Walk through the oldest capital in South America
The cobbled streets of Quito's historic center pull you back four centuries. Step into the Plaza Grande, the main plaza where a monument marks the independence heroes of August 10, 1809, and you're standing at the heart of a city that Spanish settlers refounded in 1534. This district—one of the largest and best-preserved in the Americas—was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978, alongside Kraków.
The architecture tells the story of conquest and faith. Visit the Conjunto monumental San Francisco, a church that dates to 1537 and holds masterpieces of syncretic art, including the famous "Virgin of Quito" by Legarda, a winged virgin stepping on a serpent. You can climb the bell tower and church roof for a panoramic view across the square. The Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesus, which many regard as the most beautiful church in the Americas, sits nearby—partially destroyed by fire in its past, it was restored with assistance from the Getty Foundation. The Basílica del Voto Nacional, said to be the largest Neo-Gothic basilica in the Americas, lets you climb the bell towers and explore the roofs.
Wander Calle de la Ronda, a restored cobbled street off the Plaza Santo Domingo, lined with shops, galleries, and small cafés run by residents. Go in the late afternoon when the street comes alive. For a deeper look at how people actually lived, the Museo de la Ciudad provides social history through re-enacted scenes—a hearth from a 16th-century home, a battle scene against the Spanish, illustrations of the Iglesia de San Francisco's construction.
Museums that show Ecuador's depth
Ecuador's cultural riches are gathered in Quito's museums. The Museo Nacional—Ecuador's most renowned museum—displays pre-Columbian whistle bottles shaped like animals, elaborate gold headdresses, and miniature re-created scenes of life along the Amazon. It takes 3–4 hours to see everything, and guides who speak English, French, and Spanish are available.
The Museo Casa del Alabado organizes pre-Columbian pieces thematically rather than chronologically, displayed beautifully in a restored colonial building just off the Plaza San Francisco. The Museo Etnohistórico de Artesanías del Ecuador Mindalae provides an ethno-historical view of Ecuador's cultural diversity, from the coast to the Andes to the Amazon, with a large fair-trade shop selling handicrafts and natural products. And the Museo Guayasamín houses the collection of Ecuador's most renowned contemporary artist, Oswaldo Guayasamín, with pre-Columbian, colonial, independence, and modern works alongside the adjoining Chapel of Man, built to house his vast canvases about the condition of Latin American life.
Views from the heights
Quito sits at 2,850 meters in a valley on the eastern slopes of Pichincha, an active volcano, and the city offers several vantage points to take in that geography. La Vírgen del Panecillo, a large winged statue of the Virgin Mary visible from most points in the city, sits atop a hill adjacent to the Old City—take a taxi or bus up (walking is not safe). The Itchimbia cultural complex and park, to the east of the Old Town, provides stunning views of central and northern Quito and the distant peak of Cayambe to the northeast. The hillside park includes an impressive cultural centre with temporary exhibitions, and Pim's restaurant operates there. The nearby Cafe Mosaico is perfect for watching the sunset, with the floodlights of the Old Town's churches illuminating as the light fades.
Markets and neighborhoods worth your time
The Museo Etnohistórico de Artesanías del Ecuador Mindalae, in the Mariscal District in the north part of the city, doubles as a fair-trade shop where you can purchase handicrafts and natural products from Ecuador's different peoples. The Botanical Gardens (Jardin Botánico) on the south side of Parque La Carolina offers a escape from the city with all of Ecuador's ecosystems represented—guides are available, or wander freely through the glassed-in orchidariums that are highlights for many visitors.
A pilgrimage to the equator
Just outside Quito, the Mitad del Mundo monument straddles the equator, commemorating where measurements were first made that proved the Earth is an oblate spheroid. Take a bus from Occidental or Avenida América for $0.40, or ride the Metrobus northbound to La Ofelia and transfer (total around 1 hour by public transport). The park entrance is $5 and includes access to small museums. Next door, the Intiñan Solar Museum is actually positioned on the equator itself; a tour costs $4. Come for the kitsch and the novelty rather than strict scientific seriousness, but you will stand with a foot in two hemispheres.
Begin planning a trip where you can spend a day moving between colonial churches and museums, a morning watching sunrise from a hilltop café, an afternoon browsing handicrafts in the Mariscal, and a half-day excursion to stand on the equator. Quito rewards wanderers who move slowly through its streets and visitors willing to spend time in its museums.