Quito

Understand

thumb|upright=1.5|Quito's Plaza Grande Quito stretches across valleys between two mountain ranges which are part of the Andes. At an altitude of 2,850 m (9,350 feet), it is one of the world's highest capital cities. The altitude is high enough that most individuals will experience some degree of altitude sickness for the first few days, so plan accordingly.

Quito is roughly divided into three parts: the Old City at the center, with southern and northern districts to either side. It was the first city to be named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978 (along with Kraków in Poland).

Old town also includes 17 squares (plazas), the most significant being Independence Plaza where the Presidential Palace, the Archbishop's Palace, a hotel used primarily by diplomats and the main municipal of Quito make up the four sides. Almost always music, performed by locals who use the Plaza as a gathering place in the evening, permeates the scene in spontaneous affairs, and can range from singing to guitar to singing. In some cases tips are appropriate but most are not looking for money. A beautiful place to spend a lazy afternoon. Significant police presence, including military and national police, keeps the square as one of the safest places in the city (due to the Presidential residence). Old Town has been called the 'Reliquary of the Americas' for the richness of its colonial- and independence-era architecture and heritage. It's a great quarter to wander, with several excellent museums and …

Get around

Taxis and buses are everywhere and very inexpensive.

See

thumb|300px|Plaza Grande, Quito thumb|300px|El TelefériQo to Pichincha Vulcano, Quito in background thumb|The Mitad del Mundo monument

Do

thumb|370px|Cementerio de San Diego and surrounding areas Explore the Old Town With its gorgeous mixture of colonial and republican/independence era architecture (late 1500s to 1800s), relaxing plazas and a stunning number of churches. If you happen to be there during Christmas or Easter, you'll be amazed at the number of events, masses, and processions that bring out the crowds. You'll find craft shops, cafes, restaurants and hotels across its grid of streets. Quito Free walking tour is the only Free walking tour that adapts its tours to what you want to see and has small groups so you don't have to struggle to listen to the guide, They can focus the tour on what you want to see and learn about. it is also easy to book, A recommended walking tour that could enhance your vision of the Historic Center is as follows. Take the trolley (watch your belongings) south until "Cumanda" stop. Get down, you are on Maldonado street. There you will have an impressive view of what once was the "Jerusalem" ravine, which stands between Panecillo and the core. Walk north past the trolley stop and go down a narrow stairway that brings you to La Ronda street, of Pre-Columbian origins. Walk up picturesque La Ronda until you reach Av. 24 de Mayo. This boulevard was built on top of this section of Jerusalem ravine to connect the two sides of town. On Garcia Moreno Street turn north and you will arrive to the Museo de la Ciudad, which provides an easy and interactive history of Quito. Then walk on…

Buy

There are lots of artisans working on unique crafts in the capital. These include guitar-makers, candle makers, tanners and leather-workers, silversmiths, ceramicists and woodcarvers. You can find them at their workshops, published in a guide by the Visitors' Bureau.

There are also several fair-trade shops in Quito which promise to pay the craftspeople fairly for their products. The ones at the Tianguez (Plaza San Francisco), El Quinde (Plaza Grande), and Museo Mindalae are all very good. thumb|Shopping in Quito There are many shopping malls in Quito such as Quicentro, Mall el Jardin, CCI, CC. El Bosque, Megamaxi, Ventura Mall, Ciudad Comercial el Recreo, San Luis, etc. and every street corner has several small "Mom and Pop" shops or stands where only a couple of items are for sale. If your shopping list is very long, you may spend all day looking around for the stores that have the items on your list.

There are many casual wear stores like MNG, Benetton, Lacoste, Guess, Fossil, Bohno, Diesel, NrgyBlast or Pura+. So if you need some items Quito is in fact a very good place to buy nice clothes at relatively low prices.

Ecuador's indigenous peoples include many highly skilled weavers. Almost everyone who goes to Ecuador sooner or later purchases a sweater, scarf or tapestry. In Quito vendors are found along the sidewalks of more touristy neighborhoods. You should also consider travelling directly to some of the artisan markets, such as the famous one in Otavalo. If you haven…

Eat

thumb|Plaza el Quinde You name it, and it's available in Quito. Restaurants range from the basic places offering chicken and rice for $1.50 to international food with very expensive prices. The country benefits from all worlds, with a variety of dishes inspired by both coastal and Andean produce. Seafood and fish is fresh and delicious, while meats, particularly pork, are excellent. These combine with typical ingredients such as potatoes, plantains and all sorts of tropical and Andean fruits. thumb|A plate of chaulafan in a "Chifa" A good area to head to for eating out is the Plaza El Quinde (or Foch) which is in the Mariscal district at Foch y Reina Victoria. There are dozens of restaurants and eateries all around this area. La Floresta, up the hill from the Mariscal around 12 de Octubre, also has many fine restaurants. The La Floresta traffic circle turns into an evening market after 5PM and the most popular dish served is tripa mishqui (grilled beef or pork intestines).

Churrasco is a great Ecuadorian version of a Brazilian dish. Tallarin is a popular noodle dish mixed with chicken or beef.

Chinese restaurants are known as "Chifas" and are very abundant. Chaulafan is the local term for fried-rice, a very popular dish. Cebiche (also spelled ceviche) is a very popular dish in which clams or shrimp are marinated in a broth. Worth trying, but look for a well known restaurant with many locals to be sure you are getting fresh seafood.

When buying from lower-priced restaurants…

Drink

There are several Ecuadorian brands of beer, but you generally won't find any variety in Quito. Usually you'll get a choice of just two. The most prevalent throughout the country is Pilsener, with Club being a little more expensive, but not wildly more flavourful. There are some micro-brews available, but it's still a fledgling industry in Quito.

There are also some alcoholic drinks which can only be found in Quito like Mistelas, etc.

Sleep

thumb|Palacio Gangotena, Plaza San Francisco There are many of hostels and hotels in town to accommodate all types of visitors. Most people stay in the new town, which is closer to the nightlife. For travellers with very early departures or very late arrivals from Mariscal Sucre International Airport, as well as those who are not staying in Quito but continuing elsewhere should consider looking at accommodations in Tababela or Puembo for the convenience of not needing to make the 25-km journey.

In the old town it's hard to tell the quality of a hotel from the outside. Many of the best hotels have only an innocuous entry to the street, with the luxury only evident as you enter.

Connect

Most Trolebus stations provide free WiFi.

Go next

Quito is surrounded by a variety of places that could interest all kinds of tourists. A couple of hours on a bus ride is all it takes to reach them:

To the north, all tourists should visit the province of Imbabura, which has beautiful lakes such as Yaguarcocha and San Pablo. Hikers and mountain climbers can also ask for adventures in Cayambe National Park, home of the 3rd largest volcano in Ecuador. It's inactive. Otavalo is a town with an Indigenous market that is famous worldwide for the quality and variety of products on sale. Don't forget to haggle for your preferred price!

To the northwest of Quito lies the region of Mindo, a subtropical rainforest paradise, full of rivers, majestic waterfalls, unique wildlife and more. The region is home to a variety of animal wildlife sanctuaries, and is famous locally and internationally because of its beauty. At a slightly higher altitude to Mindo is the Cloudforest. The variety of plants, birds and butterflies is wonderful. The guides carry good quality binoculars to help you spot some of the many varieties of birds. After each guided walk you can return to the lodge for meals. Near the main buildings there are many hummingbird feeders which attract many of the energetic and luminous birds. Accommodation is simple but very clean and pleasant with balconies from which you get beautiful views into the forest. You can visit the butterfly and hummingbird farm too for $3. The staff will show you around and explain to you in Spanish the…