Colombia · City Guide
Quito
Quito is Ecuador's magnificent capital, the best preserved historic centre in Latin America and a UNESCO World Heritage Site of extraordinary colonial churches and monasteries set in a dramatic Andean valley at 2850 metres surrounded by volcanoes. Combined with the equator monument at Mitad del Mundo, easy access to the cloud forests of Mindo and the gateway to the Galápagos Islands, Quito provides an outstanding introduction to Ecuador's extraordinary diversity.
Elect's take
"Quito's historic centre is genuinely the finest colonial centre I have visited in Latin America. The combination of the extraordinary churches, the Andean setting and the access to both cloud forest and the Galápagos creates a city of remarkable significance for any Ecuador itinerary."
The historic centre of Quito is the largest, least altered and best preserved historic centre in the Americas, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1978 containing extraordinary churches including La Compañía de Jesús with its overwhelming gold leaf interior. The Basilica del Voto Nacional provides outstanding views from its towers. The TelefériQo cable car ascends to over 4000 metres on the slopes of Pichincha volcano providing extraordinary views across the city and surrounding volcanoes. Mitad del Mundo marks the equator with monuments and museums. The cloud forest of Mindo, approximately 2 hours away, provides exceptional birdwatching including hummingbirds. Quito serves as the main gateway to the Galápagos Islands.
Best time to visit
How to get there
What to expect
Historic Centre
The largest and best preserved colonial centre in the Americas, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
La Compañía de Jesús
An overwhelming gold leaf church interior, one of the most opulent in South America.
TelefériQo
A cable car to over 4000 metres providing extraordinary views of Quito and surrounding volcanoes.
Mindo Cloud Forest
Exceptional birdwatching including hummingbirds in cloud forest 2 hours from the city.
Mitad del Mundo
The equator monument and museums marking the line that gives Ecuador its name.
Galápagos Gateway
The primary departure point for flights to the extraordinary Galápagos Islands.
