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Quito is one of the most beautiful colonial cities in South America. It has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1978. In 2006, the old centre was completely renovated and given a new lease of life. The city also has a second, more modern centre. The contrast between the traditional and the contemporary makes Quito a unique travel destination.
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Strolling through the narrow streets of the old centre, you encounter history on every corner. Enjoy the colonial ambience, the hustle and bustle of street vendors and musicians, and the smell of grilled meat and roasted peanuts. Old Quito is buzzing with life. It is a busy but very friendly place and there is plenty to see, including the Cathedral, the Palacio del Gobierno, the Palacio Arzobispal and many beautiful churches such as La Merced, which has the highest steeple in the old city.
Tourist office: www.quito.com.ec
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Take a taxi to the Guápulo Mirador. The view over the Cumbaya valley is breathtaking, especially at night when the city is brightly lit. Ask the driver to take you through Avenida Gran Colombia to the San Juan Mirador. From here, there is an incredible view of colonial Quito. Finally, visit the Panecillo Mirador, the most popular hilltop viewpoint with views over both the old and new cities.
If you want to enjoy a wonderful panorama throughout your visit, stay at the Hotel Quito in the new area of the city on the hill of Guápulo. The views from the bedrooms and other rooms are stunning (hotelquito@orotels.com).
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 Don’t forget to make time for a journey into the past during your trip. Visit the Museo del Banco Central (Central Bank Museum), which holds the largest collection of Ecuadorian art. The museum’s Sala de Arqueología houses mainly ceramics, and in the Sala de Oro there is a display of gold artefacts from the pre-Hispanic period. The museum also has an impressive collection of modern and nineteenth-century art.
www.bce.fin.ec
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Modern Quito is only a twenty minutes walk from the historic centre. The Mariscal district is the tourist centre and the place to be. This hip, trendy district has hotels, restaurants, cybercafés, terraces and nightclubs. Although it attracts many tourists, the area is also popular with the people of Quito, which makes for plenty of local colour.
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 Plan a visit to the hot springs of Papallacta. It is an hour’s drive from Quito to this village in the Amazon jungle. The natural hot springs are located in a relatively cold climate and are especially popular with tourists at weekends. Enjoy a cold beer as you bathe in the warm waters. This is a wonderful healthy pick-me-up and an ideal way to de-stress completely.
Termas Papallacta: www.papallacta.com.ec
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 The Patio de Comedias theatre offers a varied programme from Thursday to Sunday. Ecuador’s renowned artists perform in this small, welcoming theatre that seats 100 people.
www.patiodecomedias.org
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 In the Mariscal district, mainly around Plaza El Quinde (also known as Plaza Foch), there are many popular places to enjoy a night out. These include Restaurant Q (below the Nu House hotel) and the El Pajar nightclub. At the weekends in particular, many venues have live music. Many of the cafés are open 24 hours a day.
If you visit Plaza El Quinde, it is advisable to take a taxi because not every district in Quito is completely safe.
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Quito has a long educational tradition. Since the seventeenth century, the city has had three universities and is one of Latin America’s most important centres of learning. Today, thanks to its universities, educational institutions and schools, Quito is the ideal place to learn Spanish.
For information on Spanish schools, visit: www.quito.com.ec/spanishschools/index.html.
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If you are looking for a hotel with a touch of luxury, book a stay at a boutique hotel. This is the term for a hotel characterised by distinction, intimacy and stylish design. There are several of these hotels in Quito:
Hotel Patio Andaluz is located in the old historic centre (www.hotelpatioandaluz.com) and has a pleasant colonial ambience.
There is also the Hotel Plaza Grande, at the heart of the old centre (www.plazagrandequito.com), Hotel Café Cultura (www.cafecultura.com) and Hotel Casa Aliso (www.casaaliso.com).
For more boutique hotels in Ecuador, visit: www.ecuaworld.com/hotels/boutique/index.html.
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Although Quito is not on the coast, you can still enjoy fantastic fish and seafood dishes, which are a firm favourite with the locals. Try the sopa marinera (fish soup), camarones al ajillo (prawn in garlic sauce) and above all the ceviche mixto (marinated fish salad). Every district has excellent fish restaurants. Ask at your hotel, or try the following: Mare Nostrum (Foch 172), Mediterráneo Cevichería (J. Carrión 974) or Mariscos La Jaiba (Avenida Cristóbal Colón 870).
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Salsatecas (salsa clubs) provide entertainment until well into the small hours. There are several good addresses in Quito, such as Seseribó (rua General Vientimilla and Avenida 12 de Octubre) and Mayo 86 (rua L.García 662), both good clubs where you can admire the talents of passionate salsa dancers – and give it a try yourself, of course!
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More reasons to visit Quito? Visit: 
www.ecuador.com
www.quito.com.ec
www.ecuaworld.com
www.exploringecuador.com
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