Start your day touring the majestic, historic and beautiful Old Town of Quito, where you can find many small cafes and authentic Ecuadorian restaurants for breakfast. Then, visit the magnificent Iglesia de San Francisco which is the city’s oldest church. While the beautiful is outside with stunning architecture, make sure to go inside and spend some time walking around the inside of the church and the adjoined museum, to soak up the history and the significance of this church to Quito.
Another church only a few minutes away, La Compania de Jesus, is a Jesuit church that is famous for it’s baroque and Moorish architecture and influence. You can easily spend hours walking around the church and the complex without getting bored. Then, walk a little bit to Casa Museo Maria Augusta Urrutia, which is a mansion that Pope John Paul II visited, and has some beautiful architecture and interesting history.
Old Town Quito
Next, walking through Old Town, you can go to Plaza de la Independencia, the city’s main square and biggest tourist attraction. This area is safe during the day, but at night, as with many parts of Quito, it is unwise and ill advised to venture too far without a big group or a local. However, by day, this plaza is incredibly beautiful and historic, and not to be missed. There are many cafes nearby with authentic Ecuadorian snacks that are delicious and relatively cheap. While in the plaza, you can enter the Teatro Nacional Sucre and walk around, and if you have time, you can go for a show. This is Quito’s oldest and most historic theater and has amazing shows and performances.
Next, you can walk to El Panecillo which is about 10 minutes away but up a large hill. Here, you can see the huge statue of the winged virgin and you have amazing views of Old Town and Quito. This is one of the best, if not THE best, vantage point in Quito.
Next, you can head to the newer part of Quito and visit Parque El Ejido, which sometimes have local vendors selling Ecuadorian clothing, crafts and souvenirs. Nearby, there is also a big artisan market called Mariscal Artisans Market where you can find lots of cute local items. Next, you can visit the countries biggest and most extensive museum, Museo Nacional de Banco Central del Ecuador. Then, for lunch, you can go to Plaza Foch, an iconic Quito landmark to eat at an open restaurant. Located in the heart of Mariscal, Plaza Foch is a huge tourist attraction and has many great restaurants, shops and places to observe local culture.
Two things to remember are that Quito does have a dangerous element to it, so it’s best to stay in the touristy areas and not to flash valuables. Most crime is theft and pickpocketing, but it’s always good to be vigilant. Secondly, due to Quito’s altitude, many tourists feel sick after arriving, so make sure to take some time to acclimate, and drink lots of water throughout the day. Walking up and down stairs or hills may seem more taxing in Quito than elsewhere due to the altitude.
