Ambato

By Erin Helland

Ambato, which is located about an hour and half south of Quito, tends to be more of a bus stopover than a tourist destination. There is little for tourists to see or do in Ambato. If you do happen to need to spend some time in the city, there is a selection of hotels, restaurants and a museum or two to keep you occupied. Be advised that you are really better off taking the .80 cent bus to Baños, which is a much livelier town, and spending the night there

Carnival is the exception to this rule, or so the theory goes. Ambato’s festival, “Fiesta de las flores y las frutas,” has grown tremendously in reputation, if not in reality. The festival is advertised as a two-week-long celebration with colorful parades, festivities and bullfights. If there was ever such a huge harvest festival in Ambato, though, there isn’t now. What you get, instead, is four nights of dancing and drinking (and afternoon bullfights) in the build up to Ash Wednesday, a Roman Catholic observance that kicks off Lent.

To celebrate, the people of Ambato unveil a religious mural outside the city’s cathedral on the Saturday before Fat Tuesday. There are also parades early Sunday morning (around 9 a.m.) and late Monday evening. If you are planning to walk into Ambato’s city center and find riotous celebrations, expect to be disappointed. Aside from parties at night and the two parades (which last a bit over an hour), Ambato has little that will amuse you during festival days. Still, plan to book early if you want to spend the weekend in Ambato, as accommodations fill up quickly during Carnival.