 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
General
Travel
Sightseeing
Entertainment
Printable Guide
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
City Guide > South America > Ecuador > Quito | |
|
Mini Guide of Quito City Overview Quito is the second highest capital in Latin America (after Bolivia’s La Paz) at 2,850 metres (9,000 feet), and sits beneath Pichincha, a volcano that became active again in 1999 having been dormant for 350 years. The city dates back to pre conquistadors times, but there is little remaining evidence of its pre-Columbian magnificence as the Incas chose to destroy their city rather than allow the Spanish to capture it. Long and narrow, Quito runs north to south between the mountains, just 23km (14 miles) south of the Equator. The Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a beautiful colonial city dating from the 16th century. Around it, the New City has grown up rapidly since the 1970s when Ecuador had its oil boom. New Quito is a high-rise cosmopolitan city, modern, sophisticated and much bigger than its historic heart, with new public buildings and residential areas. However, Quito has not lost touch with its roots. Around half of the country's 12 million population is mestizo, a mixture of Spanish and Indian, and a quarter belong to one of 16 indigenous tribes, all of whom still wear the clothes of their pre-Conquest ancestors. Because of its proximity to the Equator and its altitude, Quito has one of the most pleasant climates in South America, mild and spring-like all year round. Getting There By Air Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO) Tel: (02) 2944900. Website: www.quiport.com Located just 5km (3 miles) from the centre of town, the airport is served by numerous US and European airlines. Most European and Australian flights require a change at Los Angeles, Newark, Miami, Houston or Lima. KLM flies from many European cities including London via the Caribbean. Iberia flies direct from Madrid. Lufthansa flies from Frankfurt and Air France from Paris, both via Bogota. The national carrier is Tame (tel: (02) 2509375; website: www.tame.com.ec). The airport has 24-hour ATMs, a tourist information centre with free Internet use, post office, shops, restaurants, bars and car hire. There are currently no facilities for business travellers, although they will be available in the new, much expanded airport, due to open in 2008. There are buses for the short journey into town, but they tend to be overcrowded and unreliable – taxis are recommended. Car hire is available in the arrivals hall. Getting There By Water Getting There By Road Travelling to Ecuador by road can be hazardous, particularly from Colombia in the north where guerrillas and drug smugglers can make this a rather dangerous route. There are several border crossings with Peru, Ecuador's only other immediate neighbour. These include Huaquillas-Aguas Verdes, Macara-La Tina-Sullana and Zumba-San Ignacio. Within Ecuador, many of the roads, particularly on the main tourist routes, are generally good but landslides, earthquakes and heavy rains often cause disruption. Always make sure you have a good map and directions as sign-posting is unreliable and other drivers can be unpredictable, too. Driving is on the right hand side and there are only two grades of petrol sold – Extra (82 octane) and Super (92 octane). Both are unleaded. Diesel fuel is available, but is often of poor quality. Travelling by bus through Ecuador is not recommended, particularly at night when the roads can be dangerous. Buses are often uncomfortable and ill equipped (no toilets) though some companies are introducing new buses with better facilities, including air conditioning. The Peruvian Internacional Ormeño (Lima, tel: (+51) 01 472 1710; website: www.grupo-ormeno.com) operate routes from Argentina to Venezuela, which travel through Chile, Peru, Ecuador and Columbia. Getting There By Rail There are no railway services to Quito. Getting Around Public Transport There are buses in Quito but the service is often unreliable and erratic. The most efficient way of getting around on public transport is the trolley bus that runs 0600-2400 in a north-south direction through the city (tel: (02) 2665015). Taxis Taxis are cheap and safe, but radio taxis are recommended at night. Though it is illegal, many taxis do not use the meter at night and generally charge at least 50% more than during the day. If the driver says the meter is not working, negotiate a fee in advance. There are several companies including Taxi Amigo (tel: (02) 2222222), City Taxi (tel: (02) 2633333) and Central de Radio Taxis (tel: (02) 2500600). Car Hire To hire a car in Ecuador drivers must be over 21 years old and there may be a surcharge to under-25s. Although smaller rental companies may be cheaper, it is safer to use one of the larger, international car hire companies, as smaller ones often do not have good insurance cover – or in some cases reliable cars. Payment is generally by credit card though there may be discounts for cash. Check the insurance policy carefully – there is often an excess to be paid in the case of an accident. Always check the car’s condition, too, and keep it garaged overnight if possible. Most of the roads around Quito are good but always exercise caution when driving in Ecuador as the locals have a tendency to be reckless. Major providers at the airport include: Avis (tel: (02) 2440270; website: www.avis.com), Budget (tel: (02) 2459052; website: www.budget.com) and Hertz (tel: (02) 2254257; website: www.hertz.com). In town, providers include Sixt (tel: (02) 2549345; website: www.e-sixt.com). Bicycle & Scooter Hire Sobre Ruedas (tel: (02) 2416781) hires bicycles. The Biking Dutchman (tel: (02) 2542806) offer cycling tours as well as renting bicycles. Business Office hours are 0830-1700, while shops and banks open 0900-1800. The main language for business is Spanish, though a large number of people do speak English. As with many places in Latin America, Quito has a slower pace of life and a somewhat lax attitude to time-keeping and meetings often start late. It would be considered rude to make any remarks about this, but if you want to start on time, emphasise that the meetings should begin ‘en punto’. Smart conservative clothing is a must. Ecuadorians are polite and rather formal in their manners, too, and they expect similar punctiliousness from visitors. On entering an office, it is courteous to say ‘Con permiso’ and to shake hands saying ‘Buenos dias’ (until midday), ‘Buenos tardes’ (in the afternoon) or ‘Buenos noces’ (in the evening). Business cards should be presented at the start of a meeting, and it may take some time to get down to business, as Ecuadorians like to have a certain amount of polite general conversation before they get down to the serious business. Sightseeing Sightseeing Overview Quito is a small city but it has plenty to offer the sightseer. Old Quito is the jewel in the city’s crown, a maze of narrow cobbled streets and stunning colonial architecture with magnificent, gilded churches and monasteries, a wide range of museums and art galleries and elegant plazas with open-air cafes. Religious processions, complete with singing, dancing, bands and statues of the Madonna frequently wind their way through the streets, tossing rose petals en route (roses are one of Ecuador’s main exports). There are excellent restaurants and shops selling beautiful indigenous crafts including rugs, weavings and pottery and, most notably, the silver jewellery for which the country is famous. 23km (14 miles) north of the city is Ciudad Mitad del Mundo, marking the Equator. There is a park, shops, restaurants and open-air music and dance. A couple of hours’ drive from Quito, there are a number of Andean nature reserves, notably Maquipucuna and El Pahuma. There are hot springs at El Tingo and La Merced, a national park at Cotopaxi and, for the energetic, climbing at Pichincha – though climbers should be aware of possible altitude sickness and always enquire about current volcanic activity. Quito has lively nightlife with everything from classical concerts to salsa clubs. Tourist Information Ecuador Tourism Information Eloy Alfaro N32-300 Carlos Tobar Quito Ecuador Tel: (02) 3507559. Website: www.quito.com.ec or www.vivecuador.com Key Attractions The Old City The entire Old City of Quito is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Everyone should take the time to walk through the main squares – Plaza de la Independencia, Plaza de San Francisco and Plaza de Santo Domingo. La Compania de Jesus Church La Compania de Jesus Church was built in 1605 and has a breathtaking interior decorated with an estimated seven tonnes of gold leaf. Calle Garcia Moreno, one block south of Plaza de la Independencia. El Panecillo El Panecillo means literally ‘little bread loaf’ and it is the best place to view the city beneath you and the volcanoes and mountains surrounding it. It is crowned by the massive statue of the Virgen de Quito, a winged Virgin Mary, as represented in Revelations. Museo Nacional del Banco Central del Ecuador This museum has a stunning collection of pre-Columbian artefacts, including some beautiful ceramics and objects made of gold. Other floors have fine art and sculpture. 6 de Diciembre y Avenida Patria Tel: (02) 2223259. San Agustin Monastery San Agustin Monastery has beautiful cloisters and is a national shrine to the heroes of the battle for independence and the place where many of them are buried. Flores y Chile Further Distractions Mitad del Mundo 23km (14 miles) north of Quito is Mitad del Mundo (Centre of the Earth) where you can stand astride a painted line of the Equator with a foot in each hemisphere. There is also a good Ethnographic Museum representing all of Ecuador’s native peoples, a beautiful park, shops and shows. Manuel Cordova Galarza Highway, San Antonio de Pichincha Tel: (02) 394806/04. Website: www.mitaddelmundo.com Maquipucuna Ecological Reserve A short drive from Quito but a far cry from city life is the Maquipucuna Ecological Reserve in the cloud forest (1200-2800m) with numerous trails and the chance of seeing some of almost 400 bird species including parrots and toucans. Baquerizo Moreno Street, E9-153 and Tamayo 593 Tel: (02) 2507200. Website: www.maqui.org Tours of the City Walking tours of the Old City with English speaking guides are offered by Empresa de Desarrollo del Centro Historico (tel: (02) 2586591), visiting the main museums, churches, squares, convents and other historical buildings. Metropolitan Touring, Republica de El Salvador N36-84 (tel: (02) 2988200; website: www.metropolitan-touring.com) is a very established company and organises tours by road all over the country, city tours, jungle camps (in the Oriente), trekking expeditions led by professional climbers and Galapagos cruises. The Biking Dutchman (see Bicycle Hire) offers mountain biking tours. Ecuadorian Alpine Institute, Ramirez Davalos 136 y Amazones (tel: (02) 2565465; website: www.volcanoclimbing.com) offer climbers individual or group ascents with English speaking guides. Safari, Calama 380 y JLMera (tel: (02) 2552505; website: www.safari.com.ec) do customised adventure trips. Galapagos Traveller, Guayaqil Street 9-59 (tel: (02) 2955939; website: www.galapagostraveller.com) have riding tours including the Inca Trail from hacienda to hacienda, as well as volcano and cloud forest trails. Excursions Otavalo is arguably the best market in South America. It is just 94km (58 miles) from Quito and a fantastic drive through remarkable volcanic landscapes. The main market is Saturday but there is a market every day that is just as good for the beautiful traditional work that is on sale. Otavalenos are famed principally for their textiles (rugs, weavings, ponchos, scarves and wraps), but there are also carvings, jewellery, bags, clothing, fruit and vegetables, corn and a lot of guinea pigs! Even if you’re not buying, it is fascinating to see the stall holders themselves in their traditional costumes – men with long plaits, ponchos and cut-off white trousers, women in embroidered blouses and row upon row of beaded necklaces. It is also the best place to buy a Panama hat (it came from Ecuador originally), soft enough to roll up and keep in a cardboard tube. Sport Shopping Shops are generally open from 0900 to 1900 on weekdays with variable but usually shorter opening hours on Saturdays and often closed on Sundays. The main market for crafts is Mercado Artesanal La Mariscal on Jorge Washington between Reina Victoria and JL Mera. It’s open daily from 1000 to 1800. In the Old City, there are numerous craft shops. Particularly recommended are Fundacion Sinchi Sacha, Reina Victoria 1780 y La Nina and Plaza San Francisco, a co-operative selling crafts from the Oriente, and Galeria Latina, JL Mera 823 y Veintimilia, with crafts from Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. Folklore, Colon E10-53 y Caamano, is a designer take on the indigenous crafts. Beautiful gold and silver jewellery is on sale at Hamilton,12 de Octubre 1942 y Cordero, and Edda, Tamayo 1256 y Cordero. Culture For a taste of Andean culture, the folk ballet company Jacchigua has performances at Teatro Aeropuerto, just south of the airport (tel: (02) 2506651). This is one of the best places to hear traditional music beautifully played, as well as seeing the dazzling costumes and dancing, but if it’s just the music you want (with a contemporary take), try Dayumac, JL Mera y Carrion, an Andean music club that gets going around midnight. There are some classical concerts, too, often in churches - check local press for details. For new films in comfortable, air-conditioned surroundings, there are a few multiplexes including Cinemark, Plaza de las Americas (tel: (02) 2260301; website: www.cinemark.com.ec) and two Multicines, CCI, Amazaones y Naciones, and at El Recreo (tel: 1800 352463 for both). For theatrical performances, check the local press for details as theatres have somewhat erratic seasons. Nightlife La Mariscal is the best place for Quito nightlife. Lots of bars have good food as well as live music and, though they are supposed to close at 0100, they rarely do. Night clubs tend to be empty until at least 2200. La Boca del Lobo, Calama 284 y Reina Victoria, is a bar with good food and atmosphere. Matices Piano Bar, Isabel La Catolica y Cordera, has live piano music and god food, while El Pobre Diablo, Isabel La Catolica y Galavis, is a friendly place with snacks and jazz. Macks, Maldonado y Pujili, is a huge, fun club with five dance floors. Moyo 68, Lizardo Garcia 662 y JL Mera, is a great salsa club. Varadero, Reina Victoria 1721 y La Pinta, is a bar and restaurant with live Cuban music (Wed-Sat). Plaza de Toros, Amazonas y Juan de Azcaray, and Coliseo Ruminahui, Toledo y Queseras del Medio, La Floresta, have concerts. Check local press for details. City Statistics Location: In a high Andean valley in Ecuador in the Northwest of the South American continent. Country dialling code: + 593. Time zone: GMT – 5. Electricity: 110 volts, 60Hz; US-style two-pronged plugs. Average January temp: 14°C (57°F). Average July temp: 14°C (57°F). Annual rainfall: 1,206mm (47.5 inches). Special Events Carnival, Feb (sometimes Mar), widely celebrated, as it is everywhere in South America, but Quito’s particular speciality is water throwing - everyone gets a thorough soaking, throughout the city Easter Week, processions through the streets of religious statues followed by thousands of devotees, throughout the city Independence Day, May 24, parades and cannon fire Arts and Culture Festival, Aug, a month long event, various venues Dia de Quito, early Dec, a week of parades, bull fights and general carousing, throughout the city Cost of Living The currency used in Ecuador is the American Dollar. 1 American Dollar (US$1) = £0.57; C$1.16; A$1.31; ¬0.84 Currency conversion rates as of October 2005 |