By air
Mariscal Sucre International (UIO), ~1 h by road
South America · Ecuador
Quito, Ecuador
A colonial capital high in the Andes
Getting there
Best time to visit
June to September — the drier season
Don't miss
Plaza Grande
The Church of the Society of Jesus
The Basilica del Voto Nacional
The TelefériQo
Things to do
Walking the historic centre
Riding the TelefériQo up Pichincha
A day trip to the Mitad del Mundo
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Asamblea Nacional del Ecuador · CC BY-SA 2.0
What to pack
Warm layers, rain jacket, sunscreen for the altitude
A quieter corner
La Ronda, a restored colonial lane of craft workshops
Questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Quito?
June to September — the drier season. What to pack: Warm layers, rain jacket, sunscreen for the altitude.
How do I get to Quito?
Fly into Mariscal Sucre International (UIO), ~1 h by road.
What is there to do in Quito?
Walking the historic centre, riding the TelefériQo up Pichincha, a day trip to the Mitad del Mundo. A quieter find: La Ronda, a restored colonial lane of craft workshops.
What should I eat in Quito?
Locro de papa potato soup, empanadas de viento and hornado roast pork.
About Quito
- Mountains
Where it is
Quito is the capital of Ecuador, set in an Andean valley at about 2,800 metres below the slopes of the Pichincha volcano.
History
An Inca city stood here before the Spanish founded San Francisco de Quito in 1534. It became a centre of colonial art and church building, and in 1978 its historic centre was among the first places named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
People
Quiteños speak Spanish, with Kichwa heard among Andean communities, and the old centre stays busy with street vendors, church processions and families out on the plazas.
Known for
- One of the best-preserved colonial centres in the Americas
- Gilded baroque church interiors
- Volcano views from the city's hills
- The equator monument just north of the city
Did you know?
Quito is one of the highest capital cities in the world and lies only a short drive south of the equator.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.