| | Overview (Source: Frommers) |
Ecuador's capital, Quito, sits on a long, level plateau in a valley between towering Andean peaks. It is a city of striking beauty and stark contrasts. Sebastián de Benalcázar founded Quito in 1534. If he were to walk the streets of Old Town today, he might still feel right at home. Many of the original colonial structures here have been magnificently preserved and restored. Quito was -- and still is -- a city of grand churches with detailed, hand-carved facades and altars. It is a place where 500-year-old buildings, which have survived earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, open onto medieval-style courtyards, complete with columned archways and stone fountains. In 1978, Quito was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the first city to earn that designation. But that's only one side of Quito. If Benalcázar were to venture a few kilometers north, the glass skyscrapers, electric trolleys, and early-20th-century mansions would make his head spin. Quito is a city of wonderful juxtapositions and stark contrasts. It's a place where you can travel to the past but still enjoy modern-day comforts. The living museum of Old Town nicely complements New Town's modern-art and archaeology museums. Spend a few leisurely days here and you can enjoy the best of both worlds. You can also travel to colorful indigenous markets, a unique cloud forest, or the world's highest active volcano -- all within 2 hours of the city. Although Quito is Ecuador's capital, it is only the second-most-po
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| History (Source: WCities) | Top | The history of this beautiful colonial city, full of legends woven over more than 400 years, is still alive in the memory of its inhabitants. To find its origin it is necessary to go back in time to the 6th of December in 1534, when the Spanish conquistadors founded the city with 204 settlers. Before then, the present-day site of Quito was inhabited by the Quitus, a tribe from the Quechua civilization in a strip of land that stretched from what is now Cerro del Panecillo in the south to Plaza de San Blas in the center. Called the Kingdom of Quito in the Pre-Hispanic period, buildings in this ancient city were made of carved stone and sun-dried brick. Later, Spanish architects incorporated the same materials into their grandiose constructions. At the beginning of the 16th Century, the city adopted a monumental style with the construction, by the various Catholic missions, of the impressive temples of San Francisco, Santo Domingo, La Cathedral and San Agustín. The main events during this period took place in or around these temples, which helped promote religion among the people. The truth is that Quito's history starts long before 1534 when the Spanish founded it. Although pre-Hispanic traces disappeared with the conquistadors' arrival, it has been said that before the Europeans arrived, Rumiñahuy, an indigenous warrior, set the city on fire and destroyed the temples of the Incas who lived there. Other legends tell of such characters as Atahualpa, last emp
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| How To Get There (Source: WCities) | Top | Getting There Air Aeropuerto Mariscal Sucre ( UIO ) +593 2 244 0080 http://www.quitoairport.com Quito's international airport provides service from the United States from Miami, Houston and New York. Flights from Europe and Australia connect through the United States. UIO is located in the middle of Quito, just five minutes from Quito’s financial center. Some airlines that service UIO are: AeroGal ( +593 2 294 2800/ http://www.aerogal.com.ec ) Aircomet ( +593 2 225 1198/ http://www.aircomet.com ) AirEuropa ( +593 2 256 7646/ http://www.aireuropa.com ) American Airlines ( +593 2 299 5000/ http://www.aa.com ) Avianca ( +593 2 330 2202/ http://www.avianca.com ) Continental Airlines ( +593 2 255 7290/ http://www.continental.com ) Copa Airlines ( +593 2 227 3882/ http://www.copaair.com ) Delta ( +1 800 101 060/ http://www.delta.com ) Iberia ( +593 2 256 6009/ http://www.iberia.com ) KLM ( +593 2 298 6859/ http://www.klm.com ) Lan Ecuador ( +593 2 299 2300/ http://www.lan.com ) Santa Barbara ( +593 2 225 3972/ http://www.santabarbaraairlines.com ) Taca ( +593 2 292 3170/ http://www.grupotaca.com ) From the Airport Car Rental: Hertz ( +1 800 654 3001/ http://www.hertz.com ) Avis ( +1 800 557 6689/ http://www.avis.com ) Localiza ( +1 800 562 254/ http://www1.localiza.com.ec/ ) Budget ( +1 800 472 3325/ http://www.budget.com ) EXPO Rent a Car ( +593 2 222 8688/ http://www.e
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| What To Do (Source: WCities) | Top | Quito and its surroundings offer a wide range of choices for entertainment, which guarantee you a good time either alone or in company. Art One important gallery of modern art is the Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana on Avenida 6 de Diciembre and Patria, which exhibits works by Ecuadorian artists. On weekends, at the nearby Feria de Exposiciones Artesanales del Parque El Ejido , you will find a wide variety of Ecuadorian handicrafts. The Museo de San Agustín , located in the Convento de San Agustin, features many works by artists from the Quito school of painting, with mostly religious themes. The Museo de Arte Colonial displays, as the name implies, art from Quito’s colonial period, while the Museo Guayasamín pays tribute to Ecuadorian artist Oswaldo Guayasam, featuring art from many of the artist’s different periods. Another well known Ecuadorian artist is memorialized in the Posada de las Artes Kingman , featuring four rooms of contemporary Ecuadorian art, as well as a permanent collection of Kingman’s own work. Cinema To enjoy Quito’s nighttime entertainment, you might begin with a movie. Multicines del CCI is a modern eight auditorium complex featuring the latest releases, and the Octaedro , a small and cozy cultural theater which shows movie classics. Both are located in the north of the city. Also located in the north of the city is the Cinemark 7 , showing all the latest and most popular releases. For less mainstream films, Movies a
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| Getting Around (Source: Frommers) | Top | The streets of Quito swarm with yellow taxis, and they're my preferred means of transport here. Taxis are cheap, costing only $1 to $3 (55p-£1.65) for a ride within the Old or New Town and $4 to $6 (£2.20-£3.30) for longer distances. Drivers are required by law to use a meter, but it's obviously not a strict law because few taxis use them. If the taxi has a meter, insist that the driver use it. Alternatively, ask your hotel desk or a trusty local what your ride should cost and negotiate an appropriate price beforehand. Quito can be dangerous at night, so it's best to take a taxi wherever you go, no matter how short the distance. The staff at most restaurants, hotels, and bars will be happy to call a cab for you. In case you need to call one yourself, try Taxi Amigo (tel. 02/2222-222 ) or Taxi Jotajota (tel. 02/2639-639 ). By Trolley Three electric trolley lines wind their way through Quito, running north-south, and connecting Old Town with New Town. In New Town, the Trole runs along Avenida 10 de Agosto, which is a few blocks west of Avenida Amazonas. When it reaches Old Town, it travels along Avenida Guayaquil. To reach Plaza de la Independencia, be sure to get off at the Plaza Grande stop. The Ecovía is much more convenient if you want to start your journey in New Town; it runs along Avenida 6 de Diciembre, which is one of the major streets. Unfortunately, when it reaches Old Town, it stops several blocks east of the colonial core, and it's a bit of an
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