, every symbol be essential because a work of art is the unending search to be like the others and not resemble anyone.” – Oswaldo Guayasamin

Oswaldo Guayasamin is considered the great Ecuadorian painter and dedicated his life to creating a Pan-American portrayal of human and social differences. There are two Guayasamin Museums in Quito. The first is the Fundacion Guayasamin which houses his collection of pre-colonial and colonial art, as well as a collection of his own work. The second is the Capilla del Hombre, or Chapel of Man, which was Guayasamin’s final project and is meant to serve as a memorial to the Latin American people from the pre-colonial era to the contemporary.

TeleferiQo:

As Quito’s most recent tourist attraction, opened in July 2005, the TeleferiQo provides gondolas that carry you up the walls of the Pichincha Volcano to reach an altitude of 4050 meters. At the top you will find restaurants, shops and breathtaking views of the surrounding city, as well as a continuing hike to the top of Pichincha and a panoramic view of the surrounding snow-capped mountains. Website

Mitad del Mundo:

At the Mitad del Mundo, or Middle of the World, you can cross from hemisphere to hemisphere and visit the monument at latitude 0. Outside the main complex you can find the Inti Nan museum which claims to be home to the real equator line (measured by GPS). There you can witness and take part in a number of tests that can only be performed on the equator, such as watching way the water drains and balancing an egg on a nail. This museum also provides insight into the traditional practices of a number of Ecuadorian indigenous groups.

For a full list of attractions, restaurants, bars, and events, please see www.inquito.com

Around Quito - Day Trips / Weekend Visits:

Otavalo:

Otavalo is the center of a thriving handicraft industry and is home to one of the largest indigenous artisan markets in Latin America. The natural scenery of this area is characterized by volcanoes and volcanic lakes, most notably the Cuicocha crater lake in Cotacachi.

Baños:

A popular destination for international travelers, Baños is situated in the Valley of the Volcanoes and offers endless outdoor adventure options, such as mountain biking, horseback riding, hiking and trekking, white water rafting and relaxing in the hot springs.

Cotopaxi National Park:

The most visited national park in Ecuador, around 33.900 hectares in size, is home to spectacular views of the Paramo and the 5890 meter cone-shaped, snow-capped Cotopaxi Volcano. The park provides numerous opportunities to explore the grounds, through biking, horseback riding, trekking through the paramo and climbing to both the start of the glacier and the volcano’s peak.

Mindo:

Mindo is a small village in the cloud forest region two hours west of Quito. Mindo offers fantastic bird watching opportunities with rare species such as the Toucan-Barbet, Cock-of-the-rock and the Golden-headed Quetzal, as well as hikes through the cloud forest, white water rafting, butterfly farms and orchid gardens.

Papallacta:

The Papallacta hot springs are perched high in the Andes 40 miles east of Quito along the entrance route to the Amazon jungle. There you will find Termas de Papallacta, a popular health spa built into natural thermal baths.