You’re down for five adventure-packed days in and around this dazzling 9,350-foot-high city. Placed amid snow-crowned peaks, the Ecuadorian capital buzzes with excitement and possibility. Get ready for a crystalline-air, high-peak-and-cloud-forest thrill of a lifetime.
Day 1
Start your Quito adventure in the city’s historic center and marvel at its splendid architecture and energetic daily life. Take in centuries-old churches such as La Compañia de Jesus or La Basilica, the towers of which offer a spectacular view of the colonial and modern city.
Visit cobblestoned La Ronda Street and discover traditional crafts in paint, wood, ironwork, metalwork, and ceramics. Try an “energy cleanse” with herbs from the 120-year-old San Francisco market. Indulge in local delicacies like chocolate, cofee, locro de papa (cheesy potato soup), paila ice cream (hand-churned in a large copper bowl), and chicha (a maize or fruit juice, fermented or not). You can also buy fresh ingredients and have a chef prepare one of Quito’s signature dishes.
