Quito Overview

By Dawn Wohlfarth

This rapidly growing capital city has a past stretching back to times before the Incas made Quito the second capital of their empire. Only the mountains that cradle the city remain unchanged; the Historic Center features colonial architecture the Spanish constructed over the charred remains of the Incan city. Just north of the Historic Center, towering concrete and glass structures host the business and tourist center of the city. Travelers worldwide are drawn to Quito for its developed tourist infrastructure, international cuisine, spectacular setting, adventure travel opportunities and the gentle, generous culture. Quito makes a good base for travel around Ecuador: most travel agencies have an office here and transportation by land and air is plentiful and inexpensive, depending on the time of year.

Quito is a great place to start your trip with some of the best Spanish schools in South America, a great backpacking community, and plenty of places to escape the touristy crowd. It is easy to plan your whole trip from here - most of Quito hotels, travel agencies and tour operators are within a 5 block radius of each other in the Mariscal sector. Quiteños tend to be relaxed, friendly and eager to help or make friends.

Quito Highlights

If you have a limited period of time in Quito, don't miss a tour of the Centro Histórico at night, or the weekend market at Parque el Ejido (especially if you can't make it to the market in Otavalo). If you have more time, be sure to take a trip to the Panecillo, which offers excellent views of the city from the main religious icon of Quito; and a trip to Parque Carolina, where you will get a true taste of the relaxed, life-loving Ecuadorian culture as families putt around the boat pond, send their little ones biking or skateboarding over concrete peaks in the skate park and dirt bike track, play soccer, volleyball, basketball or just lounge and enjoy the day. Some museums not to miss while in Quito are Guayasamin's Capilla del Hombre and the Museo Nacional del Banco Central del Ecuador.

Quito's Sectors

Divided into different neighborhoods (sectores), most tourists spend their time in the 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, for example, hosts a diverse and rich colonial history with some beautiful plazas, churches, museums and pedestrian walkways. Other good 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.