LATIN AMERICA QUITO DESTINATIONS T


he number of visitors to the Ecuadorean capital


IN QUITO Don’t skip


straight to the Galapagos


without getting to know Quito, writes Tamara Hinson


of Quito is rising – and they’re no longer heading straight to the Galapagos. Instead, they’re taking time to appreciate its fantastic architecture, sample its wonderful food scene and explore the cloud forests within easy reach of the city. And to stand on either side of the equator, just outside Quito’s centre. It’s a great time to visit – this


year is the city’s 40th anniversary as a Unesco World Heritage Site, and a new metro system, set to be unveiled in 2019, will make exploring this South American gem even easier.


◗ DAY ONE 08.00: Get your bearings with a wander around Plaza de la Independencia, in Quito’s old town. This beautiful square is


surrounded by Quito’s most important buildings: the cathedral, the Archbishop’s Palace, Municipal Palace and Presidential Palace. Talk nicely to the guards outside the presidential residence and they’ll let you inside the gates to pose for a selfie next to the soldiers at the palace’s entrance. If jet lag hits, head to the


cafe inside Hotel Plaza Grande. For added wow factor, order the Los Corridos (traditional, homemade ice cream). The lights will dim, bells will chime and a purple cloak-wearing cucurucho (penitent) will deliver your dessert, served atop a smoking bowl of dry ice. plazagrandequito.com


09.00: Quito’s altitude, at 9,350ft, means it’s best to take things easy on day one, and luckily, some of the city’s most


beautiful churches are close to the main square. Start with Quito Cathedral, completed in 1806, 246 years after work began. This explains the mixture of styles – there are beautiful gothic arches, a baroque altar and a neoclassic choir. For a bit of bling, check out the nearby La Compañía de Jesús – seven tonnes of gold adorn the interior of this enormous church.


10.00: See how locals shop with a visit to the nearby Mercado San Francisco. You’ll find everything from toys to hardware in this huge market, although the fresh produce stalls aren’t for the squeamish (you’ll see cows’ tails and entire pigs’ heads). Equally fascinating is the medicinal herbs section. Locals come to meet herbal healers who will identify their ailment before cleansing them. After being diagnosed, the customer enters a curtained


08.00: Plaza de la Independencia 6 December 2018travelweekly.co.uk71


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