QUITO • ECUADOR
Dreams, magic and reality blend in Ecuador within a beautiful landscape that is constantly changing, in very little time and short distances, from the Pacific Coast to the Galapagos Archipelago, from the Andes to the Amazon rainforest; a country that shows itself in incredible new ways and new environments, unlike any other, all in one place and so close.
The beauty is reflected in its fauna and flora, but above all, in its people: friendly, warm, simple, multiethnic. People always ready to welcome tourists with open arms, honest, authentic and proud keepers of amazing ancestral and cultural traditions.
Galapagos, the Pacific Coast, Andes and Amazon: are a perfect whole, distinct but inseparable, thanks to the warmth of Ecuadorians in offering the best it has with delicious cuisine, delicate and intricate crafts, music and art, sense of humor, and knowledgeable hosts of their homeland, welcoming tourists with friendship and a profound sense of universal brotherhood.
Paradise is not a big place as they say, it is in a country in South America, with friendly people, where birds sing and life smiles at night inviting sunrises
Los sueños, la magia y la realidad se mezclan en Ecuador, dentro de un hermoso paisaje que cambia constantemente en muy poco tiempo, en cortas distancias: desde la Costa del Pacífico hasta el Archipiélago de Galápagos; desde los Andes hasta la Selva Amazónica. Este es un país que está mostrando, de manera increible, nuevas formas y nuevos ambientes, como ningún otro.Un territorio todo en un solo lugar.
La belleza se refleja en su fauna y su flora, pero, sobre todo, en su gente: amistosa, cálida, sencilla, multiétnica. Seres humanos siempre dispuestos a recibir con los brazos abiertos al turista, mostrándose auténticos y orgullosos de ser los dueños de increíbles tradiciones ancestrales y culturales.
Galápagos, la costa del Pacífico, los Andes y la Amazonía son un todo perfecto, distinto, pero inseparable, gracias a esa calidez del ecuatoriano que ofrece lo mejor de sí a través de su deliciosa gastronomía, sus delicadas y elaboradas artesanías; su música y su arte; su sentido del humor y el conocimiento de su territorio como un perfecto anfitrión, que entrega al turista su amistad y su profundo sentido de hermandad universal.
El paraíso no es tan grande como dicen, está ubicado en un país de Sudamérica, de gente amable, donde cantan las aves y la vida sonríe en las noches, invitando a los amaneceres.
QUITO
The capital of Ecuador is a city where everything comes together, a nexus of elements that have created a crucible of nature and culture, traditions and modernity, that is refreshingly unexpected for visitors. Quito is full of surprises. We invite you to embrace this feeling of discovery as you explore it with us through the pages of this guide.
This surprise stems mainly from Quito’s staggering diversity: few cities in the world can beat its location in the mountains of the Andes, right in the heart of the Tropics at latitude zero – the Middle of the World. Its natural world can be felt everywhere you look and wander. Walking any street, you’ll find vistas of green mountains, a hummingbird flitting past, while venturing only minutes from the city, adventures in nature abound. But nature also comes in the shape of the dishes and culinary treats served at restaurants and homes, a veritable melting pot of the finest ingredients brought from the city’s surrounding regions and the four worlds the country boasts.
Surprise also comes in the form of culture. In pre-Hispanic times, peoples from distinct elevations and geographies gathered to trade and celebrate here. The Incas built upon these foundations, reveling in its proximity to their deity, the sun. The city of today is the result of a meeting of cultures – indigenous, Spanish and European – reflected above all in its Historic Centre, rightfully recognized by UNESCO in 1978 as the first World Heritage city in the world, but also in its dynamic modern neighborhoods, hives of exchange and creativity.
We hope this guide will help you discover our city’s wonders, enjoy its unique attractions, delight in its food, meet its people and share our fortune of living in a privileged place in the world – while all the while remaining open to the surprise that comprises all true journeys of discovery.
Welcome to Quito, where worlds meet.
