Quito, the capital city of Ecuador, is situated 2,850 meters above sea level in the Andes Mountains in the northern part of the country. With a population of 2,671,191, according to the last census (2014), Quito is the second most populous city in Ecuador, after Guayaquil. After I arrived in Quito from Galápagos, I grabbed a taxi at the airport and went to Hotel Eugenia, situated in Mariscal, or "new town" Quito. I stayed four days in Quito. The first day I took the Quito Teleferico, a cable car system taking you above the city (4,050 meters). From the summit at Cruz Loma, you have an excellent view of the city and the surrounding mountains. After returing down, I took a taxi to the historic center. Old town Quito has one of the largest, least-altered and best-preserved historic centers in the Americas. Quito, along with Kraków, were the first World Cultural Heritage Sites declared by UNESCO in 1978. The third day I went to Mindo Valley north of Quito to search for hummingbirds (separate page). A surely great day in the Andes cloud rainforest ! The last day I stayed in Mariscal. Quito was a nice city, and I felt much more safe here than in Guayaquil, where I arrived from Europe before the flight to Galápagos.

 

Oldtown Quito

Quito street shopping

Quito street

Quito street