73 Best Sights in Ecuador

The Church of the Shrine is noted for its beautiful facade in carefully sculpted stone, large gilded altar, and colorful interior, which includes an 18th-century mural of eight archangels covering the cupola. The site is undergoing a massive renovation at this writing, but do stop in even if the scaffolding is still up during your visit.

Just beyond Mitad del Mundo lies Intiñan, the site that the Geodesic Expedition meant to find but didn't. The highlight here is a small museum with some basic science exhibits illustrating the effects of physics at 0° latitude. In particular, everyone oohs over the demonstrations of an egg balancing on the tip of a nail without falling, and of the north and south drains with clockwise or counterclockwise swirling water. Your admission ticket includes a guided tour in English or Spanish.

The name of this place just a short boat ride from town translates as "Heart Island." First you'll stop at an off-island welcome center to see a presentation, then you get back on the boat to continue to the island itself. Isla Corazon, which has 174 acres of mangroves, serves as a nesting place for frigate birds—males inflate what looks like a large red balloon to attract females during mating season. You can either walk along boardwalks to explore the forest or canoe around the island.

In the heart of town, the twin spires of La Iglesia de la Virgen del Agua Santa rise above the tree-lined plaza. The church, whose black-and-white facade is slightly startling, was built to honor Baños's miracle-working patron saint. The huge paintings inside are testimonials from her many exultant beneficiaries.

Imposing marble columns form the backdrop for statues of the men who liberated most of the continent, Simón Bolívar and José de San Martín. The monument commemorates their first (and only) meeting, in Guayaquil in 1822.

West of town, a milewide, oblong lake cradles itself in the lower flanks of Volcán Cotacachi. A well-marked hiking trail heads up the crater's rim into an ecological reserve that affords fantastic views of the distant Imbabura and Cayambe volcanoes. Within the lake are islands that can be visited on inexpensive boat tours.

Open-air restaurants and shops front the city's pleasant oceanside promenade, which leads north and south from the cruise-ship docks.

Ecuador's famous Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World) monument does not sit exactly on the equator. It marks the spot that in 1736 the French Geodesic Mission determined was the latitudinal center of the earth. But GPS satellite technology has demonstrated that the true equator runs about 300 meters (980 feet) north. Visitors today enjoy having their photographs taken as they straddle the painted line here, but, alas, they are really standing entirely in the southern hemisphere. Nonetheless, the site makes an interesting visit. The monument itself is a 30-meter-tall (98-foot-tall) stone obelisk topped by a 2½-ton metal globe. Inside is an Ethnographic Museum with exhibits of the people, clothing, and dwellings of Ecuador's diverse ethnic groups; bilingual guided tours are included in your admission price. The nearby planetarium's show is in Spanish only, and is put on only if at least 15 people are in attendance. The rest of the site is constructed to resemble a colonial village, with most buildings housing souvenir shops.

Just a block from the waterfront, the Pacific Bank Museum has rotating exhibits of archaeological discoveries, as well as a permanent collection of 19th-century South American art.

The Museum of Culture features prehistoric stone and ceramic artifacts discovered on La Plata Island off the coast from Guayaquil. There's also an impressive collection of gold items dating to before the arrival of the Spanish.

In the colonial section of Quito is the Museum of Maria Augusta Urrutia, which a grieving widow kept exactly as it had been when her husband was alive. Don't miss the collection of fine French porcelain, beautiful silver dinnerware, and Ecuadoran art from colonial times to the present. Of note are the works of Ecuadoran painter Victor Mideros.

Yet another museum operated by Ecuador's Central Bank exhibits artifacts from the Pacific coast's pre-Inca indigenous Manta culture.

The Museum of Colonial Art, housed in a restored 17th-century colonial mansion, includes colonial furniture and 16th- to 18th-century sculpture and paintings by Miguel de Santiago and various other members of the School of Quito. The amusing Vices and Virtues of the European Countries is a series of 12 allegorical 18th-century paintings by colonial masters Samaniego and Rodríguez.

The Museum of Modern Art, housed in a restored convent, features interesting rotating exhibitions of works by Ecuadoran and other Latin American artists.

Across the street from Parque de la Concepción, the Museo de Arte Religioso is housed in the beautifully restored Iglesia de la Concepción. The Religious Art Museum has an impressive collection of artifacts from the colonial period.

Follow the life of the city from indigenous trading post and northern Inca capital to conflict with conquistadors up to the 19th-century. In the former San Juan de Dias Hospital, the city museum's grounds also include a chapel, two courtyards, and a small cafe. Located close to several major Old City attractions, it's a nice historical overview for travelers with limited time.

The Central Bank Museum, Quito's most modern museum, features an astonishing collection of pre-Colombian archaeology and Inca artifacts. Brightly lighted cases containing sculptures from different regions of Ecuador stand next to large-scale dioramas detailing the minutiae of pre-Colombian life. The first floor includes an unparalleled collection of gold artifacts; journey upstairs to an excellent exhibit of colonial paintings and sculptures. Up one flight more you'll find an impressive collection of modern Ecuadoran paintings.

A few blocks from the church is the small but interesting Museo Huillancuna, a museum that has exhibits about pre-Columbian ceramics, Andean musical instruments, and local history.

While the Municipal Museum of Guayaquil has many interesting archaeological exhibits, the biggest draw is a collection of tsantsas, or shrunken heads. Artifacts from indigenous peoples here include beadwork, feather work, tools, and weapons. In the lobby is an unusual 8½-meter (28-foot) totem with 32 vertical figures.

Your passport is required for admission, only so an attendant can compile data about who visits and from where.

Ecuador's Central Bank is a vast repository of art and artifacts, which it displays in museums around the country. This concrete-and-glass structure is its Cuenca installation. Among the archaeological treasures are ceramics and jewelry from the pre-Incan Cañari culture. The museum also contains an impressive collection of colonial and postcolonial art. On the river behind the museum is a small archaeological site where Incan ruins are being excavated.

The unattended National Park Tortoise Reserve is one of the few places in the archipelago where you can view giant Galápagos turtles in the wild. An unmarked track leads to the reserve from Santa Rosa. Along the way, keep alert for Galápagos hawks, Darwin finches, and short-eared owls. In Santa Rosa a small restaurant across from the church sometimes rents horses that you are allowed to ride inside the reserve.

The hill in the center of the Parque 21 de Abril affords an excellent view of the city. On clear days you'll have eye-popping views of several snowcapped volcanoes. The mural here depicts the city's history.

Surrounded by beautiful colonial buildings, Cuenca's central square is one of the loveliest in South America. Manicured trees tower over men discussing politics, grandmothers walking arm in arm, and children running to and fro. The park is dominated by the pale rose Catedral de la Inmaculada towering over its western edge.

There are good buys at the tourist-oriented Saturday market held in the Parque de la Concepción. Look for embroidered belts, hand-knit sweaters, and locally produced jewelry.

One of Quito's largest parks, El Ejido is popular for its extensive playgrounds and courts for ecuavoli (three-person volleyball). Theater groups regularly hold impromptu performances here, and there are often open-air art exhibitions on Saturday. You can also usually find a handicraft market in progress on weekends. As pleasant as it is by day, Parque El Ejido should be avoided once the sun goes down.

There are three sections to this park: the Architecture Zone, with colonial buildings dating to 1886 (they were restored and moved here); the Traditional Zone, where actors dressed in period costumes re-create life as it was lived in the early 20th century; and the Endangered Wildlife Zone, with rare birds and animals. There are wooden walkways throughout and a small restaurant. This is a very pleasant way to spend a few hours; it's right on the edge of the rainforest.

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.

This lovely square, the heart of the city since it was inaugurated in 1895, is known by many names. Because it has the almost obligatory statue of a triumphant Simón Bolívar, many locals call it Parque Bolívar. A more common moniker is Parque de las Iguanas, as dozens of the scaly green creatures can be found lazing about on park benches and across the limbs of trees. (Vendors sell mango slices for you to feed to the animals if the spirit moves you.) The gardens, which still have a marvelous wrought-iron bandstand, are filled with 43 species of indigenous plants.

Locals always refer to the city's main square, shaded by palms and pines, as the Plaza Grande. The portico gracing the plaza's northern end, once the archbishop's palace, now holds a variety of stores and businesses, including several souvenir and sweets shops. The main branch of Quito Turismo, the city's top-notch tourist office, flanks the east side of the plaza. The white, 19th-century neoclassical Palacio de Carondelet—sometimes referred to as Palacio de Gobierno (Government Palace)—occupies the west side. Admission is free and worth it for the views of the plaza alone; you'll need to bring your passport or a copy of it to get a timed entry ticket from the booth on the lefthand side. You'll then join a 30-minute group tour at the appointed time, and your guide will hold on to your passport until the end of the tour. Tours are in Spanish but some of the friendly guides speak English, too.

Otavalo's premier sight, and one of which you'll be a part, is its Saturday market. This gathering of stalls was once called the Silent Market because there was no loud bargaining or shouting to entice you to buy. Though it's still quiet compared to other markets, times have changed. Today you negotiate your way through a noisy and overwhelming conglomeration of stands crowded with tourists. Once inside the hurly-burly, you deal with the dignified and astute Otavaleños, who speak slowly and softly as they negotiate. For sale are hand-knit sweaters made from sheep or alpaca wool, colorful ponchos, patterned scarves, and Panama hats. You'll also find strings of gold-washed glass beads, worn in multiple strands by Otavalo women, lots of silver, and jewelry embedded with Andean jade. You can usually get discounts of 20% to 30% by bargaining. (Don't bargain too hard though. Prices are already reasonable, and that extra couple of dollars will mean a lot more to the vendor than to you.) A produce market is held simultaneously at the Plaza 24 de Mayo; there's also an animal market at the Plaza San Juan. People from the surrounding countryside—many dressed in traditional clothing—come here to bargain for cows, pigs, and other livestock. The animal market begins at 5:30 am, and most sellers are packing up by 11 am. The Plaza de Ponchos market doesn't really begin until 7 or 8 and lasts until about 2 or 3. Although Saturday is the busiest market day, Wednesday runs a close second, and these days something goes on every day of the week.