The City of Quito

The city of Quito is a popular tourist destination, bringing in about 573,832 tourists each year.  This number is credited to the fact that Quito contains the “largest and best preserved” colonial center in all of Latin America.  Because of this, Quito was granted the title of First World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1978.  The fact that Quito is only a two hour flight from the Galapagos Islands also attracts many tourists.  

Quito is the highest capital city in the world and is susceptible to one of the highest amounts of UV radiation.  **Since the capital has a high altitude, you may be a little shorter of breath than you normally are with is not unusual.  To help with this, make sure to drink lots of water.**  Because Quito is the capital of Ecuador, it is also the headquarters for the Union of South American Nations.  Quito is the second most populated city in the country of Ecuador containing 15 hospitals and 77 health centers.  It also has the most universities in the whole country of Ecuador.  

Quito is blessed with year round spring weather because of its close proximity to the equator.  It is so close that it even has a museum and monument that marks the general location of the equator called La Mitad del Mundo.  If you happen to get tired of the spring weather, Quito is only four hours from the beach, and three hours from the Amazon.  (Although you shouldn’t because the constant temperature is around 57-65 degrees).  The closest active volcano is Pichincha, but even volcanoes farther away have the capability to cover the city is ashes up to several centimeters.  There are mountains all around and in Quito, adding to its beautiful landscape.    

When you visit Quito, there are many attractions you should visit:

1. Church of the Society of Jesus
2. La Capilla del Hombre (museum)
3. El Panecillo (monument)
4. The Pichincha Volcano
5. Cotopaxi National Park (fun for hiking, sightseeing, wildlife)
6. Parque La Carolina (botanical garden)
7. Quito Zoo
8. Old Town
9. Carondelet Palace
10. Vulqano Park (rollercoaster)

These are just some of the many things there are to do in Quito.  Quito has many beautiful buildings and old colonial towns with older architecture.  As with many Spanish cultures, there are always cultural markets where you can buy anything from food to a painting.

To get around the city of Quito, you can take anything from buses to taxis to even walking from place to place.  Don’t worry about changing the currency of your money if you are from the United States because in 2000 the official currency of Ecuador was changed from the sucre to the US dollar.  You might read about circumstances of pickpocketing, however whenever you travel you must be aware of this danger.  Don’t let stories of this crime affect your decision to enjoy Quito and just take the proper precautions in securing your money on your person before you go out and about around the city.   
Would like to go to Quito? What attractions would you most want to visit and why?

To read more about Quito, click here or here.