5 days in Quito

Day by day

1. Day 1: Plaza Grande and Carondelet Palace and Church of La Compañía de Jesús

   Plaza Grande and Carondelet Palace, Church of La Compañía de Jesús and Church and Convent of San Francisco, then Calle La Ronda in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Plaza Grande and Carondelet Palace

      Start your Old Town walk here early in the morning, then follow Calle García Moreno south past La Compañía towards La Ronda. (1 hour, free).

   2. Late morning

      Church of La Compañía de Jesús

      Visit on a bright day when sunlight through the dome makes the gilding glow, and look for the painting of hell near the entrance. (45 minutes, low cost).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Locro de papa

      The Mercado Central and almost every set-lunch (almuerzo) menu in the city.

   4. Afternoon

      Church and Convent of San Francisco

      After the church, visit the museum cloisters and then have a coffee in the arcades along the plaza's edge. (1–1.5 hours, low cost).

   5. Evening

      Calle La Ronda

      Come in the early evening for a canelazo and empanadas de viento, then return to your hotel by taxi.

2. Day 2: El Panecillo and TelefériQo

   El Panecillo, TelefériQo and Ciudad Mitad del Mundo, then Plaza Foch, La Mariscal in the evening.

   1. Morning

      El Panecillo

      Take a taxi up and ask it to wait; do not walk the stairs from the Old Town, where robberies have been reported. (1 hour, low cost).

   2. Late morning

      TelefériQo

      Go early, as clouds usually build by midday, and bring a warm jacket; spend a day or two in Quito first to acclimatise. (2–3 hours, mid-priced).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Hornado

      Market stalls with whole pigs on display, and family restaurants on the roads out of the city.

   4. Afternoon

      Ciudad Mitad del Mundo

      Combine it with the Pululahua crater viewpoint, a few kilometres away, and go in the morning before the clouds settle. (Half a day, mid-priced).

   5. Evening

      Plaza Foch, La Mariscal

      The densest cluster of bars, salsa clubs and late-night venues, popular with students and travellers.

3. Day 3: Basílica del Voto Nacional and Casa del Alabado Museum

   Basílica del Voto Nacional, Casa del Alabado Museum and Mercado Central, then La Floresta in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Basílica del Voto Nacional

      The final ladders to the top are exposed and narrow; skip them if you dislike heights and enjoy the view from the lower walkway. (1–1.5 hours, low cost).

   2. Late morning

      Casa del Alabado Museum

      Visit it before La Compañía to understand the indigenous symbolism that later appears in colonial art. (1–1.5 hours, low cost).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Llapingachos

      Markets, traditional restaurants and as the standard side to hornado.

   4. Afternoon

      Mercado Central

      Go at lunchtime, order a locro and a juice at a busy stall, and keep your bag in front of you. (1 hour, low cost).

   5. Evening

      La Floresta

      Craft breweries, wine bars and the Ocho y Medio cinema café in a quieter residential barrio.

4. Day 4: Day trip to Otavalo market

   About 2 hours by bus each way. Getting there: Bus from Terminal Carcelén, or a tour.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Otavalo market

      About 2 hours by bus (Bus from Terminal Carcelén, or a tour); about 95 km.

   2. Day

      Otavalo market

      The indigenous Kichwa Otavalo people run one of South America's best-known craft markets around the Plaza de los Ponchos, selling textiles, wool, hammocks and jewellery. Best for shopping, culture and first-timers.

   3. Evening

      Back in Quito

      Dinner: try Empanadas de viento.

5. Day 5: Capilla del Hombre and Casa Museo Guayasamín and Parque Itchimbía

   Capilla del Hombre and Casa Museo Guayasamín, Parque Itchimbía and Parque La Carolina and Jardín Botánico, then Calle La Ronda in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Capilla del Hombre and Casa Museo Guayasamín

      Take a taxi up the Bellavista hill and see both buildings on one ticket; the guided visits help explain the paintings. (2 hours, mid-priced).

   2. Late morning

      Parque Itchimbía

      Visit at sunset by taxi and look down on the church domes as the lights come on. (1 hour, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Empanadas de viento

      Cafés on Calle La Ronda and in the Old Town, especially in the evening.

   4. Afternoon

      Parque La Carolina and Jardín Botánico

      Visit the orchid greenhouse in the botanical garden, then rent a paddle boat on the lake with children. (2 hours, low cost).

   5. Evening

      Calle La Ronda

      Small bars serving canelazo with live Andean and folk music in the Old Town.

Before you go

Reserve timed tickets for Plaza Grande and Carondelet Palace before you travel; the rest of this plan needs no advance booking.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 5 nights, Centro Histórico keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, San Marcos ($$) suits quiet stays, couples and culture. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 18–21 hours of visiting over 5 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 12.1 hours in January to 12.1 hours in January.

More or fewer days

• One day in Quito
• 2 days in Quito
• 3 days in Quito

Questions travellers ask