Quito

Quito is at an altitude of 2800m, and since it is only 25km south of the Equator, mostly has very pleasant days and cool nights. The city took its name from the Quitus tribe who lived here in the pre-Colombian era. After the Incas used the city as the capital of their northern empire, the Spanish conquistadors took over in 1534. The old part of the city is still very much as it was at the end of the colonial period, but entering the new city you find a very modern place with few relics from the past.

It is a city of two halves, with each having its attractions, and it is home to 1½ million people. In 1978 UNESCO declared Quito to be a World Cultural Heritage Site, and so modern building is now strictly controlled. A tour of Quito should include some of the old and the new city, and the following gives some of the places you could consider visiting. However it is also very pleasant to wander the streets of Amazonas and others, and simply enjoy the vast array of shops and restaurants and cafes.

The Cathedral
The city’s cathedral houses the tomb of Quito’s liberator, Field Marshal Antonio José de Sucre. The 18th century tableau The Holy Shroud, hanging behind the choir, is superb.

Plaza de la Independencia
This is the city’s main square and it is a charming plaza. The neoclassical Government Palace, built in the 19th century, takes up one side of the plaza.

El Panecillo
"The bread roll" is a rounded hill from which there are marvellous views of the city and surrounding countryside. At the top there is a huge statue of the city’s protectress, the Virgin of Quito.