25 Must-Visit Attractions in Quito

Quito’s cable car is one of the best ways to get an aerial view of the city, as well as taking you up to the starting point of a hike on the Pichincha volcano, at around 12,500ft (3,800m) altitude. It’s open from 10am-8pm Tuesday to Sunday, and on holidays. A perfect day activity, or why not include it into a city tour of Quito? Which ever option, this is a must-see.

This museum, housed inside a former military hospital in the San Juan barrio, is one of the best places to see contemporary art in the city. With all kinds of intriguing exhibits from up-and-coming local artists, as well as various cultural events, it’s well worth checking out.

This long, winding street, with its floral balconies and colorful houses, is a great place to try empanadas and the hot, spiced drink canelazo. It’s especially lively in the evenings and also on a Sunday morning, when families gather to play traditional games such as hopscotch. With an array of restaurants, cafes, bars, craft shops and art galleries, you can easily spend an hour or two wandering here.

This neighborhood, which gets its name from the high concentration of wild flowers growing there, is often considered the hipster center of the city. It has many charming cafes, trendy restaurants and bars, street food trucks and art galleries. On Friday, a farmer’s market is held on Calle Galavis, with stalls selling fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, fish and plenty more.

A place of astronomy and education, the Military Geographic Institute is often overlooked by travelers, but it has plenty of interesting interactive exhibits and screenings. Entry is free.

Quito’s city museum is one of the best museums in Ecuador, and while it focuses on the city itself, this former hospital in the Old Town is a gateway to understanding Ecuadorian history through powerful photography and depictions of what life was like in the capital in times gone by.

On a hilltop in the Bellavista neighborhood, this is the former home of Oswaldo Guayasamin, Ecuador’s most renowned painter. Born in Quito in 1919, his work vividly portrays poverty, oppression and political struggle in 20th-century Ecuador. His legacy lives on in the museum, where you can learn about his life and admire many of his artworks.

This museum of pre-Columbian art, pottery and religious iconography, within a renovated 17th-century colonial house in the Old Town, contains over 5,000 archaeological pieces. You’ll be able to see the relationship between each piece and its ancestors.

The 135ft-tall (41m) statue of the Virgin Mary that overlooks Quito from the top of a 656ft (200m) hill is a hugely impressive sight and regarded as a guardian of the city. It’s highly recommended to take a taxi rather than walk there, due to the number of pickpockets known to operate in the area. From the top, the views overlooking the city are magnificent.

This park is located on Rodrigo de Chavez Avenue in the south of Quito, between the hills and the Machángara River. It’s one of the city’s best-kept secrets, so it’s relatively quiet – a great place for a relaxing stroll or to sit and read a book.

One of the most visually striking examples of Spanish baroque architecture, this church (constructed from 1605-1975) is one of the city’s most treasured landmarks. Its elaborate gold interior decoration and wood carvings make it a must-visit. Allow plenty of time to admire every detail.

This caldera, formed from a collapsed volcano thousands of years ago, is now so densely vegetated that you can find a rich abundance of flora by taking a hike around the reserve, just half an hour outside of the city center.

This small garden in Parque La Carolina is home to thousands of endemic species, including over 1,200 varieties of orchid. Its guided tours give you a glimpse of the work dedicated biologists do in the city, promoting conservation and raising awareness about Ecuador’s vast biodiversity. It’s open daily from 10am-3pm.

Quito’s zoo, around a 45-minute drive to the northeast of the city center (near the town of Guayllabamba), is home to all kinds of native Ecuadorian species, such as the spectacled bear and giant Galapagos tortoises. Many of the creatures here are rescue animals, displaced from their natural habitats due to the threat of hunting, the illegal pet trade and environmental destruction. It’s open daily from 9am-4pm, and entry only costs $6 for adults.

Here, 15 miles north of the city center, is where you’ll find a 100ft (30m) stone monument with a brass globe on top, and an adjoining museum dedicated to the indigenous people of Ecuador. There’s a yellow line that supposedly represents the equator, although the precise destination of the actual equator is estimated to be 660ft (200m) away.

The Intiñan Museum claims to be close to the exact location of the equator. Here, you can partake in a range of activities such as balancing an egg on a spoon, water draining and various other gimmicks, designed to demonstrate that the equator is right here – just around the corner from the Ciudad Mitad del Mundo.

This 1,370-acre (554ha) park is one of the largest urban green spaces in South America, and has plenty of trails to hike around for hours within easy reach of the city center.

This sprawling artisan market is one of the best places to stock up on Ecuadorian coffee, chocolate and handcrafted souvenirs to take home with you.

At the edge of the Old Town, this park is the third largest in Quito, and offers a peaceful, leafy spot to escape the busy city streets. It’s a popular volleyball and football spot for locals, and at weekends it hosts a variety of cultural events, craft markets and concerts.

This gothic Roman Catholic church – the largest religious structure in Quito – was inspired by Bourges Cathedral in France. Construction began in 1887 and was largely completed by 1909 – although, according to a local urban legend, its final completion will be shortly followed by the end of the world. You can tour the inside for $2; climb to the top for superb panoramic views.

Plaza Foch has a well deserved reputation as Quito’s exuberant nightlife epicenter. Whether you’re just going for a casual drink or two, or if you’re looking for a place to salsa until the early hours of the morning, you’ll find no shortage of bars, clubs and restaurants dotted around the edge of the plaza and in the nearby streets.

One of the best ways to experience pure excitement in Quito is to watch a soccer game at the Atahualpa Stadium. Ecuadorians from near and far will travel to see their team play, and to say it can be intense might be an understatement. Like football fan culture across all of South America, fans will relentlessly chant team songs while standing and waving banners, on both sides of the stadium. When either team scores pandemonium ensues, so be careful not to spill your drink. Recommended by Kristen Tideman

At the center of Quito’s Old Town, this plaza is a constant hub of activity, often serving as a site for political activism or public opinion, but also buzzing with travelers from around the world. In the middle is a large monument installed in the late 19th-century in commemoration of Ecuador’s independence. The plaza is also the site of the assassination of Ecuadorian president Gabriel Garcia Moreno in 1875. Ecuador’s Presidential Palace overlooks the plaza and around the exterior are a variety of good restaurants as well as the extravagant Hotel Plaza Grande. Recommended by Kristen Tideman

Tucked away from the hustle of Quito’s main valley, Guapulo offers an escape from the city crowds. Descend down the steep cobblestone path towards the eponymous church, and you’ll find examples of boho culture the area has become known for. Pizzeria Ananke, found at the base of the hill, for example, is adorned with arty posters – and happens to be a lovely spot to grab dinner with a view over the valley lit up at night. The ornate Church of Guapulo, or Sanctuary to the Virgin of Guapulo, is open to visitors every day except Sunday. Recommended by Kristen Tideman

Often compared to New York’s Central Park, Quito’s Carolina Park exemplifies the spirit of the city. During the weekend, it’s a hub of activity where hundreds of families gather to relax. Popular park activities include Ecuavoli (volleyball with three people per team and specific rules), paddle boating and, of course, lots of soccer. There’s also an exotic botanical garden, a reptile house, a skate park, a large airplane-turned-playground, a planetarium and a small museum to explore. Recommended by Kristen Tideman