Quito Historic Centre

UNESCO World Heritage Site: City Of Quito (1978, One Of The First Two Cultural Sites Ever Listed). The Largest And Best Preserved Historic Centre In The Americas, With Baroque Churches Such As La Compania De Jesus And San Francisco, Convents And The Presidential Palace On Plaza Grande. · Quito, Pichincha

Quito's Historic Centre sits at about 2,850 m in the Andes and is the largest and best-preserved colonial centre in the Americas, listed by UNESCO in 1978, among the first two cultural sites ever named. Steep cobbled lanes link Plaza Grande, the Presidential Palace and the Cathedral with baroque churches such as La Compania de Jesus, covered in gold leaf, and the San Francisco church and convent. Above it stands the Panecillo hill with its winged Virgin of Quito, and nearby are museums, the restored street of La Ronda and the busy Mercado Central. The honest picture is a lively but demanding city: thin air makes the first days tiring, pickpockets work crowded squares, and the area is best seen by day. Check current government travel advice before going, stay in the centre, use ride apps at night, and give yourself time to adjust to the altitude. Many visitors use Quito as a base for day trips, but the old town alone rewards two unhurried days of walking, looking up at carved ceilings and stopping often for coffee or a warm soup.

Colonial old town of the capital at about 2,850 m, centred on Plaza Grande and the Church of the Society of Jesus, with the Panecillo hill and its Virgin overlooking it, Quito, Pichincha, Ecuador

The streets and plazas are open at all hours and free to walk, but the centre is best visited by day and quiet in the evening. Churches, museums and the Basilica keep their own hours and many close on Sundays or Mondays; the Presidential Palace offers free guided visits on some days, so verify. Confirm tickets and opening days locally.

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