7 tips for a visit to Quito

7 tips for a visit to Quito

After a few months in South America, the cities begin to merge. ("Where was this great ice cream parlor? Santiago or Buenos Aires?", "Where was this yellow church? Montevideo or Asunción?")

QUITO with its elegant colonial buildings and the charming small town feeling will be remembered months after our visit. As usual in South America, it did not go smoothly. Here we share some tips that you should know before visiting Quito.

1. Be patient - very, very patient

If you fly to Quito, you are lucky. If you arrive by bus - especially from the border town of Tulcan - you will be prepared for one of the longest trips in your life.

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We had several long bus trips through Colombia and Peru behind us (a few 15-hour trips and a 32-hour journey), but it was the trip from Tulcan to Quito-only for five hours-which drove us almost crazy.

This bus lasts almost every 15 minutes to pick up passengers, newspaper sellers, miracle pills, religious preachers, wannabe rappers, fortune tellers and everyone in between.

Sometimes he stops for no reason and sniffs like an unwieldy animal on the side of the road. It is very, very difficult not to fall into the impatient-western mode. Try to remember that this apparently endless journey supports people on site, then bite your teeth together and pray for it to end.

2. Use Quito not only as a starting point for the Galápagos trip

Some tourists are only a short detour on their way to the Galápagos Islands. This is a mistake. Quito is a travel destination itself. The old town is full of charming architecture and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978 as the second place after the Galapagos Islands.

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don't miss the Iglesia de la Compania de Jesus, La Capilla del Hombre, Basílica del Voto Nacional or Iglesia de San Francico.

To expand this point, use Ecuador not only as the basis for the Galápagos Islands. There is so much more to do and see, including the Vulkan Cotopaxi, Mitad del Mundo with its official equatorial line, the hot sources of Baños and Chimborazo, the blessing of the earth.

3. Take part in the free hike

tours are a great way to see a city. Of course they are driven around in a group of Gringos, but they also get a great snapshot from a city.

We took part in the Free Walking Tour Ecuador and were confronted with a number of cultural and culinary highlights by Ovi, a local guide with deep knowledge and a prepared smile.

The tour takes place Monday to Saturday and starts on Pedro Fermin Cevallos at 10:30 a.m. in the rain or sunshine at the Community Hostel. Don't forget to take a tip for your tour guide (5-10 USD per person).

4. Do not climb El Panecillo on foot

If you take part in the free hike, you may be warned against climbing El Panecillo on foot.

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This hill south of the old town offers a wonderful view of Quito and the opportunity to see La Virgen de Quito up close, a huge statue of the "Virgin of Quito", which is decorated by her with a star crown, angel wings and a chained kite (entry fee: 1 USD).

You will surely meet one or the other traveler who surely visited the city on foot, but do not take any risk. The area is said to be incomplete and the passage passenger can be dangerous for pedestrians. Instead, choose a taxi ride of $ 4-5

5. Don't be sloppy

In general, the Ecuadorians in Quito dress conservatively. It will be easier for them to get in touch with locals if they leave the batik-t-shirt and the torn sandals in the hostel.

A clean T-shirt with elegant shorts, pants or dark jeans are more appropriate. Be warned that you can be offered drugs several times as a foreigner who looks "alternative" (e.g. a man with dreadlocks or long hair).

6. Visit the interior of the basilica

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The Gothic Basílica del Voto Nacional is one of the most beautiful buildings of Ecuador. On the way to the entrance we met two fellow travelers who were rejected at the door because the basilica was closed due to service.

When we arrived there just five minutes later, we were greeted with a smile (and a small fee of $ 2 per person). If you are rejected, wait or come back later, because the interior is definitely worth a visit.

shaky walkways and steep stairwells lead the visitors through the hall end of the indoor inside to the clock tower and beyond. Dizziness may have problems, but for the rest of us it is more than worth.

7. Do not trust the laundry salons

This is more of a carefree anecdote than a tested gospel, but still worth observing. We were told that we should pick up our Thursday wash on Saturday after 9 a.m. When we arrived at 9.15 a.m., the laundry salon was closed.

A window was open and inside played music, so we thought that the owner might have come out for a short time. Let's purify 20 minutes and we start to worry because we have to catch our bus. We ask our hosts in the hostel next door whether they know the owner. They call them over and over again, without success. Our clothesack contains approximately 90% of our clothes (yes, it was a bit desperate).

Peter suggests climbing through the window, but our host warns us. Another 15 minutes. We approach our departure dangerously and still have to pack 90% of our clothes. Finally Peter makes an executive decision, jumps to the window shelf with full force and jumps into it.

somewhere in the guts of the building, a dog barks, but he combs through the room and manages to recover our pack sack. Our host apologizes many times on behalf of the owner, we run up and throw everything into our backpacks, hurry to the place of departure and make it just in time.

It was not the first time that we had laundry problems in South America and have learned an important lesson: Always plan time for delays and not appearances!

The essentials

was: a stay in Quito, Ecuador, the officially highest capital of the world.

Where: We stayed in the Quito Backpackers Guesthouse, which has a great location near the historical center. The rooms are large and spacious, albeit a bit cold and the employees are super helpful. If you are looking for a more lively hostel, book the Secret Garden Quito, where the Australian host Tarquin runs a busy, lively place that offers a fantastic view from the breakfast bar on the roof.

When: The high season lasts all over Ecuador from mid -June to early September (dry season) and from late December to the beginning of January. The weather in Quito is pleasant all year round, so you may want to visit it outside of the high season (we were in March and it was wonderful). Remember that Quito is almost on the equator, but is very high, so that it can still be cool. Bring layers.

like: Quito is very well connected to over 100 companies that combine the capital with destinations throughout Ecuador. Visit ANDES Transit or Latin Bus for timetables. If you fly to Quito, book flights via skyscanner.net.

Further information on the visit of Quito can be found in the Lonely Planet Guide to Ecuador.

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