Quito

Quito is a city that the Incas had developed for centuries prior to the Spaniards turning up in 1534. Unfortunately for today’s travellers, during the Inca war, the Inca General, Ruminahui, destroyed Quito, burning the city to the ground, so its treasures would not fall into the Spanish “Conquistadors” hands. The Spanish rebuilt Quito on top of the remains of ancient Quito. Never-the-less, the infrastructure the Incas had developed including a road they had constructed from Quito to Cusco, was capitalised on by the Spanish, assisting them moving south to eventually ransack and strip Peru of its gold and silver. Simon Bolivar liberated Quito in 1822, forming a combined Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela alliance, which didn't last. By 1830, Ecuador had become independent, with Quito as its proclaimed capital city. Historically in 2008, Quito became the first city in the world to be acknowledged by UNESCO and was subsequently designated a World Heritage Site.

Quito is not Ecuador's most populated city, that title goes to Guayaquil, on the Pacific coast, however encircled by Andes volcanoes, located 2850m up, Quito, due to its elevated location and mild climate, can be visited any time of the year. The surrounding snow capped volcanoes, especially the Pichincha volcano at 4790m, add a surreal natural touch to its beauty. It is a city with a true mix of historically old colonial architecture with upcoming modern complexes, resulting in an Old world charm.

Highlights

There are plenty of attractions, high quality restaurants serving superb cuisine, a treasure trove of colonial museums, churches, historical monuments and outdoor markets.

Chocolate Lovers - One of the tempting taste-bud delights is the supreme chocolate and no wonder, as Ecuador is one of the world’s largest exporters of cacao, hence "chocolatiers" from around the world never hesitate to indulge themselves in remarkable Ecuador chocolate.

Pichincha Volcano - To capitalise on the amazing vistas Quito serves up, take a short journey aboard the TelefériQo (Quito’s gondola) to the top of the Pichincha Volcano. This gondola operates from base station at 3117m, up to 3,945 m above sea level.

Trip to the Equator - Quito is located on the equator - literally - with a monument in a tract of parkland at Ciudad Mitad del Mundo, to latitude and longitude 0º N / S.

City Tour - We would definitely recommend a city tour with a local professional guide. Quito is a wonderful city, with lots to explore so this is a great way of maximising your experience here.

Ecuador's national language is Spanish, however you will find most of the younger locals speak English. Without a doubt, one of Quito’s greatest treasures is its people. Quiteños are as gentle as they are proud. The extraordinarily wide array of locals that visitors mix with in Quito, will introduce numerous distinctive personas: the joker, the storyteller, the curious one, the friendly one, etc. Nevertheless, there’s one common denominator that ties them all together, which is their infinite kindness, hospitality and amazing heart. Quito is a city you may well venture to as a first-time stranger, but with all of these above attributes, it will captivate and draw international guests back time and again. Quito’s history, culture, nightlife and general ambiance is a major pull for many travelers.