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A word on terminology: Quiteños don't use the Old City/New City designations coined by the English-speaking tourism industry. The colonial heart of the city is the Centro or Centro Histórico. To the north lies an amorphous sprawl of modern neighborhoods, most notably comfortable Bellavista and La Floresta, and the bustling La Ma
A word on terminology: Quiteños don't use the Old City/New City designations coined by the English-speaking tourism industry. The colonial heart of the city is the Centro or Centro Histórico. To the north lies an amorphous sprawl of modern neighborhoods, most notably co
A word on terminology: Quiteños don't use the Old City/New City designations coined by the English-speaking tourism indu
A word on terminology: Quiteños don't use the Old City/New City designations coined by the English-speaking tourism industry. The colonial heart of the city is the Centro or Centro Histórico. To the north lies an amorphous sprawl of modern neighborhoods, most notably comfortable Bellavista and La Floresta, and the bustling La Mariscal.
Another word on maps: Quito's north-south elongation makes it a difficult fit for maps, most of which rotate the orientation 90-degrees clockwise. North usually lies to the right of the page on city maps.
Quito has two parallel systems of address numbering. The official scheme employs small green-and-white signs affixed to every building using directions denoted N, S, E, and Oe (for oeste, or west) and followed by a number to denote distance from the city center. Locations in the outer reaches of the city always express their addresses this way; in the center of the city, people stubbornly stick with the old sequential numbering system.
To help you navigate all this, the phenomenal Quito Turismo, a joint venture between the city government and its police, operates several tourist offices or stands in the city, and offers guided walking tours of the Old City. The Ministry of Tourism's iTur office sits in an out-of-the-way location and has little but a few maps and brochures. A private membership organization of note is South American Explorers, with an amazing selection of information about Ecuador (as well as branch clubhouses in Lima and Cusco, Peru, and Buenos Aires, Argentina).
The elongated triangle of La Alameda Park lies between the Old and New cities, near the Asamblea Legislativa, a large, modern building that houses the nation's congress. This is a pleasant, shady park where pedal and row boats can be hired and Quiteños enjoy cycling and jogging. At the center of the park stands the handsome, yellow El Observatorio, the oldest astronomical observatory in South America, though it's rendered useless by the bright city lights. Within is a small, free museum showcasing vintage astronomy equipment. A monument to Simón Bolívar dominates the southern apex of the triangle.
Quito's flashiest attraction whisks you from the foothills of Volcán Pichincha to its height (4,050 meters [13,300 feet]) courtesy of a fleet of six-passenger gondola cars. Ascending the 1,100 meters (3,620 feet) to the top is accomplished in just 10 minutes. (Lines are long but move quickly; your $8.50 admission [double what Ecuadorans pay] gives you access to an express queue.) At the base you'll find a complex containing a shopping center and an amusement park called Vulqano Park. At the top is a small snack shop as well as a first-aid station with oxygen in case you develop problems with the high altitude. The volcano's summit lies another 215 meters (700 feet) higher; when the sky is clear, the views are breathtaking (literally), but you'll need to be fit and in hiking shoes to take this on. Note that while safety up here has improved, a few robberies have been reported on the trail to the top. The cable-car trip is worth it, but retain a healthy respect for the altitude. Don't head up here unless you've already become acclimatized to the altitude by having been in the highlands for a few days continuously---and even then, take it easy at the top. Be sure to bring a jacket: it can get cold and windy. The vistas are stupendous, although mornings can be foggy and obscure your view. We recommend an afternoon or evening visit.
Av. Occidental and Fulgencio Aruajo, Quito, Pichincha, 170150, Ecuador
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