Quito.

Where I sleep

1. Day 1 · Fri 3 Dec

   Arrive slowly

   The old town at an easy pace, since Quito sits at about 2,850 metres: the main square, the gilded Jesuit church and the Franciscan square.

   • Plaza Grande1 h

     The main square of the old city, with the Presidential Palace and the cathedral on its sides and a monument to independence in the middle.

     What to see

     • The Presidential Palace
     • The cathedral
     • The independence monument in the middle

     Time

     An hour; longer on 6 December.

     Tip

     Quito lies at about 2,850 metres, so walk slowly on the first day and drink water. On 6 December the square is at the centre of the celebrations, so expect crowds and keep valuables close.

     To eat

     A canelazo, the hot cinnamon drink, to warm up after dark.

     Photos
   • Church of La Compañía de Jesús1 h

     The Jesuit church, built between 1605 and 1765, whose baroque interior is covered in gold leaf.

     What to see

     • The carved stone front
     • The gilded interior
     • The side altars

     Time

     An hour.

     Tip

     Go in the afternoon, when the light from the windows picks out the gold, and dress modestly: it is a working church.

     To eat

     Locro de papa, a thick potato soup with avocado and cheese.

     Photos
   • San Francisco square and church1 h

     A wide cobbled square in front of the Franciscan church and convent, one of the oldest and largest colonial complexes in Quito.

     What to see

     • The long stone front of the church
     • The convent behind it
     • The square at dusk

     Time

     An hour.

     Tip

     The opening parade of the fiestas, the pregón, gathered here on 27 November in 2025, so it will be over before you arrive. Come for the square and the church.

     To eat

     Empanadas de viento, big fried cheese pastries dusted with sugar.

     Photos
2. Day 2 · Sat 4 Dec

   Saturday in Otavalo

   A day trip north for the Saturday crafts market and a waterfall in a wood.

   • Otavalo market4 h

     A town in the northern Andes, about two hours from Quito, famous for its Saturday crafts market of textiles, ponchos and ceramics, run largely by the local Kichwa Otavalo people.

     What to see

     • Textiles and ponchos in the Plaza de los Ponchos
     • The fruit and food stalls
     • The Imbabura volcano above the town

     Time

     Four hours.

     Tip

     Leave Quito before 7:30 to reach the plaza before the coaches, and carry small notes for the stalls. Arrange your transport back before you leave.

     To eat

     Fritada, fried pork with mote, boiled maize, from the market food stalls.

   • Peguche Waterfall2 h

     A waterfall in a eucalyptus wood a short walk from the weaving village of Peguche, regarded as a ceremonial place by many local Kichwa people.

     What to see

     • The waterfall
     • The path through the wood
     • The village of weavers

     Time

     Two hours with the walk.

     Tip

     The path is slippery after rain, so wear shoes with grip. Take a rain jacket anyway, as the weather in the Andes turns quickly in the afternoon.

     To eat

     Fresh tree tomato juice, jugo de tomate de árbol.

     Photos
3. Day 3 · Sun 5 Dec

   Towers and a volcano

   The neo-Gothic basilica in the morning, then the cable car up the slope of Pichincha.

   • Basílica del Voto Nacional2 h

     A neo-Gothic basilica begun in 1892 and inaugurated in 1988, still technically unfinished. For a small fee you can climb to a viewing platform above the city.

     What to see

     • The gargoyles shaped like Ecuadorian animals
     • The nave and its stained glass
     • The view from the tower

     Time

     Two hours with the climb.

     Tip

     The climb is by narrow stairs and ladders with open drops, and the towers need a separate ticket. Skip it if you feel unsteady at this altitude.

     To eat

     Hornado with llapingachos, roast pork with potato cakes.

     Photos
   • TelefériQo3 h

     A cable car that climbs the slope of the Pichincha volcano from the western edge of the city to almost 4,000 metres, with views over Quito.

     What to see

     • The ride up the volcano
     • The view of the city and the volcanoes around it
     • The trails near the top

     Time

     Three hours.

     Tip

     Go up as early as you can in the day: cloud often covers the top by the afternoon. At that height walk slowly and carry a warm layer.

     To eat

     A hot chocolate at the top.

4. Day 4 · Mon 6 Dec

   The founding day

   6 December, the city’s birthday. The formal session takes place at the Teatro Nacional Sucre. The day is for the open air in the old town, since shops and museums may close for the holiday, and the evening is for La Ronda, with its music and chivas.

   • Plaza GrandeGuide on day 1 →
   • El Panecillo1 h 30

     A hill over the old town crowned by a winged Virgin, an aluminium statue about 41 metres high, installed in 1976 and based on an 18th-century carving by Bernardo de Legarda.

     What to see

     • The winged Virgin
     • The view of the old town
     • The red roofs below

     Time

     An hour and a half.

     Tip

     Take a taxi up and back down. Locals advise against walking the steps and the path, as visitors have been robbed there.

     To eat

     Humitas, steamed fresh-corn parcels.

     Photos
   • La Ronda streetEvening

     A narrow cobbled street of whitewashed houses with wooden balconies, lively with music and food in the evenings.

     What to see

     • Balconies full of flowers
     • Small workshops and sweet shops
     • Live music on festival evenings

     Time

     An evening.

     Tip

     On 6 December the street is packed. Arrive early in the evening, and leave by taxi from the end of the street instead of walking back through side streets on your own.

     To eat

     Helado de paila, ice cream churned in a big copper pan.

     Photos
5. Day 5 · Tue 7 Dec

   The middle of the world

   North of the city to the equator monument, and then to the rim of a volcanic crater.

   • Mitad del Mundo3 h

     A monument on the equator line north of Quito, where visitors take photos with a foot in each hemisphere. Modern GPS puts the true equator a few hundred metres away.

     What to see

     • The monument
     • The painted line on the ground
     • The hills around

     Time

     Three hours.

     Tip

     Enjoy the painted line as a monument, not as a measurement: GPS puts the real equator a few hundred metres away.

     To eat

     A fresh juice of naranjilla, a tangy Andean fruit.

   • Pululahua crater2 h

     A volcanic crater with farms on its floor, protected as a geobotanical reserve, seen from a viewpoint on the rim.

     What to see

     • The view into the crater from the rim
     • The farmed floor of the caldera
     • Cloud drifting in through the opening

     Time

     Two hours.

     Tip

     Go before noon if the sky is clear: cloud often fills the crater by midday and there is nothing to see.

     To eat

     Choclo con queso, grilled corn with fresh cheese.

6. Day 6 · Wed 8 Dec

   A market and a painter

   Breakfast in the central market, then the museum of Guayasamín before the flight home.

   • Mercado Central1 h 30

     The old town’s central market, with stalls of fruit, juice counters and cooked food.

     What to see

     • Pyramids of tropical fruit
     • The juice counters
     • The soup and rice stalls

     Time

     An hour and a half.

     Tip

     Go in the morning for breakfast, before the lunch counters fill and the best soups run out. Carry only what you need, as pickpockets work markets.

     To eat

     Juice of mora, the Andean blackberry, and the soup of the day.

   • Capilla del Hombre2 h

     A museum dedicated to Oswaldo Guayasamín (1919–1999), one of Ecuador’s best-known painters, in the Bellavista neighbourhood above the city.

     What to see

     • The large paintings of Guayasamín
     • The building, conceived as a chapel to humanity
     • The view over Quito from the terrace

     Time

     Two hours.

     Tip

     Wednesday is a safe day, as many Quito museums close on Mondays. Check the current hours on the Guayasamín Foundation’s website before you set out.

     To eat

     Quimbolitos, steamed sweet corn cakes wrapped in leaf, with a coffee.

     Photos

Typical weather for these dates, not a forecast: the average of 2016–2025, with data from Open-Meteo.com (ERA5). The chance of rain is an estimate.