Quito City Guide — Attractions, Food & Tips

Quito City GuideThe highest official capital in the world, where a magnificently preserved colonial old town sits in a narrow Andean valley flanked by volcanoes and straddling the equator.Key Facts

Country: Ecuador

Currency: USD (US Dollar)

Language: Spanish

Time Zone: UTC\u22125

Best Time to Visit: June\u2013September

Top Places to Visit

La Compa\u00f1\u00eda de Jes\u00fas — A Jesuit church covered floor-to-ceiling in gold leaf. Seven tonnes of gold adorn the baroque interior with intricate Moorish-influenced carvings. Often called the Sistine Chapel of South America.

Mitad del Mundo — A monument and museum complex marking the equatorial line 22 km north of Quito. The nearby Intinan Museum offers hands-on equator experiments. GPS shows the real line is 240 m away.

Telef\u00e9riQo — A gondola ride from 2,950 m to 4,100 m on the flanks of Volc\u00e1n Pichincha. Breathtaking views of the city and surrounding volcanoes. Hike higher to the summit if acclimatised.

Old Town (Centro Hist\u00f3rico) — One of the best-preserved colonial centres in Latin America with 40 churches, 17 plazas, and countless ornate facades. The first city inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978.

Plaza Grande — Quito's main square surrounded by the Presidential Palace (Carondelet), the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Archbishop's Palace, and the Municipal Palace. Free changing of the guard on Mondays.

Local Food

Hornado — Whole roast suckling pig with crispy skin, served with llapingachos (potato patties), mote (hominy), and aji sauce. Found at markets and roadside stalls across the highlands.

Locro de Papas — A thick, creamy potato soup topped with cheese and avocado. A highland comfort food staple for centuries, served in homes and restaurants across Quito.

Llapingachos — Pan-fried potato patties stuffed with cheese, served with fried egg, sausage, avocado, and aji. A beloved Ecuadorian breakfast or snack found everywhere.

Canela\u00e7o — A warm cocktail of aguardiente (sugarcane spirit), naranjilla fruit juice, cinnamon, and sugar. Quito's signature drink, perfect for cool highland evenings on La Ronda.

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