Quito

Introduction

Quito - Church of El Sagrario

© All Rights Reserved fredrik_p

Quito is the capital city of Ecuador. It is high up (2,800 metres) in the Andes mountains and the altitude may take some getting used to. The city hosts many wonderful sights including an amazing colonial centre built by the Spanish during colonial times. The old town has several stunning churches that rival those of any other major Latin American or South American city.

Neighbourhoods

The old town is full of colonial buildings and elaborate churches. Take great care, especially after dark, to avoid pickpockets.'La Mariscal' is the backpacker area, full of hotels, restaurants, bars and travel agencies. Many people here speak English. The north of the city is home to the business district, further north is the airport.

Sights and Activities

Quito is divided into two areas: Old Town (Centro Historico - on the UNESCO World Heritage list) and the New Town, where La Mariscal, a busy, backpacker-friendly area has developed. Things not to miss:

La Virgen de Quito

La Virgen de Quito

© All Rights Reserved Steve-Kay

On the 200 metres high hill of El Panecillo, stand the Virgen de Quito, the statue of the Virgin Mary. Due to its location the statue can be seen from most of Quito. The statue is made out of approximately 7,000 pieces of aluminium, and was made by the Spanish artist Agustín de la Herrán Matorras. He was commissioned to build a 41-metre-high monument of the Madonna, and completed his work in 1976. He based his statue on a statue by Bernado de Legarda, who sculpted his "Virgen de Quito”, a 30 centimetres high sculpture in 1734. The statue was unveiled and inaugurated on the 28th of March 1976 by the Archbishop of Quito.

• Colonial Quito (The Old Town) - with various plazas, churches, and lots of colonial architecture. Walking tours can be arranged, but it's usually better just to explore it on foot yourself with a decent guidebook.
• Basilica del Voto Nacional - a twin spired, relatively modern neo-Gothic church. You can climb the towers (US$2) and see views of the city and many unusual gargoyles, featuring native Ecuduadorian fauna. Not for those afraid of heights.
• Museo del Banco Central - smallish museum, but very well presented (descriptions in English). The first floor contains many excellent examples of pre-Inca pottery and a room full of ancient gold artefactcs (currently being refurbished). Other floors exhibit colonial religious art and contemporary art. Contains a cafe and shop. Entrance for an adult, US$2.
• TeleferiQo - cable car which climbs up Volcano Pinchincha high above Quito to over 4,000 metres above sea level. Walks on the barren hillsides and horseriding (at weekends) are available. On clear days there are great views (it usually clouds over in the afternoon).
• Nearby attractions include 'La Mitad del Mundo' - a complex of shops and restaurants surrounding the Equator line, a few kilometres north of Quito. Take a taxi for US$12-15, or get a modern blue bus marked 'Mitad del Mundo' from near the airport.
• Pulalhua Crater - A geobiosphere reserve just a few kilometres further north from Mitad del Mundo is one of the biggest volcanic craters in the world, and one of the biggest inhabited ones. Take a steep walk down the crater side to vast, verdant fields within. A few restaurants and posadas are located in the crater itself. It is possible to hire bikes and horses (easier at the weekend). Very peaceful place, but beware the rain and cloud which ususally descend about 1pm every day and make the walk back up the crater wet, cold and difficult. National Park entrance is US$5.

Events and Festivals

6th of December is the day when the fiesta of Quito is celebrated, though in practice there are parties and bullfights for several days around this time.

Weather

Quito is known as the 'city of eternal spring' - most of the year, it is t-shirt weather at lunch time, but when it gets dark at 6pm you'll need a fleece or jacket. Quito is at high altitude and temperatures are moderate. It is never hot. Average maximum temperatures are around 18 °C to 20 °C and drop to 10 °C or a little lower at night. Although rainfall is possible in every month, June to August is fairly dry while March and April are the wettest months.

Getting There

By Plane

Try to arrive in daylight hours for fantastic views of the Andes as you land. Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO) is located north of Quito. Most flights are to and from Latin American cities and the United States, but Iberia serves Madrid and KLM has flights from Amsterdam and Bonaire. LanEcuador has flights to and from Quito, both internationally as well as domestic.

By Train

By Car

By Bus

Direct buses travel between Quito and Bogota. Between Quito, there are also direct services to and from Lima in Peru.

By Boat

Getting Around

By Car

Taxi drivers generally do use their taxi meters, though you may have to 'remind' them. Fares within the city are US$3-4, from the old town to the airport about US$6-8 and from the New Town to the airport US$4-6. Fares are a bit higher after midnight and before dawn. Drivers are usually reliable and helpful, but it's best to arrange a fare before getting into the cab.

By Public Transport

There are various local buses and the 'trole', an electrified bus service.

By Foot

By Bike

Eat

Encebollado: fish or prawns in a tangy sauce with lots of onions and mashed yuca - add plenty of lemon juice. Delicious!

Drink

Sleep

Multiple options for all budgets exist in 'Mariscal' (the 'New Town'), a neighbourhood full of bars and restaurants and hundreds of other travellers. The Old Town is quieter (almost dead after 9:00pm every evening) and far more characterful, although there is a smaller range of places to stay. For budget options it is always a good idea to ask to see a room first and check if it has hot water etc, before registering and paying for your stay.

Budget

Old Town: Hotel Flores. Adress: Flores 355 y sucre. Excellent, clean rooms, helpful staff, safe and quiet premises in an old colonial building. US$15 per night for a double room, ensuite, hot water. No breakfast included. More budget options in Quito include:

Mid-Range

Upscale

Work

Learn

Quito is a great place to learn Spanish. There are over a hundred Spanish schools and the locals speak slowly and clearly so you can practice what you are learning.

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

The centre of most towns, cities and villages have telephone 'shops', advertised in the street as 'cabinas'. Go in, ask for a free phone booth and call. There is usually a digital display giving the cost (per second) of your call, whether local, national or international. Some mobile phone SIM cards of various networks have problems working in Ecuador - you can purchase a local network SIM (for an unlocked phone) for a few dollars in local mobile phone shops.

Post

Correos del Ecuador is the national postal service of Ecuador. It's fairly reliable to send postcards and letters to other countries, though count on at least 5 days up to weeks for it to arrive. In general, postal services to North America are much faster than to other western countries. Prices start at around $1 (up to 20 grams), but rise steeply after that. You can get stamps at post offices or small shops/kiosks. Post offices generally are open from 8:00am to 6:00pm Monday to Friday and 8:00am to noon on Saturdays, although there are slight variations throughout the country. If you are going to send heavier post or post which has more value, it might be better to contact private courier companies like DHL, TNT, UPS or FedEx, which are generally about the same price and much faster!

External Links

• Official Governmental Website