Top Things to Do in Quito
Quito, a UNESCO-listed capital city of Ecuador, has lots to offer. From the colonial architecture, many incredible viewpoints, modern cable car to museums or Mitad del Mundo. This comprehensive travel guide includes top things to do in Quito, advice on where to stay, how to stay safe, or how to get around the city. What to do in Quito, and what are the best attraction? Let's find out.
When we were looking for the best things to do in Quito, we came across many recommendations and safety concerns in the Ecuadorian capital. We were quite surprised by it.
Typically, travel guides try to show all the glamour and focus solely on what to do in a foreign destination, but Quito felt slightly different, at least before we had visited it.
And as we know, traveling is all about feelings and expectations. It is important to set expectations right and know both the bright and dark side.
But if you read only negative reviews about the city, it is hard to be super-excited unless you want to prove everyone wrong.
We only ask you to visit Quito with an open mind. It is not a UNESCO city without reason, right?
Although it is still not recommended to walk in dark alleys lightheaded, and you should watch your belongings all the time, especially in the crowded public transport, and essentially use your common sense, don't let the idea of crime to spoil your trip.
To be honest, we did not find Quito somehow different from other South American capital cities regarding safety.
And walking around the city's beautiful architecture shouldn't be missed. But first things first.
Do you have a feeling that walking in the streets of Quito leaves you breathless?
Nestled high in the Andean foothills at 2850 meters above sea level and surrounded by volcanoes, Quito is the second-highest capital in the world; only La Paz in Bolivia is higher! (Quick note, true capital of Bolivia is Sucre).
Spend here a few days (try not to drink alcohol as it doesn't help with acclimatization), and you should be fine and ready for your Ecuadorian adventure.
Quito is a wide-spread city that lies only about 20 km from the Equator - the trip to the Mitad del Mundo will probably take you the longest.
Still, if you plan on staying somewhere in the Old Town, La Mariscal, or La Floresta area, you should be able to explore Quito on your own, mostly on foot or by public transport, which is quite easy to use.
If you plan your Ecuador itinerary, Quito will probably be your first stop on your trip.
Quito also serves travelers as a perfect base for organizing tours to nearby mountains or, more often, as an essential stop before their flight to Galapagos Islands.
No matter if you plan to travel in Ecuador independently or use an organized tour, here are the top things to do in Quito you can't miss.
THINGS TO DO IN QUITO
Because of the high elevation and constant clouds rolling over the city, it sometimes might seem that Quito is moody and unwelcoming. But the opposite is true.
The city has an internationally recognized historic center that is worth your attention, and some of the best tourist attractions are located right here.
On the other hand, when exploring Quito, your hands are surely not tied up as you can easily leave the center and explore what the destination has to offer outside the city limits.
We spent quite some time in Quito on our long term trip around South America. We did a lot of sightseeing, but also used it as a base for a few trips and got used to its pace and atmosphere.
In this travel guide, we would like to inspire you to visit Quito and see the city through our eyes. Except for the tips on what to do in Quito, we also share practical tips so you can enjoy your trip to the fullest.
VISIT MITAD DEL MUNDO
It is not possible to visit Quito and not to have on the itinerary its biggest attraction.
Mitad del Mundo is the most visited site in the whole of Ecuador. The massive monument, located only 20 km from Quito, marks the equator, the middle of the Earth.
Although the latest measurements proved that the equator doesn't lie exactly here, but in the place, approximately 240 meters more south plus the equinoctial line is actually a strip that is 5 km wide, and the GPS position 00°00’00” constantly moves within this strip.
So who wouldn't like to have a picture while standing with each leg on a different hemisphere?
There is a whole tourist village built around the Mitad del Mundo monument. Apart from the museum within the monument itself, you'll find here some other museums, planetarium, ancestral village, and many restaurants.
The entrance fee is $5.
To get to La Mitad del Mundo, you can take a taxi, which is a bit expensive.
A good alernative is to take a Mitad del Mundo tour and spend the day with a local guide.
But the cheapest way to visit this place is to take public transport. No matter where your hotel is in Quito, hop on the bus going to Ofelia bus station.
It is on the city's outskirts, and the ride takes an hour. The ticket cost $0.25. From Ofelia, take another bus from the first platform going to Mitad del Mundo.
It takes another approximately 40 minutes and costs $0.15.
We've written a full post dedicated to Mitad del Mundo, where you can find out the more detailed information and plan your trip.
EXPLORE QUITO'S OLD TOWN
Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1978 for its well-preserved historical center, beautiful colonial architecture, and many incredible churches, the Old Town is a place where you will disconnect from the crowded public transportation, omnipresent street noise, and vendors trying to sell their stuff.
Plus, Quito's Old Town is compact and pedestrian-friendly.
Quito was founded in the 16th century on the ruins of an Inca city and until now has the least altered historic center in Latin America. Most of the sites are close to each other, so no worry, you won't accidentally skip a point of interest.
You can start on Plaza Grande, also known as Independence Square, where you will find several architectonical gems, Presidential Palace among them.
You can then continue to the gold church La Compania de Jesus and one of Quito's most notable squares Plaza San Francisco where also stands Roman Catholic San Francisco Church.
We won't bore you with naming every single church and plaza that is worthwhile the visit. Hopefully, some of our old town photos throughout this article will give you an idea about this remarkable place.
If you prefer exploring a new destination with a guide, consider taking the Quito Guided Walking Tour, which will provide a lot of information, plus you will see the best the historic center has to offer.
MUSEUMS OF QUITO
Every capital city boasts of museums, and Quito is no different.
On one rainy day, we decided to visit Capilla del Hombre & Museo Guayasamin. The museum shows the work of the most famous Ecuadorian artist and, by extension, one of South America's most important artists of the modern era.
Before visiting the museum, we must admit that we had never heard the name Oswaldo Guayasamin, but we became admirers of his paintings immediately.
Guayasamin focuses in his work (among other things) on the suffering of indigenous people; what a surprise was that one of his pictures is dedicated to the suffering of people from a burned-out city in the Czech Republic, Lidice.
The collection is in a remarkable monument-like building, which was finished after Guayasamin's death.
The other building you can visit is the artist's former house. Apart from the building, which is remarkable on its own, there is also a museum and a collection of objects Guayasamin bought or received during his life.
The admission to the museum and the private house is a bit steep for Ecuador - $8, but it includes a guided tour (in Spanish or English), and after experiencing both parts, we agreed that those $8 were well-invested.
From the central bus stations, take a bus going to Ecovia and get off at Bellavista station. From here, you must walk about 15 minutes uphill (there might be some other bus going closer to the museum, but we didn't want to change lines).
Traveling in Quito by public transport is a challenge on own, and if you can't withstand overcrowded spaces, we recommend taking a taxi instead.
Surprisingly, visiting this museum was one of the top things we did in Quito, and if you have more time, it is definitely worth exploring the local art scene.
If you want to know more about Quito's architecture and art, check out this tour: Quito City Tour & Capilla del Hombre Art Museum that also includes the trip to the aforementioned museum.
WALK LA RONDA STREET
A famous pedestrian street La Ronda lies in Quito's historic district, but we think it deserves a separate paragraph in this guide.
In the 19th century, houses in this street became gathering places for poets, writers, painters, sculptors, singers, and political activists.
Later, the area struggled as it was home to Quito's drug scene and prostitutes, but thankfully, in the late 20th century, the city's tourism board decided that the street needs restoration in order to attract more visitors.
Nowadays, Calle La Ronda can remind you of Spain's streets or other cities with a Spanish architectural influence.
Calle La Ronda is traffic-free, and in the houses along the street are many restaurants, galleries, artisan shops, and also educative boards about the colorful history of this street.
TELEFERIQO RIDE
Quito lies 2850 meters above sea level, but around the city are many mountains where you can get spectacular views over Quito and the mountainous landscape.
One of the best places to get views of the wide-spread city and other volcanoes in the near surroundings is to take a cable car up to the east side of Pichincha Volcano.
The TeleferiQo cable car will take you to 4000 meters, and from here, you can either take a hike to Rucu Pichincha, bike down the slope back to Quito, or lazily walk around, enjoy the views and maybe swing back and forth above clouds.
We took the TeleferiQo cable car only one day after returning from the Galapagos Islands, and we could feel the altitude. It is better to acclimatize in Quito for at least two days before going up.
To get to cable car by public transport, take a bus to Colon station (from our station Santo Domingo, we took C4 line).
Get off at Colon station and take another bus going to La Comuna. Tell the driver where you are heading, or he will announce TeleferiQo station.
From here, you must either walk about 1km uphill to the cable car entrance, or you can take a taxi for $1.
The cable car ride takes 18 minutes and costs $8.50.
It is worth it to wait for the weather to clear out, as the views from the ridge are truly spectacular, and riding by cable car to the top of the mountain and walking in nature was one of our favorite activities in Quito.
ADMIRE QUITO FROM ABOVE
As we've already mentioned, there is a mountainous landscape everywhere around Quito, and it is easy to choose one point from where you can overlook Ecuador's capital and take awesome photos.
If you don't want to ride a cable car and go further from the center, you can walk to the easily reachable viewpoint Virgen de El Panecillo.
The stone monument on the hilltop is hard to miss - to get there, follow the street climbing uphill.
CLIMB THE BASILICO DEL VOTO NACIONAL
To get one of Quito's most renowned and postcard-like views, you must climb to a Basilico del Voto Nacional tower.
It is the largest neo-Gothic basilica in the Americas, and although it looks nice from the outside, we believe that it is worth it to spend $2 to climb the tower.
There is a separate entrance fee to get to the basilica ground floor, but you will see the inside anyway if you want to climb the tower, only from the first floor.
You will need good stamina for heights as climbing the last ladder is pretty challenging, but it is nothing too terrifying that should stop you from getting this exceptional experience.
STREET ART
Quito is often depicted as a grey, cloudy city. But even if the weather during your visit does not play along, your trip can be a bit more colorful thanks to many street arts represented by graffiti and murals.
Large cities in South America such as Rio de Janeiro or Medellin are actually well-known for their cultural scene, and Quito is no different.
You can find murals on a random wall in the city center, but areas such as Mariscal or Floresta are well-known for cool pictures that give Ecuador's capital yet another dimension.
As usual, you can look for Quito's street art on your own.
Or take a Quito Street Art Tour on which a knowledgeable guide will show you some of the best murals, plus tell you more about the community and stories behind each painting.
TASTE HOT CHOCOLATE WITH CHEESE
Traveling is all about trying new things. If you are a foodie and never miss a chance to taste something new in a foreign country, you should definitely visit any coffee shop in Quito.
We are pretty sure you will find on their menu an unusual beverage - hot chocolate with cheese. For us, it is surely a unique combination. We won't tell you how it is like, it’s just different - go and try it by yourself.
For sure, the colder weather conditions and high altitude are a place where you want to drink something hot and filling.
Hot chocolate with cheese is actually a drink you can also taste in Colombia, for example, in the historic center of Bogota.
TAKE A DAY TRIP TO OTAVALO
In case you've already seen all the top-rated attractions in Quito, it is time to take a one-day trip outside the city's limits.
Although there are many options on day-trips from Quito, Otavalo, the market town close to borders with Colombia, belongs among the most popular ones.
Of course, it would be much better if you could spend in Otavalo a day or two to get the sense of this traditional town, but this option is better than nothing if pressed for time.
Otavalo is famous for its markets and indigenous culture, but also the beautiful settings.
One of the highlights is definitely a trip to Lake Cuicocha or Peguche Waterfall.
Otavalo is easily accessible from Quito. You can take a regular bus from Northern Bus Terminal, but if you prefer a trip without the necessity to arrange transport, check out this well-rated Otavalo Tour from Quito.
WHERE TO STAY IN QUITO
There is no shortage of accommodation in the center of Quito.
We stayed at Santo Domingo square in the city center, as it's a safe area, and all main sightseeings are a walking distance from this place.
But there are so many more hotels to choose from.
Most importantly, it does not matter what type of traveler you are; there will always be a place that fits your budget and required comfort level.
We've selected the three best hotels in Quito for every type of traveler.
Budget | Hostal Juana de Arco - This well-run hostel was our base before and after our trip to the Galapagos Islands, and it had everything we needed. Breakfast is included, there is also a kitchen for guests' use, and we could safely store our stuff there for a week.
Mid-range | Hotel Reina Isabel - This nice stylish hotel has air-conditioned rooms, modern facilities, bright rooms with city views, and an excellent Mariscal district location, one of the top areas for backpackers.
Luxury | La Casona de la Ronda Hotel - Set in a colonial-style house at a great location in Old Town, La Casona de la Ronda Hotel features comfortable beds, spacious rooms, a great restaurant, and it has all the amenities you need.
HOW TO GET AROUND QUITO
The public transport in Quito is inexpensive, one ride cost $0.25, but the orientation is a bit harder. This was at least our initial feeling.
We found the best always ask in our hostel, and the locals always helped us with directions and bus numbers.
There are three different types of public transport: El Trole, Metrobus, and Ecovia; the subway system is currently being built.
If you stay in the center, the closest transport hub is La Marine station, from where it is easy to get almost everywhere outside the center (for example, to Mitad del Mundo, Guayasamin Museum, or TeleferiQo).
To get around the center, we preferred walking.
The only downside of Quito's public transport is how unbelievably crowded it is.
It seems that people never get off, and there are only more and more passengers getting on.
Add several vendors, performers, and people asking for money plus the unpleasant habit that people don't wait for others to disembark so you must fight your way out, and you know you are about to experience something special.
And funny thing - buses are sometimes longer than stations, so if you stand in the back part of the bus, it can happen you won't get out where you intended.
BEST TIME TO VISIT QUITO
Statistically, the best time to visit Quito and Ecuador is during the dry season, which lasts from June till September. This period is then followed by December till February.
You can expect mild temperatures throughout the year, but the altitude and mountains nearby can definitely shuffle the cards.
Simply put, plan a visit to Quito any time of the year; just make sure you have the right equipment that will protect you from occasional wind and rain.
WHAT TO PACK FOR VISITING QUITO
Quito lies at 2800 meters above sea level on the Equator. It means that the sun is powerful, but it can be windy and rain any time of the year.
Our advice? Come well-prepared and never underestimate the elements.
Here are seven essential things you should bring along when traveling to Quito.
If you plan on visiting Quito and Galapagos, you might need a rucksack or suitcase, depending on your travel style.
We recommend you to bring a good rain jacket for hiking or longer city walks, as the weather can change quickly.
If you want to see as much as possible what Quito has to offer, we recommend you to wear comfortable shoes. Sneakers are fine for the city itself, though hikes around Quito require sturdy hiking boots.
To capture all your memories, bring a compact travel mirrorless camera.
You are on the equator at a high altitude; use strong sunscreen even if it's cloudy. Sunscreen with SPF 50+ is a must.
If you are planning your long term trip, make sure to read this article What to Pack for South America.
SAFETY IN QUITO
We've already briefly touched on this topic, but in this paragraph, we would like to talk more closely about whether Quito is safe for travelers or not.
If we should answer this question shortly, we would definitely recommend you to visit Quito. Do not be put off by its reputation.
We would say that Quito seems about as safe as many other capital cities in South America, such as Lima or Asuncion. Rule number one, you should definitely use your common sense.
Do not walk around the town lightheaded. If possible, keep your valuables in the hotel room, and take out your camera on your mobile phone only when necessary.
When looking for Quito’s top attractions, do not get lost in shabby parts of the city.
We would also recommend you not to go out after dark to areas you are not familiar with, and in case you want to go to the bar, always keep an eye on your drink, and get back to your hostel by taxi rather than on foot.
We think Quito during the day is safe even for solo female travelers. Of course, mishaps happen.
My phone was stolen in Colombia, so since then, I was super-careful, but in my opinion, if a thief picks you as a target, it is very hard to do something about it.
Be super-careful on public transport, though as buses are very crowded.
Also, check out this article Is It Safe to Travel to South America?
Travel Insurance
We never leave home without travel insurance that was designed to cover our expenses if something goes wrong during the trip.
Travel insurance protects against theft, flight delays, injury, illness, cancellations, and much more.
World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers to cover their trip essentials, including sports and adventure activities.
SafetyWing is affordable travel insurance for backpackers, long-term travelers, and digital nomads.
Travel smarter and safer!
HOW TO GET TO QUITO
As the capital city, Quito has the advantage that getting to or from this destination is very easy. There's an airport, but we will now assume you want to get around Ecuador by bus.
If there's one thing you should know, it is that Quito has two major bus terminals and you have to choose the right one, depending on your next destination, as both of them are quite far from each other.
Terminal Quitumbe is located south of Quito's center and services top tourist places south of the capital, such as Latacunga, Cuenca, Riobamba or Banos.
This terminal is very modern, but do not be fooled by its appearance and watch your belongings.
On the other hand, Terminal Carcelen is designed for buses that head to the northern part of the country, and you will find here a bus, for example, to market town of Otavalo or Mindo, a gateway to a cloud forest.
It takes time to reach the centro historico from both terminals, so make sure you incorporate the journey in your travel itinerary.
TOURS FROM QUITO
You can enjoy many day trips from Quito independently, thanks to the fact the capital is well-connected with other popular travel destinations.
But if you are short on time or don't feel like traveling alone, you can take a guided tour.
Here are the three most popular tours from Quito to explore this wonderful country outside the capital.
Quilotoa Lagoon Tour | If you don't have time for a multi-day Quilotoa Loop Trek, take this Quilotoa Lagoon Tour. Without a doubt, this volcanic crater lake is one of the must-visit places in Ecuador.
Antisana Volcano Day Tour | Visit the fourth highest volcano in Ecuador on this tour and admire fauna and flora in the national park.
Cotopaxi National Park Tour | Cotopaxi National Park is home to 5897 meters high active stratovolcano, and this tour will allow you to appreciate the exquisite beauty of this place.
Travel Resources
Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.
Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.
Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.
We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.
Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.
Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.
Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.
