The historic center covers several dozen blocks, with a density of churches and convents rare in South America. Plaza Grande, surrounded by the presidential palace, the cathedral and the archbishop's palace, is its heart. Allow at least one full day, two if you go inside the main churches, which often charge entry and close between noon and early afternoon. On Sundays, several streets become pedestrian. The area empties in the evening: take a taxi back after dark.
La Ronda, a restored colonial lane south of the center, lines up flowered balconies, craft workshops, cafés and small bars. It is liveliest on Friday and Saturday nights, with music and canelazo, a hot drink made with cane spirit. Just above, El Panecillo hill holds a large aluminum statue of the Virgin, visible from all over town. The view is the most complete from there, but the stairway up from the center has a poor safety record: go up and back by taxi, a 10 minute ride.
The modern city stretches north for more than 30 km along a narrow valley. La Floresta is the district of specialty cafés, street art and independent cinemas, pleasant by day and early evening. Below it, the village of Guápulo clings to the slope around its 17th century sanctuary, with a striking view over the valley. La Mariscal, around Plaza Foch, gathers bars and hostels: lively at weekends, it calls for more caution at night.
The TelefériQo leaves from the western edge of the city and climbs in about ten minutes to nearly 4,000 m on the slopes of Pichincha. On clear days, the view takes in the whole city and, in the distance, the Cotopaxi and Cayambe volcanoes. Acclimatized hikers can continue to the summit of Rucu Pichincha, about 4,700 m, in four to six hours round trip. Go up early in the morning, as clouds often cover the peaks by noon. Avoid this outing on your arrival day.
Ciudad Mitad del Mundo lies about 25 km north of the center, an hour's drive depending on traffic. Its monument marks the equator as calculated in the 18th century by the French-Spanish geodesic mission, but the true zero parallel runs about 240 m away according to GPS measurements. The nearby Intiñan museum offers playful demonstrations about the equator. Allow half a day for both. The Pululahua site, a farmed volcanic crater, can be added to the same outing.
Quito is the base for several day trips. Otavalo, about two hours north, hosts one of the largest craft markets in the Andes, at its peak on Saturdays. Cotopaxi National Park, an hour and a half south, lets you hike up to the volcano's refuge when volcanic activity allows: check the bulletins before leaving. To the west, Mindo and its cloud forest, two hours away, draw birdwatchers and hummingbird lovers. The border area with Colombia, to the north, is advised against by several foreign ministries.
