Quito - The Appealing Capital of Ecuador



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Iglesia de la Merced
This church was built in 1538 and houses an ornate gold leaf baroque altar and a splendid collection of oil paintings. A quick visit to the convent that still houses the priests, is very much in order. Here, you’ll find a Neptune sculpture at the center of a fountain and a sun clock dating back to the 17th century.

La Plaza de la Independencia
It is the main square in the Old Town and is surrounded on four corners by important buildings-the Government Palace with its strong Moorish architectural overtones, the more recently built City Hall, the Archbishops Palace with its courtyard flooring made from pig spines, and the 16th century cathedral with its superb art collection. The best time to visit the Plaza is at night when all the buildings are beautifully illuminated.

Museo Nacional de Banco Central del Ecuador
This enormous museum exhibits art objects over the millennia from 11000 B.C. to contemporary Ecuadorian art. The museum is a must visit for the manner in which it unfolds the influence of pre Colombian art on colonial, republican and modern art. The building is divided into four sections-the Archaeological Gallery with its masks and figurines, all inspired by the sun, the Colonial Gallery with its examples of the juxtaposition of pre Colombian art with European art practices, the Republican Gallery which has a collection of portraits of national heroes and lastly, the Contemporary Art Gallery which showcases landscapes and works by Oswaldo Guayasamin.

Where to Eat
You’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to culinary options in Quito. The city offers something for everyone regardless of the size of your wallet, from cheap eateries where a meal will cost $1.50 to the most upscale international cuisine restaurants. Chinese joints are extremely popular with the locals who call them chifas. There are also a number of moderately priced Indian restaurants. The Marisal neighborhood has some great restaurants including El Maple which dishes up vegetarian chow and Il Risotto, an romance-themed Italian ristorante, complete with fresh red roses, candles and opera music. In the New Town you’ll fins a wider selection of fine restaurants including La Choza, an Ecuadorian joint with outdoor garden seating, La Terraza del Tertarro, a penthouse restaurant renowned in the city for its selection of succulent meats and La Vina, considered by many to be the best restaurant in the city. The wine menu at this upscale restaurant is legendary and it attracts its fair share of corporate honchos and socialites.

Nightlife
Although there are a large number of bars and clubs in the city, you won’t find a wide variety in the after dark options in Quito, However, there some great English style pubs and trendy bars. There has been a boom in the sheer number of salsa clubs and discotheques in the city that usually cater to an 18-40 age bracket. Penas are the more traditional Ecuadorian partying venues and feature Andean music and all night drinking.

Shopping
The main buys here are handicrafts, art objects and figurines. The quality is sometimes poor and its best to stick to a few stores that support indigenous artisan groups. The Exedra is a non profit community that sells painted ceramics, murals and artwork. The Galeria Latina displays a range of top quality alpaca sweaters, pottery and silver jewelry. Olga Fisch Folklore on Avenue Colon has a superb collection of carpets, pottery, tapestries and decorative art objects all inspired by indigenous cultures and made by local communities. For gorgeous handmade linen including baby clothes, bed linen and table linens, head to Punto en Blanco. Casa Indino Andino is one of the better places for crafts shopping in Quito. It has an expensive collection of ceramics, both originals and reproductions dating back to pre Colombian times, religious art objects from the colonial period and intricate silver jewelry.

Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve
Barely 2 hours outside Quito is the Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve, a 1800 acre vast bioregion with waterfalls and the best bird watching opportunities to be found anywhere. Local tour operators offer packages to the reserve, but you can also hire a private taxi from $45-$50 for the trip. The reserve is a must visit not just for the 275 varieties of birds that inhabit it, but also for the incredible variety of plants and flowers. Although the trip is short and you can easily make it back to Quito by evening, an overnight stay at the Bellavista Hotel is highly recommended-the food is excellent and the postcard views of the colorful birds and the mountains beyond are spectacular.

Cotopaxi National Park

Several agents organize day trips to the Cotopaxi volcano, the highest active volcano on the planet. A typical trip will include a long journey to the parking lot situated 4500 meters above sea level. From there, it’s another couple of hours to the point where the glaciers begin. The views are spectacular for those with enough energy for the long walk from the parking lot. Alternately, you can hire a taxi and drive about an hour and a half out of Quito to the parking lot and then hike upwards to the refuge or onwards to the glacier point at your own pace. Biking enthusiasts might enjoy a mountain biking trip that begins at the parking lot and winds its way through dense forests and clear lakes. For $40, a trip will include biking equipment, lunch and protective gear.

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