Quito, Ecuador’s ancient peak capital soars at over 9,000 feet above sea level. It is one of the highest cities in the world. It is one of South America’s leading tourist and student destinations. Quito really is a mix of everything, combining ancient breath-taking architecture with the bustling energy befit of a top contemporary capital. There are plenty of things to do in Quito it makes very difficult to plan a quick itinerary. We have taken the liberty of relieving you of that stress, discover the top 5 things to do while in Quito. You can consider this to be your mini-Quito travel guide.
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Visit Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús
La Compañía de Jesús stands out as one of Quito’s most ostentatious Jesuit churches. The construction of the church took 160 years. It is a masterpiece boasting of perfect symmetry; a gild marvel of baroque and Quiteno-colonial art. It is the most beautiful church in the country and it is evident to see. The altars and columns are decorated with tons of gold and their peaks are covered in green-and-gold domes. Your visit to Quito will not be complete without visiting La Compañía de Jesús.
Iglesia de La Compañía is the most beautiful church in Ecuador
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Explore the old town
Quito’s old town is very famous around the world. It is also popular for being one of the first UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Sites. The narrow streets promise to deliver a ton of surprises and beautiful memories to anyone that dares walk through them. The Old Town is a historic quarter and while exploring this site you will find many markets, historic plazas and ancient churches. In one of these historic plazas you can find the city’s oldest church (St Francis). You can explore the old colonial streets of Old Town independently and it is guaranteed you will find many interesting things. Keep your camera handy as there would be so many memories to capture and better yet find a random café, sit and chat with the locals and tourists as well, the Old Town is a good place to take a step back from everything, relax and enjoy Quito’s breath of fresh air.
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Hike to Volcano Pichincha
Crested high in the Andes Mountains, Quito is surrounded by a large number of mountains and volcanoes. Your visit to Quito would not be complete without a visit to one of these volcanoes. The closest one to Quito is Volcano Pichincha and it is 4,690 meters high. Wow, you must wonder how you would get that high, well TelefériQo is here to answer your prayers. TelefériQo is Quito’s amazing cable car liftservice and it can take you up to 4100m elevation significantly making your hike trip much easier. The cable ride takes 20 minutes. The trail to Volcano Pichincha also boasts of a very beautiful landscape. After your visit to Volcano Pichincha you can then decide to conquer other volcano sites as well.
La mitad del mundo- seperating the northern and southern hemispheres of the earth
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Go To Mitad del Mundo
The equator line sits just north of Quito, and that’s how Ecuador receives its name. Mitad del Mundo means middle of the world. There are two separate equator attractions: Ciudad Mitad del Mundo and Museo Solar Intinan. Mitad del Mundo is where you can find the main big monument and that big yellow line where the northern and southern hemisphere meet. You can take a selfie in two parts of the world at the same time at this point.
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Wave to the President (Yes, the President!)
Do not miss the chance to wave to Ecuador’s number one man. In other parts of the world, this is almost impossible but you are now in Ecuador so do not let this chance pass you by. Every Monday at 11am, President Rafael Correan flanked by some of his ministers stand on the balcony of the Presidential residence on Plaza de la Independencia in front of the public. it’s a big highlight of any visit to Quito, and a few hundred people, locals and tourists alike, come to witness this. Colourful musicians of the parliament also render the Ecuadorian anthem, You would want to get there at about 10am so you can find a good spot. This would sum up a beautiful visit to Quito, the beautiful peaked capital of Ecuador for you.
Study abroad in Quito, Ecuador and experience the Latin American culture. Czech College offers British accredited programs at affordable prices in the Quito campus.
Find more about the programs available at the Quito Campus: BBA – Bachelor of Business Administration