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Tailor-made toursQuito and surroundings
Quito’s artistic creativity awaits the visitor in cosmopolitan galleries and boutiques filled with contemporary paintings, sculptures and exquisite traditional crafts. The stay in Quito must include a visit to the Colonial section, the old and charming city with 400 years of Spanish heritage. Also, visit the Middle of the World, the very centre of the earth, at latitude 0°, and enjoy a performance of the Jacchigua Folklore Ballet featuring a troupe of brilliantly costumed dancers re-enacting traditional rituals and celebrations. Scenic Tour of Quito
Scenic Tour of Quito & Lunch All the attractions of Quito Scenic Tour MT-113. Then relax, as the local people do, over a leisurely lunch of typical Ecuadorian cuisine. Quito Scenic Tour & Archaeology Museum Quito Scenic Tour plus MT-113, plus the Archaeological Museum Tour MT-118. Colonial Tour of Quito In the 16th and 17th centuries, colonial builders designed formidable convents, civil buildings and mansions. The first stop is at the Recoleta of San Diego, a place of retreat for monks and laymen in the Colonial times. An important work of restoration has redeemed the church, the cloisters, the pictorial and sculptural works of art, the altarpieces and the caissoned ceilings. Then, proceed to the Museum of the City of Quito, which showcases daily life in the city from 10,000 BC to the present. This imposing building was originally a hospital and is now a must-see for Quito visitors. Continue on to a colonial mansion, The House of Urrutia, inhabited until recently by the family of the original owners and left untouched, with authentic floors, carpets, paintings, furniture and artefacts. Cameras are not allowed inside the historic buildings; they will have to be left with the guard at the entrance. Quito Archaeology Museum Relive the history of Ecuador’s most ancient cultures at the Archaeology Museum, one of the finest archaeological and gold artefact collections in the Americas, part of the vast collection owned by the Central Bank of Ecuador. There are over 1800 pieces arranged in chronological corridors with explanatory panels and dioramas. No pictures are allowed inside the museum; your camera must be left with the guard at the entrance.
Drive into the old Colonial city for a sight of the romantic plazas and past the impressive public and religious buildings. Quito is particularly splendid in the evening when illumination adds a special drama and mystery to its baroque architecture. Then, on to the hills on the west side of the city for a panorama of twinkling lights covering the valley below. Return to town for dinner at a selected Ecuadorian restaurant. Casual evening dress - coat is needed. This tour does not include any walking. Bring camera and film suitable for night time photography. Legends and Traditions of Quito Quito's new image delights all visitors. Quito’s Colonial downtown area, the largest and best preserved architectural space in all of the Americas, has been completely restored and has just celebrated the 25th Anniversary of its declaration as a World Cultural Heritage Site. The colonial quarter is particularly splendid in the evening when illumination adds a special drama and mystery to its baroque architecture and gives the city a unique atmosphere that takes you back to the time of many legends and stories. An easy stroll will take guests through romantic plazas and past the impressive public and religious buildings. The classic canelazo (hot drink) will be offered at one of the traditional meeting places. Art Gallery Tour This tour will take you through Ecuador’s art, history and treasures. The artistic trails of Ecuador offer some of the most rewarding sights in the world. Pre-Inca peoples left some of the oldest and finest artefacts and jewellery from the earliest times; the Spanish conquest brought new skills and religious fervour to the creation of superb religious sculptures and 20th Century artists produced dramatic paintings. You will experience the ancient, the historic, the contemporary and the handicraft treasures that make Quito an extra special destination for art lovers. Browse through genuine paintings, reproductions, originally designed jewellery, ceramics, ornaments and more, designed by world-renowned Ecuadorian artists. You can choose to visit two or three of Quito’s Art Galleries, Guayasamin’s Art Gallery and Chapel of Man, Viteri’s Art Gallery, Folklore Olga Fisch. You may also visit only Kingman’s Posada de la Soledad in the nearby valley at an extra cost. Colours and Flavours of Quito
Then, proceed to the Colonial Quarter of Quito, a World Cultural Heritage Site, for a stroll in the heart of the city. Quito's millenary traditions are still very much alive here and the city is buzzing with all the activity. Explore many small family shops that make special candles for different religious ceremonies, see where they sell all kinds of grains, bake great smelling desserts, manufacture hats and much more. Then drive up the Hill of Panecillo, a great lookout point with a huge (41 metre) statue of the winged Virgin of Quito. The Middle of the World The Equatorial Monument, 25 km (16 miles) north of Quito, marks the exact Middle of the World, latitude 0º, where you are able to stand with a foot in each hemisphere. Visit the Ethnographic Museum, displaying the great diversity of Ecuador’s native groups. By the monument is a colonial-style town, complete with main square, church, post office, bullring, cafeterias, restaurants and many gift shops selling postcards and souvenirs. A certificate for having crossed the Equator is issued to each participant. The Middle of the World & Rumicucho Ruins The Equatorial Monument, 25 km (16 miles) north of Quito, marks the exact Middle of the World, latitude 0º, where you are able to stand with a foot in each hemisphere. Visit the Ethnographic Museum, displaying the great diversity of Ecuador’s native groups. By the monument is a colonial-style town, complete with main square, church, post office, bullring, cafeterias, restaurants and many gift shops selling postcards and souvenirs. A certificate for having crossed the Equator is issued to each participant. Then visit the nearby ancient Pucará of Rumicucho, an archaeological site of great interest, believed to be a solar observatory and fortress during the pre-Inca period. The Middle of the World & Lunch The Equatorial Monument, 25 km (16 miles) north of Quito, marks the exact Middle of the World, latitude 0º, where you are able to stand with a foot in each hemisphere. Visit the Ethnographic Museum, displaying the great diversity of Ecuador’s native groups. By the monument is a colonial-style town, complete with main square, church, post office, bullring, cafeterias, restaurants and many gift shops selling postcards and souvenirs. A certificate for having crossed the Equator is issued to each participant. Lunch at one of the lovely restaurants in the area. Quito & Middle of the World The first stop is at the Parliament Building, whose stone mural records Ecuador’s history. Then take a stroll downtown and visit the colonial temples and monasteries of this urban jewel, designated by UNESCO a World Heritage Site, starting at the Independence Plaza, flanked by the Cathedral, the Presidential Palace, the Municipal Building and the Archbishop’s Palace. Visit the Church of La Compañía de Jesús. Quito & Middle of the World plus Lunch As MT-129 above, adding lunch at one of the excellent restaurants in the Quito or Equator area. Useful tips
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The capital of Ecuador has a setting that few cities can match. During the 13th century it was the prosperous centre of the Kingdom of Quitus. It later became the northern capital of the Inca Empire. In the 16th and 17th centuries, Colonial architects built formidable temples, monasteries and mansions, creating an urban jewel designated by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site.
The first stop is at the Parliament Building, whose stone mural records Ecuador’s history. Then a stroll downtown and visit the colonial temples and monasteries of this urban jewel, designated by UNESCO a World Heritage Site, starting at the Independence Plaza, flanked by the Cathedral, the Presidential Palace, the Municipal Building and the Archbishop’s Palace. Visit the Church of La Compañía de Jesús. Continue to the Church of San Francisco, one the of great religious buildings of the New World; its impressive façade and atrium lead to its gilt interior a Baroque influenced by Moorish style, with the winged Virgin of Quito at its main altar. The tour ends at a lookout point with a great view of Quito.
Panoramic Quito by Night & Dinner
Experience Quito's everyday life and follow the locals to the quaint vegetable markets in the city. The colorful fresh produce is piled high in neat stands perfectly organized in rows of fruits, vegetables, many different kinds of potatoes, medicinal herbs, and specially prepared fruit juices to cater to every need - from hangovers to liver problems... Get your own basket and fill it with the most colorful and tasty fruits. The lively vendors, and the housewives, who are doing their shopping, will be eager to show you how to eat and prepare the food. Ecuador's rich biodiversity is here for you to enjoy.
Continue to the Church of San Francisco, one the of great religious buildings of the New World; its impressive façade and atrium lead to its gilt interior a Baroque influenced by Moorish style, with the winged Virgin of Quito at its main altar. Then continue to the Equatorial Monument, 25 Km (16 miles) North of Quito, marks the exact Middle of the World, latitude 0º where you can stand with a foot on each hemisphere. Visit the Ethnographic Museum inside the monument, which shows the great diversity of Ecuador’s native groups. Beside the monument there is a colonial-style town, complete with a main square, church, post office, bullring, cafeterias, restaurants and many gift shops selling postcards and souvenirs. A certificate for having crossed the Equator is issued to each guest.