Stand on the cobbles of Calle de la Ronda in the late afternoon, when the shutters come up on the patios and galleries, and the Old Town's whitewashed walls turn gold behind you. Quito rewards the traveller who is willing to walk its historic streets slowly, climb its towers and spend a full morning in a single museum.
The city suits anyone interested in colonial art and architecture, pre-Columbian archaeology, and high-altitude viewpoints. It also suits travellers who want a straightforward day trip to stand on the equator. This guide covers the sights worth your time, ordered so the strongest come first, plus a one-day plan and answers to common questions.
Top things to do in Quito
1. Conjunto monumental San Francisco
This church dates to 1537 and was devoted to St Francis, since the Franciscan order was the first to settle in the area. It contains masterpieces of syncretic art, including the famous "Virgin of Quito" by Legarda, a winged virgin stepping on the devil's head in the form of a serpent, displayed in the main altar.
The museum next door is arranged through the monastic compound and includes access to the choir. Next to the choir you can climb the stairs to enter the bell tower and the church roof, which offers a great panorama of the square. The museum and tower cost $3.
2. Iglesia de la Compañia de Jesus
This church in the Old City is regarded by many as the most beautiful in the Americas. It was partially destroyed by fire and restored with assistance from the Getty Foundation and other benefactors.
Entry is $6 for the church, with an additional $3 for the cupola. Do not confuse it with the small Banco Central exhibition downtown across from the church, which usually shows currency or stamps.
3. Basílica del Voto Nacional
It is said to be the largest Neo-Gothic basilica in the Americas, and construction began in 1892. You can climb the bell towers and explore the roofs, including a cafe and souvenir shops in the various upper levels.
It is open daily from 09:00 to 17:00. Pair it with a walk through the surrounding Old Town streets.
4. Museo Nacional -- MuNa
Perhaps Ecuador's most renowned museum, with different rooms devoted to pre-Columbian, colonial and gold works of art, among other topics. Famous pieces include whistle bottles shaped like animals, elaborate gold headdresses and re-created miniature scenes of life along the Amazon. The museum is well organised, and it takes about three to four hours to see everything.
It is in the Casa de la Cultura complex, adjacent to the Parque El Ejido, near the Casa de la Cultura station on the Ecovía bus. It is open Wednesday to Saturday 10:00-17:00 and Sunday 10:00-15:00, closed Monday and Tuesday. Guides who speak several languages including English, French and Spanish are available for a small fee.
5. Museo Guayasamin and Capilla del Hombre
This museum houses the collection of Ecuador's most renowned contemporary artist, Oswaldo Guayasamin. It has a fine collection of pre-Columbian, colonial and independence art, and houses many of the artist's works. The adjoining Chapel of Man was built posthumously to house some of Guayasamin's vast canvases on the condition of Latin American Man.
It is in Bellavista and is open Monday to Friday 09:30-13:00. Adults pay $10; students, seniors and people with disabilities $4; children under 12 free.
6. Museo de la Ciudad
This museum on Garcia Moreno street, in the Old Town opposite the Carmen Alto monastery, provides more of a social history of Ecuador than other museums in Quito. It has two floors encircling two quiet courtyards, with re-enacted scenes from daily life through the years: a hearth scene from a 16th-century home, a battle scene against the Spanish, and illustrations of the building of the Iglesia de San Francisco church.
Entry is $4. It sits on Garcia Moreno, so you can reach Calle de la Ronda from it.
7. Museo Casa del Alabado
The permanent collection is made up of pre-Columbian archaeological pieces from most societies that once inhabited all regions of what is now Ecuador. The Alabado is organised thematically rather than chronologically or geographically, to allow visitors to generate their own visual and cultural connections about the pieces. The works are displayed in a restored colonial building just off the Plaza San Francisco.
It is open Thursday to Sunday 09:00-15:00. Tours in Spanish, English or French run every day at 10:30, 12:00 and 15:30. Adults pay $10, children 4-12 $2, and children up to 3 are free. There are ramps, a lift, a bathroom and a wheelchair for visitors with reduced mobility.
8. Calle de la Ronda
This street in the Old Town was restored by the Municipality and FONSAL in 2007 and transformed with the help and cooperation of the local residents. It is a romantic cobbled street just off the Plaza Santo Domingo, or reachable via Garcia Moreno by the City Museum. There are shops, patios, art galleries and modest cafe restaurants, all run by residents, and cultural events are common at the weekends.
Go in the late afternoon to find the most shops open and people wandering the laneway. It lacks the liveliness and buzz of the adjacent streets.
9. Plaza Grande / Plaza de la Independencia
This is the main plaza of Quito, with national significance, and it features the monument to the independence heroes of August 10, 1809. It is an easy anchor for a walk through the Old Town.
10. Itchimbia cultural complex and park
This hill to the east of the Old Town provides views of central and northern Quito, as well as the distant peak of Cayambe to the northeast. The hillside was made into a park and a cultural centre was established here in 2005. The centre holds temporary exhibitions, and at the weekends there are workshops and activities for children. Pim's restaurant is open at the complex.
It is open Monday to Friday 05:00-18:00 and Saturday to Sunday 09:00-15:00. The complex closes at 18:00; once it closes, you can head to the nearby Cafe Mosaico to watch the sunset until about 19:00, a good spot to watch the light fade on the mountainside with the floodlights of the Old Town's churches.
11. La Vírgen del Panecillo
El Panecillo is a large hill on top of which stands La Virgin del Panecillo, a large statue of the winged Virgin Mary. She can be seen from most points in the city. Local legend has it that she is the only virgin in Quito.
Never walk up the hill. Always take a taxi or a bus, as the walk up can be dangerous.
12. Botanical Gardens
On the south side of Parque La Carolina, this is a wonderful escape from the city, with all of Ecuador's ecosystems represented through a wide variety of flora. You can take a guided tour or just wander. The highlight for many people are the two glassed-in orchidariums.
It is open Friday to Sunday 10:00-15:00. Entry is $10 for adults and $5 for students.
13. Museo Etnohistorico de Artesanias del Ecuador Mindalae
An original project in the north part of the Mariscal District, this museum provides an ethno-historical view of Ecuador's cultural diversity. You can find out about the country's different peoples, from the coast to the Andes to the Amazon, and their crafts in a specially built and designed structure. The museum has a large fair-trade shop that sells handicrafts and natural products.
It is open Monday to Friday 09:30-17:30 and Saturday 10:00-17:30. Entry is $5.
14. Casa de la Cultura
Next door to the Museo Nacional, this space shows a patchwork of local artists. Entrance is free. It is easily combined with a visit to the Museo Nacional in the same complex.
15. Mitad del Mundo
Just outside Quito is where the measurements were first made that proved the shape of the Earth is an oblate spheroid. Commemorating this is a large monument that straddles the equator, called Mitad del Mundo. The entrance for the park is $5, which includes entrance to small museums. Visit if you are interested in learning some alternative facts and seeing some kitsch, because it is not on the equator itself and it is not a serious cultural or educational experience. For some attractions like the planetarium, the price is $7.50.
You can take a bus from Occidental or Av. America for $0.40 that has "Mitad del Mundo" written large on the front, or take the Metrobus northbound to its last stop, La Ofelia, and then a bus from there to the monument. You can also go with a tour or hire a taxi driver by the hour. You can also go to the Intiñan Solar Museum right next to the monument, on the other side of the north fence; that museum is actually on the equator, and for $4 you can have a tour of it.
If you only have one day
Morning. Start at the Conjunto monumental San Francisco, where you can see the "Virgin of Quito" in the main altar and climb to the bell tower and church roof for a panorama of the square. From there, walk to the nearby Museo Casa del Alabado just off the Plaza San Francisco, then continue to the Plaza Grande / Plaza de la Independencia.
Afternoon. Visit the Iglesia de la Compañia de Jesus and pay the extra for the cupola. Then head to the Basílica del Voto Nacional to climb the bell towers and explore the roofs. Finish the afternoon on Calle de la Ronda, arriving late in the day when the most shops are open and people are wandering the laneway.
Evening. Go up to the Itchimbia cultural complex and park for views over central and northern Quito. The complex closes at 18:00, so afterwards head to the nearby Cafe Mosaico to watch the sunset until about 19:00.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get to Mitad del Mundo?
Take a bus from Occidental or Av. America for $0.40 that has "Mitad del Mundo" written large on the front. You can also take the Metrobus northbound to its last stop, La Ofelia, and then take a bus from there to the monument. Going with a tour or hiring a taxi driver by the hour are other options.
Is the monument at Mitad del Mundo actually on the equator?
No. The monument is not on the equator itself. The Intiñan Solar Museum, right next to the monument on the other side of the north fence, is actually on the equator, and for $4 you can have a tour of it.
Can I walk up to La Vírgen del Panecillo?
No. Never walk up the hill. Always take a taxi or a bus, as the walk up can be dangerous.
When is the best time to visit Calle de la Ronda?
Go in the late afternoon to find the most shops open and people wandering the laneway. Cultural events are common at the weekends.
Use this list to sketch your own route through the Old Town and beyond, and start planning your days around the places that interest you most.