Stand in the arcades along the edge of Plaza San Francisco while the rain comes down on the other side of the columns, and you have the shape of Loja: a city of covered walkways, squares and churches where you can keep moving without getting wet. The centre is compact enough to cross on foot, and much of what is worth your time sits within a few blocks of the plaza.
This guide suits travellers who prefer museums, church architecture and unhurried wandering to organised excursions. It covers the squares and churches of the centre, the city's museums, and one walking tour that hands the day over to a local guide.
Top things to do in Loja
1. Plaza San Francisco
The squares and churches of Loja are the reason to slow down here, and Plaza San Francisco is singled out as particularly nice. The arcades around the square shelter you from the rain, so a wet afternoon costs you nothing.
Use the arcades as your base for the centre: walk the square first, then follow the covered walkways to the surrounding streets and museums.
2. Pio Jaramillo Alvarado Museum of Music of the Central Culture
On Bernardo Valdiviezo, between Rocafuerte and Miguel Riofrío, this museum was inaugurated in 2004 and holds permanent exhibits on lojano music and composers. It also contains a concert hall, an area for temporary exhibits, a cafeteria and a small music shop.
Because there is a concert hall and a changing exhibition area, it is worth checking what is on before you commit to a time. The cafeteria makes it a reasonable mid-afternoon stop rather than a quick in-and-out.
3. Madres Conceptas Museum
At 10 de Agosto at Bernardo Valdiviezo, this museum is housed in the Hermanas Concepcionistas Monastery, the second oldest in the country, constructed at the end of the 16th century. The building itself is as much the point as the collection.
Pair it with the Museum of the Central Bank of Ecuador, which sits on the same street, so you cover both in one pass along 10 de Agosto.
4. Museum of the Central Bank of Ecuador
On 10 de Agosto, between Bernardo Valdiviezo and Bolívar, this archeological museum focuses on the colonial history of the area. It gives context to the churches and squares you will walk through elsewhere in the centre.
Visit it in the same outing as the Madres Conceptas Museum, since the two are on the same block of 10 de Agosto.
5. Door of the City Museum
This museum sets out to recreate the history of the city, and also holds exhibits of local painting, sculpture and photography. It is a useful stop if you want the city's story in one place, with contemporary work alongside it.
Combine it with a walk through the central squares, since it works best as an introduction before or after you see the streets themselves.
6. Lojanidad Archeological Museum
In Barrio San Cayetano, on the campus of Loja Technical University (UTPL), this archeological museum sits away from the tight cluster of the centre. Expect to make a separate trip for it.
Plan it as its own outing rather than folding it into a walk between the central museums, and check your route to the university campus before setting out.
7. Free Walks Loja
Free Walks Loja is a cultural movement to help visitors know the city, and its creators offer non-traditional tours for everyone. The tour is entirely tip-based: you decide the real value to you of the tour.
Because it is tip-based, bring cash for the guide. It is a good way to orient yourself early in your stay, before you set off to the museums on your own.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start in Plaza San Francisco, walking the square and its arcades while the centre is quiet. From there, head to 10 de Agosto and take in the Madres Conceptas Museum at Bernardo Valdiviezo, then the Museum of the Central Bank of Ecuador between Bernardo Valdiviezo and Bolívar.
Afternoon: Walk to Bernardo Valdiviezo between Rocafuerte and Miguel Riofrío for the Pio Jaramillo Alvarado Museum of Music of the Central Culture, using the cafeteria as your break. If time allows, add the Door of the City Museum for the city's history and its local painting, sculpture and photography.
Evening: Join Free Walks Loja for a tip-based tour, which will tie the squares, churches and streets you have already seen into a single picture of the city.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to pay for the Free Walks Loja tours?
No fixed price is charged. The tour is entirely tip-based, and you decide the real value to you of the tour.
Which museums are close enough to visit together?
The Madres Conceptas Museum and the Museum of the Central Bank of Ecuador are both on 10 de Agosto, so they pair naturally. The Pio Jaramillo Alvarado Museum of Music of the Central Culture is on Bernardo Valdiviezo, between Rocafuerte and Miguel Riofrío.
What can I do in Loja when it rains?
Use the arcades around the squares, which are there to protect you from the rain, and time your museum visits for the wettest part of the day. Plaza San Francisco is a good starting point for this.
Is the Lojanidad Archeological Museum in the city centre?
No. It is in Barrio San Cayetano, on the campus of Loja Technical University (UTPL), so treat it as a separate trip from the central museums.
Decide which of these stops matter most to you, check the current opening arrangements for the museums, and build your days around the arcades and the squares.