Top 5 Things To See in the Historic Center of Quito, Ecuador

When we arrived in Quito, it was a Sunday. Monday through Wednesday had been spent getting settled in, buying groceries, checking out our new neighborhood, and catching up on work. But by Thursday, I was ready to see what “downtown” Quito had to offer. Matt and I wrapped up work for the day and then decided to take a trip into the Historic Center of Quito, or the Centro Histórico.

Considering that it’s about 4 miles from our place, we decided to take a taxi. Using Cabify, it only cost a couple of dollars. I put in our destination as Plaza de San Blas, which was kind of a mistake because I didn’t know anything about centro histórico yet… haha. But it was fine, and we were able to see everything we wanted to within walking distance.

About the Historic Center of Quito

Here’s a fun fact. The entire centro histórico was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1978. That’s because it’s the most original and best-preserved example of a “colonial center” in all of Latin America. In fact, Quito is the first city in the world to ever receive UNESCO city status.

The city we know today as Quito shows evidence of having been inhabited since at least 8000 BC/BCE. The Incas took over around the 15th century; in 1534, Spanish conquistadors arrived. Many of the buildings in Quito’s historic center are remnants from these colonial times, meaning you’ll find yourself feeling like you’ve stepped back in time as you wander among 500-year old churches and plazas.

Here are some of the most notable things to see in the historic center of Quito.

1. Basílica del Voto Nacional

This church, which received Basilica status in 1988 after a 1985 visit from Pope John Paul II, is the largest neo-gothic basilica in the Americas. Due to its architectural style, it’s sometimes compared to St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City and the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris. It sits near the top of a hill in Quito, which makes it hard to miss.

Pro tip: This is a great starting point for your time spent in centro histórico. If you take a taxi, it’s pretty much the highest point you’ll be at for the day. If you accidentally go to Plaza San Blas first, you will have to hike uphill a ways just to get to the basilica.

Tickets to enter the church are a modest $2 per person. You are allowed to take photos! Inside, it’s grand but not gaudy. Tiny chapels along the perimeter pay tribute to each of Ecuador’s provinces and are meant to signify national unity.

If you’re able to climb stairs, I highly recommend making the journey to the top of one of the basilica’s two towers. You do have to pay an additional $3 (or $2 if you are an Ecuadorian national) at a separate ticket booth in order to make the climb. You can find that ticket booth across the courtyard to the west of the main entrance.

Personally, I’m not a huge fan of walking uphill or climbing stairs. And it’s harder at high altitude. But going up to the top was definitely worth it. Also, it wasn’t that hard. The stairs were nicer than in many tall buildings/towers/churches I’ve climbed around the world. (There’s also an elevator that goes at least part of the way up, but I don’t have any details on that.) And there were plenty of interesting points to stop and look out and rest, including souvenir shops and craft studios.

Most importantly… there is a BAR near the top! Let me repeat that. This cathedral has a CAFE/BAR IN IT.

There were two women working, and at least one of them spoke English. They served a variety of traditional Ecuadorian drinks — some of which I’d been wanting to try but hadn’t seen yet. I ordered a Canalazo (with alcohol!), while Matt went with a hot Colada Morada. Each drink was $3, and we sat out on the patio overlooking the city.

2. Plaza Grande

When you leave the basilica, take Calle Venezuela southwest toward Plaza Grande (also known as Plaza de la Independencia.) It’s only about a 10-minute walk, and it’s all downhill. The sidewalks are narrow and the streets are busy, but be sure to take a glance back behind you every once in a while as you walk. The view of the basilica is great no matter how far away you get from it.

Plaza Grande is probably the single most busy place I’ve seen in Quito so far. Or at least, it’s the most densely-packed. Similar to Puerta del Sol in Madrid or Times Square in New York — but obviously on a smaller scale — this is where people meet up and tourists flock. Which means you’ve got to watch your belongings and try not to get pressured into buying anything you don’t want to buy.

The plaza is home to a variety of monumental buildings, most of which date back to the colonial period. One of the most interesting is the Palacio de Carondelet, which received its name from famous Latin American liberator Simon Bolivar. Palacio de Carondelet is the Ecuadorian Presidential Palace, where President Guillermo Lasso currently lives.

If you’re looking for somewhere delicious to eat around here, I recommend Restaurante San Ignacio on Calle Garcia Moreno. It’s got outdoor seating with umbrellas and it’s in the perfect spot for people watching. Also, the locro de mariscos was amazing.

3. Plaza de San Francisco

Another 5-minute walk from Plaza Grande and you’re at Plaza de San Francisco, one of the faces of Quito. The first thing you’ll notice is the whitewashed Iglesia de San Francisco — the church — which also houses a convent where Franciscan monks still live. The second thing you’ll notice is the ever-present, extremely large flock of pigeons that circles the plaza.

Long before there was Plaza de San Francisco,  there was a royal palace occupied by an Incan emperor. When the colonizers arrived, the emperor burnt his palace to the ground so the Spanish wouldn’t be able to use it. Construction on the church began in 1537, about 15 years after the Spanish took over Quito. This complex is one of the most important historical structures in all of Latin America, and for this reason it’s sometimes known as “El Escorial of the New World.”

Instead of entering through the main doors, we were instructed to enter through a smaller set of doors off to the right. We bought our tickets for $3, and instead of finding ourselves in the nave of the church, we arrived in a pretty courtyard. It turns out, our tickets were good for the San Francisco “museum,” which took us through a maze of rooms with a variety of religious artifacts. There also used to be a brewery within the walls of the complex. What is it with churches in Quito and alcohol?

Before heading into the church itself, you’ll pass through the courtyard one more time. Don’t miss the colorful parrots that were hanging out on the low branches near the entrance.

4. Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús

Right next to Plaza de San Francisco is another church, Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús. We did not visit this church on our original trip to the Centro Histórico. We had already gone in a lot of churches that day, and we weren’t sure whether this one would be anything special or different.

But when we were at a coffee shop in our neighborhood, the cafe worker (owner?) gave us a printed list of things we needed to see in Quito. We’d already seen a lot of them, but then he asked us: “Have you been to the Compañía de Jesús?” When we said we hadn’t, he told us it was one of the most important sights in the historic center of Quito and we definitely needed to visit before we left town.

The church is the best example of Spanish Baroque architecture in all of South America. If you know anything about baroque, it’s all about excessive ornamentation, oftentimes to the point of being gaudy. After you pay the $5 to enter the church, you will find yourself in the presence of more gold than you’ve probably ever seen (unless you’ve been to the Cathedral of Sevilla in Spain). But this one might even have more. If you pay an extra $2, you can get to the rooftop for a view of the surrounding city.

Despite its garishness (or because of it?), many consider the Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús to be the most beautiful church in Ecuador. I guess the coffee shop worker falls in that category. 🙂

5. Virgen del Panecillo

Finally, head a little bit outside the historic center to the famous Virgen del Panecillo. Unless the weather has been extremely foggy, you’ve probably seen her from your other stops around town. But it’s time to get up close and personal with the statue.

The Virgen del Panecillo has kind of a strange name when translated. Not the Virgen part — that’s pretty obviously about Mary, the mother of Jesus. But the “panecillo” part. Panecillo means bread roll. Virgin of the Bread Roll? Yes, that’s the actual translation. But it’s because the hill that the statue is situated on looks like a bread roll from a distance. And that’s definitely not not true…

If you decide to go up to the base of the statue, do not attempt to walk from the city center. One, it’s like a huge hill. Why would you even want to do that? That sounds exhausting and like a punishment, not something fun to do. Second, it can be dangerous on the way up the hill. An acquaintance we know in Quito told us that his friends were robbed at knifepoint one day when they tried to walk to the top. Just take a taxi — it’s so much easier, faster, safer, and more comfortable.

Once you’re at the top, you’ll be totally safe as there are many tourists as well as market stalls for shopping and eating. Beyond that, there’s really not much else to do up there. But it is pretty cool to be right underneath the Virgen. Apparently, it’s one of the highest statues in South America — it’s even higher up and taller than the famous Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil.

Find more things to do in Quito.

 

Okay, I think those are the most important things to see in the historic center of Quito. Do you have any other things you’d add to my list? Or any questions? Let me know in the comments!

–Cathy

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Originally Published on February 18, 2022.