Location: Quito
Top Things to do in Quito
The 10 Best Things to do in Quito, Pichincha Province
With a rich pre-Colombian history, Ecuador's capital was founded on the ruins of an Incan city but offers everything a modern traveler might need. It remains the least-altered historic center in Latin America and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Quito’s important sites include baroque gems like San Francisco and Santo Domingo monasteries, as well as La Compañía church and college. This huge city sprawls across a breathtaking Andean valley surrounded by volcanic peaks.
Restaurants in Quito
1. Museo Templo del Sol Pintor Ortega Maila
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 7,730 reviews
The Temple of the Sun Temple Painter Ortega Maila is a masterpiece built by the indigenous painter and sculptor Ortega Maila after a great research of design and ancestral architecture to maintain his art and culture of the Andes. The tour lasts approximately 1 hour with a guide. The tour includes an aromatherapy session and coca leaf tea courtesy of the museum.
Reviewed By I2924GCdanielt - Prague, Czech Republic
Great place to visit, within the hour tour you can experience aromatherapy, coca tea, and view world-wide class paints.
2. Fundacion Iglesia de la Compania
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4,974 reviews
This Jesuit church is a masterpiece of baroque and Quiteno-colonial art with lavish golden altars and gilded columns, making it one of the most ornate structures in Ecuador.
Reviewed By tomy476 - Chicago, United States
Fundación Iglesia de la Compañía is a must see visit while in Quito. The $5 entry for tourists is well worth it. From floor to ceilings the cathedral of an overload of beauty for the eyes with gold inlay everywhere, carvings, statues, murals... While there Without a guided tour I listened in on a few guided groups and would recommend doing that. If you want, this would be an ideal place for a longer silent spiritual retreat like visit to take the beauty in...
3. Casa Museo Guayasamin
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,254 reviews
This museum features exhibits related to the Ecuadorian contemporary artist Oswaldo Guayasamín including posters, signed prints and colonial religious art.
Reviewed By tortuga1959 - Bern, Switzerland
A great museum with a very interesting history behind. Guaysamin was a very special artist with huge talent.
4. El Panecillo
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,581 reviews
Resembling a type of small bread (panecillo), this hill makes an excellent observation point over Quito and features La Virgen del Panecillo, a majestic sculpture that can be seen from any location in the city.
Reviewed By georgesB4777WE - Miami Beach, United States
This is a hill which overlooks Quito. It is topped with a huge statue of The Virgin Mary and can be seen from the city even at night, when the statue is bathed in white light. The hill (shaped like a loaf of bread) is at Quito’s southern end (close to Old Town) and can be reached by either a city bus or via a cheap Uber ride. There is a restaurant (Pimms) on the top and there is no admission fee. The views of the city from the top are great and, in my opinion, superior to the ones from TeleferiQo. There is a $2 admission should you want to climb the stairs inside the silver aluminum statue of the Virgin. BTW, the City hop-on bus generally makes an extended stop here and you can take some wonderful pictures. A must-see!!
5. Quito Old Town
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4,785 reviews
This historic district was the first city named a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is noted for its narrow streets, Spanish colonial architecture and historic attractions.
Reviewed By LidiaK54 - Toronto, Canada
Quito Old Town is exceptionnaly beautiful with ist numerous churches, narrow streets, picturesque squares, amazing views. It's an incredible pleasure discovering it by foot.
6. Intinan Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,412 reviews
Located close to the Equator Monument, this onsite museum features interactive exhibits on how the Incas determined the middle of the earth, plus interesting science experiments such as balancing an egg on a nail and the affects of the Coriolis force on earth.
Reviewed By carolelovestravel - Ottawa, Canada
From the Main Mitad del Mundo monument, we walk about 400 meters on the main road and turn onto a sandy entrance to what appears a little sketchy. We continue to find a small entrance into a great venue. We are greeted by someone who guides us to an outdoor seating area where we wait for a fee minutes. Soon a guide introduces herself and she proceeds to take us through various exhibits which include head shrinking rituals, Amazon tribes people, ancient art, artifacts and the must see and do Equator line experiments where the question of the direction water drains north vs south of the equator is finally answered! Balance an egg, test your strength and stand on the actual GPS confirmed Equator line. A great, informative, fun and hands on experience.
7. Basilica del Voto Nacional
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,861 reviews
Considered the largest church in Quito, this impressive building features fine bronze doors, colorful stained glass windows and a tower with sweeping views of the city.
Reviewed By Dorito50 - Washington DC, United States
A church that reminded us of Notre Dame in Paris is the last thing we expected in Quito, but that was the magnificent Basilica del Voto Nacional. Admission is $1/pp. There is a separate $2/pp to go to the roof and the cupola over looking the grounds and the city. All well- spent. The grounds themselves are lovely and worth wandering. Besides the magnificent architecture and stained glass inside, each province has donated artwork that fill side altars and is fascinating for its variety and insights into the different parts of Ecuador. An exquisite silent chapel behind the main altar is easy to miss but shouldn’t be. We are not religious but found it easy to spend more than an hour here altogether and would have tarried longer if it had not been closing time.
8. TeleferiQo Teleferico Quito
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4,550 reviews
Reviewed By ekeav
Pick a clear day and go in the morning, before it gets busy. Beautiful views that show just how big Quito really is! Bring a jacket, its very windy at the top! The cafe is lovely with more great views.
9. La Capilla Del Hombre
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,651 reviews
Reviewed By dtroppy
We didn't want to leave the museum or the artist house that was on tour. Gorgeous painting make this a must see when visiting Quito.
10. Mitad Del Mundo
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 3,657 reviews
It is located approximately 20 minutes away from Quito, at San Antonio de Pichincha. The "Mitad del Mundo City" surrounding the monument includes several restaurantes and folk-lore shops, museums about the mission that measured the Earth, the "Solar Cuture Museom" (with a display of the lates investigations about the real middle of the world), and a Planetarium. Inside the monument is an interesting Ethnic Museum. Youcan shop and place one foot on the northern Hemisphere and the other on the southern Hemisphere.
Reviewed By myom624 - Coquitlam, Canada
From the balcony of the big Equator Monument are just "quite comprehensive" views of the grounds of this site (which yes is a "huge compound" with this big monument as its main attraction or "the centerpiece" with also many other one-and-two-storied structures dotted over the grounds especially on the north & east sides) and also "fairly breathtaking" views of the mountains pretty much in all four directions in the vicinity of the city (with the one I enjoyed most among those mountain views being that of the "twin mountains" to the north); also be sure to look up & see the carvings on the big globe above featuring "the world's continents". And then also at this big monument (specifically inside the Monument after coming back in from the balcony) is just a "pretty great spectacle" (in my opinion) of the displays on the total of about 9 small floors (each really with not much space to walk around) with displays on the upper floors being those of the construction of this big monument (among which some nice historic photos including one of the "much smaller" monument which first existed at this site before it was replaced by the current one) followed by those for the "culture & geography" of the country to be seen on the lower floors which despite their small sizes are those with displays of "life-sized & life-like" human figures engaging in their work activities which are likely specific to each region of the country (really a fun & creative way to learn about the country). And yes, personally for me the "most rewarding" part of my visit to this monument (& the entire big site around it) is getting the "souvenir stamp" of this great site (no doubt with its worldwide geographic significance!) in my passport (a little corner area just near the monument entrance on the first floor is where to get that stamp). And as for the spacious grounds around the Monument (overall a "fairly spread out" site): just a short walk to the north from the Monument across the big circular lawn are these lovely souvenir shops (actually a cluster of colorful small houses pretty nice to see from the Monument's balcony as mentioned above) with all varieties of souvenirs for your "one-stop shopping" (not necessarily from just one shop here but not having to bother with that back in the city); on the west side of the lawn around the Monument (where the monument entrance is on the east side) is a big colorful "name sign" of this site for some great photo-op (a little above ground with some steps to go up to it); and on the east side of the site grounds (outside the big circular lawn around the Monument) is a passageway lined with "busts on columns" of the scientific explorers & plates with their brief info (those of centuries ago who launched missions to the Equator & thereabouts) which in my opinion is a nice way to learn about those great explorers right after coming through the site entrance on the way to the Equator Monument (and where on either side of that passageway are also a small planetarium & some small museums although I didn't have time for any of those). And thinking that I had to go on a guided tour or such with this site being about 25 km from the city center, I was pleasantly surprised by the availability of "public bus" (just for a negligible cost for the ride of about an hour).
