Quito

By Dawn Wohlfarth

Travelers worldwide are drawn to Quito for its developed tourist infrastructure, international cuisine, spectacular mountain setting, adventure travel opportunities, and the gentle, generous culture. The city is known for being home to some of the best Spanish schools in South America; there is a great backpacker community; and, the area offers plenty of activities to help you escape the typical tourist crowds. Don't miss out on socializing with the locals, Quiteños tend to be relaxed, friendly and eager to make friends.

Planning a trip from Quito to other parts of Ecuador, or to neighboring South American countries, is also fairly easy - most Quito hotels, travel agencies and tour operators are found in La Mariscal sector are are within a five block radius of each other, and transportation by land and air is plentiful and generally inexpensive, depending on the time of year.

This rapidly growing capital city has a past that stretches back to before the Incas made Quito the second capital of their empire. It appears that only the mountains that cradle the city remain unchanged. The historic Old Town features colonial architecture the Spanish constructed over the charred remains of the Incan city. Just north of Old Town, towering concrete and glass structures show off the modern structures of the business and tourist center of the city.

Quito's Sectors

Divided into different neighborhoods (sectores), most tourists spend their time in La Mariscal, or the area north of Parque el Ejido and south of Avenida Orellana. The Mariscal has the highest concentration of travel agencies, hostels, international restaurants and inexpensive bars, but there are a couple of other neighborhoods that are worth devoting some time to, so be sure to branch out. The Centro Histórico, hosts a diverse and rich colonial history with some beautiful plazas, churches, museums and pedestrian walkways. Other noteworthy neighborhoods include Guápulo, La Floresta and the North part of Quito. Quito was originally contained within the limits of what is now called the Centro Histórico. Today it is about 35 kilometers long from north to south (21 miles) and on average 8 kilometers (about five miles) wide east to west.