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Quito's historic centre is the largest, most-intact and best-restored Old Town in the Americas. Wherever you go in Quito, you can't afford to miss it!
Nestled deep within the valley of towering Andean volcanoes, at 2,800m (around 10,000 feet) above sea level, Quito's spectacular old town extends over 320 hectares – the largest historic centre in the Americas. Host to 40 churches and chapels, 16 convents and monasteries with their respective cloisters, 17 plazas, 12 chapter rooms and refectories, 12 museums and countless courtyards, Quito's historical heritage is only equalled by the energy and vibrancy of its thousands of residents.
Quito is truly an asset to the history of America: the great majority of its buildings have withstood the trials of Nature and the tribulations of Man. The city's diverse cultures have generated a treasure trove of artistic, cultural and historic wealth, safe-guarded down the centuries to the present. UNESCO recognised this fact in November 1978 when it declared Quito the first World Heritage Site.
Quito's authorities celebrated the twentieth anniversary of its World Heritage nomination by transforming the Old Town, reclaiming its elegant public spaces, its grandeur and its legacy. New museums have been inaugurated, cultural centres opened up, mansions restored, restaurants, hotels and cafés launched, safety improved, traffic regulated. The capital's heart beats with renewed vigour, cultural life and pride, as citizens and visitors alike enjoy its unique attractions. The jewel in Ecuador's crown today shines brighter than ever before.
The modern districts of Quito are dynamic and cosmopolitan, with loads of attractions, museums, restaurants, parks, shops and markets to keep the visitor entertained.
The faithful emerald green slopes of the Pichincha Volcano watch over a city that fills the valley below, an ever-expanding Andean metropolis at 2,800 metres above sea level. Quito is a true mix of old and new, an eclectic blend of the past and the present, where colonial churches rub shoulders with art deco mansions, where glass and steel contrast with stone, brick and mortar.
The modern city of Quito lies to the north of the old town, which, when confronted with the apartment blocks, motorways, shopping malls and sophistication of cosmopolitan Quito, at times seems little more than a memory of another era.
This modern city boasts outstanding national and international cuisine, first-class hotels, craft markets, modern malls, captivating museums, spacious parks, spectacular shows and some of the best nightlife Latin America has to offer.
With its geographic and cultural diversity, Quito isn't one city, or even two, but many – all waiting to be discovered.
COTOPAXI
Cotopaxi ranks among one of the world's most beautiful and highest volcanoes. Only 60 kilometres from the capital, it's a playground for lovers of the outdoors and natural highs. The white-coned summit of the perfectly symmetrical Cotopaxi takes pride of place along Ecuador's 'Avenue of the Volcanoes.' King of the Andes, the glaciated cone rises 5,897 metres (19,342 feet) above sea level – one of the world's highest active volcanoes - and an equal to Japan's Mount Fuji.
Less than two hour's drive from the capital, Cotopaxi is a playground for lovers of the outdoors and of adventure, with limitless opportunities for climbing, trekking and horseback riding, or just plain relaxing in one of the nearby haciendas.
OTAVALO
Otavalo is rightly fêted as one of the greatest craft markets in Latin America. It's a festival to brilliant textiles of every colour of the rainbow and the skill of its local weavers. All within two hours of Quito.
North of Quito, at the feet of "Taita Imbabura" (Daddy Imbabura) Volcano, surrounded by lakes, patchwork-covered hills and plantations of corn, lies the valley of Otavalo. Its market is one of the most famous in Latin America, and is a must-see for any visitor to Ecuador. The array and quality of products for sale is astounding. The Otavalans are proud and industrious people. Their weavings and crafts leave little doubt as to their skills, and their region little doubt as to the source of their pride.
Although some visitors only make it to Otavalo for a quick day of shopping, the region offers so much more in the way of attractions and activities. For those seeking quality crafts, one can visit the weaving families in their homes in Peguche for instance, head to the leather town of Cotacachi or to the wood-carvers of San Antonio de Ibarra. For those looking for nature and the great outdoors, there are fantastic hikes around the Mojanda Lakes to the west, around the Cuicocha crater above Cotacachi, in the foothills or to the top of the Imbabura Volcano, and then there are watersports and relaxation on Lago San Pablo. Oh yes, and then there are various historic haciendas, fabulous bases for exploring the region by car, on foot, by bike or on horseback.
