Quito, Ecuador - A South American City with So Much to Offer!
Written: Mar 14 '06 (Updated Mar 14 '06)
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Pros: So much to see, amazing landscape, great hub for travel, rich in culture
Cons: Poverty, pollution, crime
The Bottom Line: Quito is an amazing city with many sights. Although it is a hub for travel, it is worth stopping and seeing.
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| Javelina's Full Review: Quito |
I ended up in Quito after spending about a week in the Galapagos. It is one of the major hubs for flights, both within the country and international. It is the capital, and second largest city, in Ecuador, with a population of over a million. The city stretches across a valley, between volcanoes. It is located towards central Ecuador, and is at an elevation of almost 10,000’.
Airport
When we first left the Galapagos, we flew into Guayaquil, stopping briefly before flying into Quito. I had heard stories about how nerve-wracking it is to fly into Quito. Being almost 10,000’, and in a valley, there is a fairly quick descent into the middle of the city. However, it was not something I considered particularly scary despite the stories I had heard.
The airport - Aeropuerto Mariscal Sucre - is large and modern. It is a major hub for international flights, and there were plenty of people there. When we left, we were on the flight from Quito to Miami, a popular flight that leaves two times a day, and is generally packed.
There are lots of stores (including duty free shops) at the airport. We did some last-minute shopping on our way out of the country, which was nice to grab some gifts and souvenirs we had missed along the way.
There is a $25 charge to leave the country. Make sure you are ready to pay this. We checked our bags on the way out, and if we weren’t looking for somewhere to pay, we would have walked right by the tiny little booth. If you don’t pay there, you’ll run into problems later, so it’s best to get it taken care of. They give you a receipt to prove that you have paid.
Outside of the airport are plenty of opportunities to catch a cab or other transportation. We had transportation arranged by our tour group, but it would have been easy to flag down a cab.
Hotels
There are many hotels in Quito, several of which are located by the airport. We stayed at the Hotel Hilton Colon, considered one of the nicer hotels in the city, of which there are a handful that stand out. We passed the Marriott, which looks gorgeous and I have heard is wonderful. The nice thing about the hotels by the airport are often free shuttles to the airport.
We felt safe at our hotel, which was modern and had plenty of tourists there. It had all the amenities that an American hotel would have, including high speed internet, bottled water, and TV with English channels. There were was a military presence both inside the lobby and outside the hotel, which added a feeling of security.
Getting Around
We had shuttles arranged to and from our hotel (by our hotel and Galapagos tour guide). However, we had no problem finding taxis around the city for other excursions. For about a 5-minute ride from a hotel to a restaurant, it was $2 – very cheap. We stayed at the Hilton Colon in Quito, and there were plenty of taxis out front and driving around, so it was quite simple to flag down a taxi. Just be prepared – our taxi driver did not speak a word of English. Fortunately, I had the name of the restaurant we were going to, as well as the address written out on paper, so I was able to read it to our driver. I was also able to use my rudimentary Spanish skills to get to some of the historical sites, which of course no address was needed for.
There are lots of city busses, which spew out lots of pollution. I don’t know if this is an option for tourists. Further outside the city, we met some people who traveled on buses for more remote destinations, but it was time-consuming. However, they were able to travel for very cheap, so it was a worthwhile trade-off in their case.
The Sights
There is a lot to see around Quito. We were able to squeeze in a brief historical tour on one day, which took us out to the perimeter of Quito, and also did a little touring on our own. The old city has been declared a world cultural heritage site by UNESCO.
We first visited El Panecillo - a monument of the Virgin Mary that stands atop a hill on the outskirts of town. “El panecillo” is translated as a bread roll, and refers to the shape of the hill that the monument sits on. Getting there was quite a feat, and it was an experience riding the tour bus that struggled up the narrow streets, looking down sheer sides of hills.
El Panecillo is gorgeous, both from afar and close-up. The sun was just going down as we arrived. The area was decorated with Christmas lights, as it was the first week in December. When we first got off the bus, we noticed a military presence, just as the rest of populated areas of Ecuador. The streets around El Panecillo are lined with vendors, and this was actually a good opportunity to do some shopping. There are typical blankets, clothing, and trinkets, as well as “Tigua” paintings, which are your typical Ecuadorian paintings (see http://www.tigua.org/). We were able to bargain a little bit on the items we bought. I also bought some cotton candy (which came on a piece of twig).
The Plaza de San Francisco is a big open area surrounded by churches. We went there first on a night, and it was very quiet. We went back about a week later on a Saturday afternoon, and it was packed! There were vendors, bands, performers, and lots of visitors (mostly Ecuadorian). Along the plaza is a place called Tinguez, a tea shop that also has a store attached. We had some tea and empanadas, which were excellent. The items on the menu were very cheap, and we never got sick from the food or tea. After eating, we shopped at their store, which is absolutely amazing. It stretches through passages that run under the church. The store alone is beautiful! The items sold range from typical tourist goods like t-shirts and trinkets to more expensive and unique items. They sold many items made by a local women’s cooperative, which was happy to support but also made wonderful gifts.
In the plaza is the oldest church in the city - Iglesia San Francisco. There was a service in progress, and there is no flash photography allowed, so we just peeked inside quickly. The inside of the church is absolutely beautiful, and is pretty large. You can take a tour of the buildings, but we did not have time.
Not too far from the Plaza de San Francisco was the Presidential Palace. There is a large monument in the middle of this plaza. The buildings that line the plaza are gorgeous. As we walked towards the Plaza de San Francisco, there were many horse carriages available for rides. Lights lined the road, built into the sidewalk, and we passed some churches and the first bank of Quito, with its impressive, enormous barred doors.
Across from our hotel was El Ejido - a park that we were warned to stay away from. They sell a variety of artwork, many of which are modern paintings. There are so many other places to buy things, it just wasn’t worth taking the risk when there are so many alternative options.
One of the things we missed, which I wish we had done, was Teleferiqo. It was too late for us to try to go or even research it in the time we had, but there is a gondola that takes you to a highpoint of Quito. Up there are restaurants and other tourist attractions. This is a new tour and just opened in July - I'm sorry I missed it!
There is always the popular Mitad del Mundo - or “middle of the world” monument. It is a small park in which lies a tall column with an “earth” orb on top, straddling the equator – or supposedly straddling the equator. There is a bright yellow line which denotes the northern and southern halves of the earth, but we were told by a local that it isn’t really on the mark. Either way, I didn’t find the monument appealing. It lies right outside of Quito, and we caught a glimpse of it as we drove by – it still wasn’t worth going, but if you need the obligatory picture of yourself supposedly straddling the equator, that’s where you would go for it!
Just driving around is an interesting experience in itself, taking in the sights and culture of Ecuador. I loved being driven around the city and seeing the people of Quito, the traditional wear, the Ecuadorian hats. While at the Plaza de San Francisco, we went into a few non-tourist stores. While touring Quito, you see how the people of Ecuador live, what their homes are like, and what life is like. There are so many parts to Quito, from narrow, cobbled streets, to brand new strip malls. I wish I had more time to experience Quito, that’s for sure.
Although much of Quito is gorgeous, it does have its downsides. The pollution is definitely one of them – an ailment of many large cities. Not only was air pollution obvious (visible and detectable scent-wise), there are areas with lots of litter. There are political issues in Ecuador, and when we went, we weren’t sure if the President would be overthrown while we were there. Some of the Spanish-speaking members of our group noticed some pretty anti-government graffiti around the city. Poverty is unfortunately obvious in Quito, and it was sad to see. But despite it’s problems, Quito is still beautiful for its location and culture.
I literally only sampled a tiny piece of Quito in the time I spent there. There are so many other things to see and do in this marvelous city. I hit some of the major points and wish I had had time to visit more.
Food & Restaurants
Our hotel had a choice of places to eat, but we also ate at Rincón La Ronda Restaurante and the café at Tingua. Both were an excellent opportunity to try Ecuadorian food. One of my favorite Ecuadorian dishes is locro de papas con queso y aguacate - a potato soup with cheese, topped with avocado. Although I heard that La Ronda was a touristy restaurant, no one there spoke a word of English – so be prepared to know a little Spanish. I was pleased to know some of the dishes ahead of time, having traveled through Ecuador for two weeks.
Safety
When I first started researching my trip to Ecuador, I spent time in some travel forums, including Lonely Planet Thorntree and Fodors. The stories I heard were pretty scary – lots of muggings, kidnappings, all kinds of awful stories. We also had guidebook to Ecuador, which warned about many areas as well. Needless to say, we were a little paranoid as to what to bring to Ecuador, and paranoid about being safe.
For starters, my husband bought me a PacSafe. It is a regular backpack, but has a built-in mesh, almost like chicken wire. After hanging out on the forums and doing research, I had heard a lifetime’s worth of “slasher stories” - not just for Quito, but around Ecuador and South America. Muggers will slash your bags and steal your stuff. We took these stories with a grain of salt, but did end up running into a couple our age on our trip, who had their bags slashed. In fact, had their bags between their legs on a bus, and someone slashed their bags from the seat behind.
The PacSafe did make me feel more secure. We always kept alert and aware, but at least I wasn’t as worried about what I couldn’t see going on behind my back. I would recommend not only my particular PacSafe pack, but their other products. (www.pac-safe.com)
Some other tips I gained on the trip would be to put a piece of duct tape on your bag, and even your camera. That way, it will look like you have already had your stuff stolen or damaged, and can make you a less appealing target.
In the end, there was no need for all our paranoia. Play it safe and use common sense, and you'll probably be fine. Don't dress flashy, keep valuables locked at the hotel or inconspicuous, and just stay aware at all times.
Other Thoughts & Packing List
We were able to find an ATM in Quito. We asked our taxi driver to take us, and he stopped along the road in front of a bank, so my husband was able to get some cash.
There is quite a bit of pollution in Quito. The busses spew out so much exhaust, and there is an incredible amounts of traffic. You can smell the pollution in the air, and see the haze of it as well. Because the city is at such a high elevation, we were feeling the effects of both the altitude and pollution. I remember the first night we stayed there, I would wake up in the middle of the night catching my breath. We had not spent any time acclimatizing, since we came directly from the Galapagos. After a day in Quito, we headed even further up to Cotopaxi, which was the worst for us in terms of altitude sickness. But after a week spent in the highlands, we felt fine when we returned to Quito.
Altitude sickness manifests itself in the form of headaches, nausea/loss of appetite, shortness of breath, and feeling tired. Little did I know that there is a medicine that can be prescribed by a doctor – I probably would have asked for it.
In our “arsenal” of preparedness supplies we brought to Ecuador, was:
- Advil, Excedrin, etc.
- Pepto Bismol, Immodium Advanced – never know when food/water will disagree with you
- Vitamins – to keep up my energy, hopefully keep healthy after flying, etc.
- Zinc – aids in helping with altitude sickness (thins the blood)
- Dramanine (for the Galapagos, a must) and ginger pills, which can help you with everything from seasickness to nausea from flying
- Anti-nausea liquid
I also recommend bringing:
- spanish words/phrases book
- Water bottle – we got bottled water wherever we went, so I always made sure I had an extra on hand for when there wasn’t access to bottled water
- sunscreen – this is the equator, so even though it can be cold, the sun is very strong. We walked around on a cloudy day without sunscreen, and I got burnt!
- waist belt – make sure your passports, money, and other important essentials are kept safe
- camera – we were very careful, but did bring our cameras. There’s so much to take photos of, you wouldn’t want to miss out.
- backpack – preferably something not flashy, doesn’t look like a camera or expensive bag. As I recommended earlier, I loved having a PacSafe pack.
Overall
Having spent only two days in Quito, I wish I had spent more time there. Quito is an amazing city, with so many parts to see. Not only does it have so much to offer, it is an excellent hub for exploring the rest of Ecuador.
If you would like to see photos, e-mail me! I would be more than happy to share my photos! (EpinionsJavelina@hotmail.com - please write "Ecuador" in the subject line)
Lonely Planet: http://www.lonelyplanet.com (check out the ThornTree Forums)
Fodors: http://www.fodors.com (also has a “talk” forum)
Mitad del Mundo: http://www.mitaddelmundo.com/
Tigua paintings: http://www.tigua.org/
Read about Tianguez cafe/gift shop: http://www.theethnicshop.com/sinchiing.html
TeleferiQo: http://www.teleferiqo.com/
Celia's Ecuador travel trips: http://www.xs4all.nl/~cile/travel/tips.htm#ecuador
My related reviews:
Hotel Colon Guayaquil
Hotel Hilton Colon, Quito, Ecuador
Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve
Black Sheep Inn, Chugchilan, Ecuador
Hacienda San Agustin de Callo, Cotopaxi, Ecuador
Galapagos Islands
Lindblad Expeditions (to the Galapagos)
TAME (the airline of Ecuador)
Recommended:
Yes
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