Reasons

Reasons
TO VISIT
Quito
­­­1
QUITO IS AT THE CENTER OF THE WORLD
This is the closest capital to the sun at 2,850 meters
above sea level, and is the only place where you
can simultaneously have one foot in the Northern
hemisphere and the other in the South. You can
experience the pure energy of the Center of the World
while walking the equatorial line, traced by the Geodesic
Mission when it determined Latitude 0°0’0’’.
This privileged geographic location grants Quito a
plethora of virtues that can be seen in its climate and
natural wealth.
3
ITS “MUST-SEES”
Discover the majesty of the Historic District, considered
the largest and best preserved in the Americas and the
first World Heritage Site. You can find the history of the
city in the following spots that are not to be missed: La
Compañía de Jesús, Baroque masterpiece of America;
La Plaza Grande as the center of important historic
achievements, which narrate the history of Quito and
the nation; visit the San Francisco religious complex;
walk along La Ronda, a street whose charm is found in
its workshops and traditional trades.
2
QUITEÑO CUISINE
The flavors of Quiteño cuisine deserve to be tasted by
any traveler worth their salt. The city’s traditional dishes
are a mixture of Andean and Iberian influence: Locro
(potato soup), seco de chivo (braised goat stew), fritada
(fry-up), empanadas and helado de paila (copper pail
sherbet) are some of the city’s dishes that are not to be
missed. Additionally, Quito offers cuisine from every
corner of the world at several restaurants that cater to
visitor’s tastes. Vegetarians will also be at home here.
PEOPLE AND THEIR TRADES
During the colonial period, Quito was an important cultural and artistic center, a virtue that is preserved to this
day. It is not uncommon to find several artisans who
continue to ply their century’s old trade today. Traditional locksmiths, carpenters, hat makers and herbalists,
still hold on to their knowledge and expertise, and exhibit them in their workshops. Some of the houses and
workshops of important contemporary artists such as
Oswaldo Guayasamín or Eduardo Kingman are open to
the public.
5
OUR MUSEUMS, THEATERS AND CULTURAL CENTERS
Quito has great places that narrate the stories of times
gone by, and where culture is promoted through exhibits, as well as theater, music and cinema. The City Museum, the Casa de El Alabado Museum, the Wax Museum, Sucre Theater, the Contemporary Art Center and
the House of Music, are some of those places that cannot be missed.Visitors will also find location museums
in the city’s surrounding areas, such as the Tulipe, Rumipamba and La Florida museums. Children also have spaces to enjoy in the Yaku Park Museum, the Interactive
Science Museum, and the Train Museum.
4
AT NIGHT
There are several options when it comes to restaurants,
cafés, bars and dance clubs throughout the Mariscal,
La Floresta, Guápulo and La Carolina neighborhoods.
There, visitors can find music, local and international
cuisine, parties, and above all, the joy of Quito.
6
7
GET ON THE TRAIN
Begin your trip on “the most difficult train in the world”,
starting from the popular Chimbacalle neighborhood
in Quito. The train has now become part of the nation’s
cultural heritage. A train that joined Ecuador’s coast with
its Highlands through this impressive feat of early XX
century engineering. Today, tourists can travel the coast
and the highlands by train. Visit the station, walk the
museum and get on board this great adventure.
9
SHOPPING
Visitors can find a wide variety of shopping options for
all tastes and budgets in Quito. From modern shopping
malls like Quicentro Shopping or Mall el Jardín, to the La
Floresta neighborhood, or the Mariscal, where they can
find contemporary design shops and galleries; likewise,
in the Historic District, tourist can visit specialized traditional art shops like El Quinde. Quito is also an ideal destination for buying art. Visitors can find paintings, sculptures, etc. at the El Ejido park. The Mariscal is also filled
with galleries and antique shops.
8
THE MOORLANDS AND THE CLOUD FOREST
An hour’s trip away, in the surrounding areas of Quito,
visitors can enjoy a series of activities at different haciendas located in the Moorlands of the Andes: hot
springs, horseback riding, hiking, mountaineering, rural
tourism, and more. In the Northwest, visitors can discover the beauty and wealth of the Cloud Forest, a true paradise for bird watching where there are over 500 different species of birds, particularly hummingbirds.
10
CLOSE TO EVERYTHING
As the doorway to Ecuador, Quito is strategically located to access: The Pacific coast with beaches, fishing
towns and exquisite cuisine; the Andes with its Volcano Avenue, which dazzled the expeditionary Humboldt;
the Amazon with all its green and extraordinary magic,
home to ancestral people; the Galapagos Islands, unique in the world, which narrate the evolution of the species before the very eyes of visitors, and where Darwin
elaborated his famous theory of evolution. Quito is your
starting point.