About Quito
Warm, moist pastures, snow-covered mountains, colonial-age jewels, and exotic gastronomy.
Quito is the capital of the Center of the World. Its proximity to the Equator, that imaginary line at latitude 0º that divides the Earth into two even hemispheres and defines the movement of our planet in space, is the reason why our capital is unique: a city that experiences all seasons, from cold winter nights to sunny summer weather, in just one day. The majestic mountains of the Andes and the magical cloud forests of the Choco, all located within the Metropolitan District of Quito, define the city’s breathtaking landscapes.
Highlights
Andean Choco Biosphere
to explore in Quito
The cloud forests that grace the mountains on the northwestern corner of Quito’s Metropolitan District offer a record amount of biological diversity. An enigmatic, fog-covered world filled with thousands of species of trees, plants, and orchids is home to countless birds. Many private, municipal, and national reserves and conservation projects provide excellent opportunities for adventure in these magic forests. This unrivaled natural paradise, the Andean Choco, demonstrates that it is possible to have a harmonious relationship between development and conservation .
Colonial Splendor in Quito
Quito is a captivating urban gem
Quito was declared the First World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1978 because it maintains the best-preserved historic downtown in America. This city landmark preserves the largest colonial enclave of South America, a sanctuary for an outstanding baroque artistic legacy. The fascinating collection of sculptures, paintings, altarpieces, sacristies, pulpits, and choirs that adorn its churches, covered with gold leaf and filled with details, amaze visitors irrespective of their faith.
The Middle of the World
Latitude Zero is more than just a line!
Just 30 minutes north of Quito proper lies the monument and tourist complex that showcases the Center of the World. Dedicated to the equatorial line that marks latitude 0º on the planet, this was the site where the 17th-century French geodesic mission took the measurements it needed to determine Earth’s true shape. The power of the Center of the World resides in a universal constant: Earth’s position and its relationship to the sun’s driving force. This is why the 0º latitude inspires more than just geography: it encompasses scientific fascination, spirituality, knowledge, and legends. Visit Quito and take a picture with one foot on either side of the thin, yellow line painted on the floor to represent the line that divides the planet into two hemispheres. This is your starting point for a magical, mystical, and diverse journey.
The Intiñán Museum
The Sun Temple Museum
The House of Agave
The Carlota Jaramillo Museum
La Quiteña Brewery
Pululahua Natural Reserve
Yunguilla Natural Reserve
The Lord of the Tree Chapel
Rumicucho ancestral ruins
The Negrete House Museum
Featured Sites to Visit
MONUMENTO A LA MITAD DEL MUNDO
MUSEO NUMISMÁTICO DEL BANCO CENTRAL
IGLESIA COMPAÑÍA DE JESÚS
MONUMENTO VIRGEN DE EL PANECILLO
Andean Gastronomy in Quito
Dine in a chapel, a garden, a theater, a food truck park, or a luxurious Republican mansion: the Ecuadorian capital’s culinary star is on the rise. Its privileged position in a geographic crossing allows it to combine art and history with ingredients, flavors, and culinary traditions. A new generation of talented chefs passionately serves dishes that meld rich ingredients with creative twists that please even the most demanding palates. A rich variety of local and international dishes in a cozy atmosphere. A culinary palette that includes Europe, the Andes, and the Pacific Coast in a delectable mix of heavenly pleasures.
SOUPS FOR EVERY OCCASION
Quiteños love soup. Beef, chicken, or fish stock serves as the base for corn, potato, grain, and bean soups complemented with a variety of garnishes. Try potato locro, sancocho (beef soup with plantain, potato, and corn), or ají de carne (beef soup with sweet plantain), and if you’re ambitious, taste caldo de patas, made with beef bone broth.... Or the traditional 12-grain fanesca during Holy Week.
HELADOS DE PAILA (FRUIT SORBETS)
Prepared by hand from natural fruit pulp, and spined inside a bronze cauldron that rests on dry ice, salt, and straw until it freezes. Nothing compares to the magic, purity, and taste of these traditional fruit sorbets.
SUBLIME FRUITS
Quito lies at the center of the world, where the best of the Andes and the tropics converge in wild flavors of exotic fruits like Golden gooseberry, custard apple (chirimoya), tree tomato, banana passionfruit (curuba or taxo), araza, borojo, baby banana, and babaco.