Isla San Cristóbal (Chatham)
A road leads from the capital to the village of El Progreso, about 6km to the east and at the base of the 896m-high Cerro San Joaquín, the highest point…
Must-see attractions in Ecuador
Iglesia y Convento de San Francisco
Quito
Construction of the convent, the city’s largest colonial structure, began only a few weeks after the Spanish establishment of Quito in 1534, but wasn't…
Quito
Just off Plaza Grande, this beautifully restored building houses the municipal library and lecture rooms, and hosts temporary art exhibitions.
Central Highlands
If you're interested in indigenous culture, a look around this museum is well worth your time. However the exhibits, spread over five floors, require some…
Museo de la Musica Popular Guayaquileña Julio Jaramillo
Guayaquil
This small, quaint museum is worth a peek while strolling through this historic area. One part is dedicated to the great singers and songwriters of…
Guayaquil
A block south of Parque Bolívar, you’ll find this museum and, on the opposite side of the building, the municipal library. The archaeology room on the…
Ecuador
Near the Mirador de Ventanillas you’ll pass the castle-like Templo del Sol, a re-creation of an Incan temple, complete with pre-Columbian relics and stone…
Central Highlands
This 200-year-old house was the countryside retreat of writer Juan Montalvo, the ‘Cervantes of America.’ There’s a tiny but well-put-together museum…
Quito
This monastery is a fine example of 17th-century architecture, with unusual Moorish arches decorated with hundreds of golden pineapples. Many of the…
Quito
On a hill in the northeastern part of the Old Town looms this massive Gothic church, Quito's largest, built over several decades beginning in 1892. Rather…
Quito
This 18th-century church boasts the highest tower in colonial Quito and a wealth of fascinating art, including paintings that show volcanoes erupting over…
North Coast & Lowlands
A stay at the Los Naranjos community includes meals, a tour, and a language class. If you're just coming for the day, the tour and an 'aura cleaning'…
Museo Arqueologica Playa Africa
North Coast & Lowlands
See a collection of more than 6000 pieces of artifacts from the region. Get off a northbound bus in Montalvo and ask for local transport (car or motorbike…
Quito
The views from the lookout platform are magnificent: on a clear day, you can see Volcán Cayambe and Cerro Puntas as well as the upscale suburb of Cumbayá …
Central Highlands
They say there’s lost Inca treasure buried somewhere in the remote and inaccessible wilderness of the 2197-sq-km Parque Nacional Llanganates. The park…
Quito
The Cantuña Chapel houses a small art collection from the Quito School. It’s shrouded in one of Quito’s most famous legends, that of the indigenous…
Quito
Up the flanks of Volcán Pichincha, this monument offers one of the finest views of the city. It was built at the site of the May 1822 Batalla de Pichincha…
Monasterio Museo Santa Catalina de Siena
Quito
Guided tours (in Spanish) of the museum at this fully functioning Dominican monastery, founded in 1592, take in 18th-century religious paintings, some of…
Quito
Between Parque Alameda and Parque El Ejido stands the National Assembly building, the equivalent of the Houses of Parliament or the Capitol Building. A…
Quito
Breaking up the New Town's sea of concrete and glass is this welcome splash of greenery, containing the Quito Observatory and a small boating lake. A few…
Guayaquil
Incorporated into the city landscape a short ride from the city center is this landmark cemetery, founded in 1823. It contains hundreds of above-ground…
Ecuador
Near the small town of Guayllabamba, 35km northeast of La Mariscal, is Quito Zoo. There are a few African and Asian species but the highlight is the…
Central Highlands
Although much of it crumbled in the 1797 earthquake, parts of the facade of this beautiful low-slung church date from 1534, making it one of the oldest…
Guayaquil
Across the street from the malecón is the ornate, gray Palacio Municipal building, home to the Municipal Council and the mayor's office. The elaborate…
Central Highlands
Most action tends to center on this main plaza. At the southeast corner stands the republican-era town hall, topped by a pair of stone condors. On the…
Central Highlands
Latacunga’s large markets are quite utilitarian, but that’s what makes them interesting. The food stalls on the second floor of the Mercado Cerrado …
Quito
Housed in a stunning modern glass building on the lower slopes of Pichincha, at the site of the city's first water distribution tanks, this museum tells…
Quito
Northeast of La Alameda, the pleasant, tree-filled Parque El Ejido is a popular spot for impromptu games of soccer and volleyball. The park teems with…
Museo en Miniatura 'Guayaquil en la Historia'
Guayaquil
This whimsical museum takes visitors on a breezy journey through Guayaquil's history, with elaborate miniature sets that relate key events over the past…
Quito
The beautifully restored former home of Mariscal Antonio José de Sucre, the hero of Ecuadorian independence, is now a small museum full of early-19th…
Guayaquil
Located north of the city on the way to Daule, this is a rescue and rehabilitation center for injured and abandoned wildlife, as well as being a zoo with…
Museo del Monasterio de las Conceptas
Cuenca
This religious museum in the Convent of the Immaculate Conception, founded in 1599, offers a glimpse into the centuries-old customs of the cloistered nuns…
Guayaquil
This plaza, along Avenida 9 de Octubre, is the largest in Guayaquil and marks the midway point between the Río Guayas and the Estero Salado. It is four…
The Oriente
Outside of Cotundo, the El Arca Rescue Center houses a myriad of rehabilitated animals in well-kept cages. Walk with a guide on the winding pathway to see…
Isla San Cristóbal (Chatham)
A half-hour northeast of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno by boat is the tiny, rocky Isla Lobos, with the main sea-lion and blue-footed booby colonies for visitors…
Isla San Cristóbal (Chatham)
On the western side of the island you’ll find this horseshoe-shaped cove with a white sandy beach and shallow water that’s good for snorkeling. Sea lions,…
Casa Museo María Augusta Urrutía
Quito
Of Quito’s house museums, this is the one not to miss: it’s a splendidly preserved, 19th-century home that was once the abode of the city’s best-loved…
Central Highlands
Inside the park, 9km from Control Caspi, this small interpretation center has a few display boards explaining the natural history of the area. Take a…
Loja
Loja's best viewpoint is at the top of the cable car from Parque Pucará, 1km south of Plaza de la Independencia up Olmedo. Walk or get a taxi ($1) to the…
South Coast
While Zaruma's mines are mostly exhausted or closed to visitors, you can step inside a 500m-long tunnel in La Mina el Sexmo. Guests don boots and a helmet…
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