P is for Panama Hats
♦ PANAMA HATS are of course misnamed, for while Panama gets the credit, Ecuador makes the top of the fine extrafino hats. The name Panama Hat was adopted in 1903 when nearly 100,000 hats were shipped from Ecuador to Panama for use by the construction workers who were building the Panama Canal. Today hat-making is […]
O is for Orchids and Otavalo
♦ ORCHIDS aficiandos need only head an hour northwest from Quito to find the Pahuma Orchid Reserve; it’s the wet forest home to over 270 species of orchids (9 of which are endemic), as well as bromeliads, mosses and ferns. Right in Quito, orchid lovers should head for the Jardin Botanico (Botanical Gardens in Carolina […]
N is for Neighborhoods, Ñan, & National Geographic
♦ NEIGHBORHOODS worth knowing, other than the Centro Historico, include some very cool places. La Mariscal in the modern sector of town hosts the majority of café/bars; entertainment’s ground zero here is Plaza Foch, a quiet, low-key spot by day and heart of the action early on in the evening, before moving on to nearby […]
M is for Modern Arts, Mercado Central, & Museums
♦ MODERN ART MASTERS: Get to know Ecuador’s vibrant contemporary art scene. Internationally recognized, for example are Manuel Rendon, who brought the Constructionist Movement from Europe to influence such fine arts as Enrique Tabara, Oswaldo Vitieri and Anibal Villacis. At the same time, the 20th century saw the rise of the Indigenista Movement, pioneered by Camilo […]
L is for La Ronda, Locro de Papas, and Lloa Parish
♦ LA RONDA is a small neighborhood tucked into the historic center of Old Town Quito. Its main pedestrian-only street (Calle la Ronda) is lined with colorful houses and balconies abloom in geraniums, cozy restaurants, ice cream parlors, chocolate shops, a honey-based products store, coffee and hot chocolate cafes, and even a beautiful little boutique […]
K is for Kids ♥ Quito and Kallari Chocolate
♦ KIDS ♥ QUITO – Put on your list of the capital’s kid-friendly attractions: Museo Interactivo de Ciencia (Interactive Science Museum), designed for children between 3 and 8 years and housed in a former textile factory; Vivarium, located in La Carolina Park and hosting a great display (over 45 species) of live reptiles—snakes are particularly “popular”—that […]
J is for Jardin Botanico, Jogging, and Jacchigua
♦ JARDIN BOTANICO, covering 3.2 acres and designed to showcase Ecuador’s incredible variety of Andean ecosystems and habitats, is also located in Parque La Carolina. Here visitors are guided through wetlands, cloud forests, high-altitude moorlands and drive forest, alive with a profusion of tropical flowers and buzzing humming birds. In fact, it is possible to […]
I is for Itchimbia Park and Isla de la Plata
♦ ITCHIMBIA PARK is the place to be for city views at sunset. First check out the Art Nouveau Itchimbia Cultural Center, a glass and steel structure that was the original Santa Clara market and is the work of Gustave Eiffel; then venture below the observation deck to Pim’s for a drink— accompanied by a […]
H is for Holy Places and Hop On/Off Bus
♦ HOLY PLACES, LESS VISITED: Once you have delighted in seeing the city’s grandest churches, La Compania de Jesus and San Francisco, head for the Metropolitan Cathedral; visit a particular joy from the 18th century, the Church and Monastery of Carmen Bajo, a complex housing folklore and artwork of popular culture, and Santo Domingo Church […]
G is for Getting to High Places in Quito
♦ GETTING TO HIGH PLACES: Top viewpoints for Quito The Teleferiqo aerial tram rides begins on the city’s western fringes, climbing the flanks of the massive Pichincha Volcano from 3,000 up to 4,000 meters. On a clear day, the panorama includes at least four snow-covered peaks and dozens of lesser volcanoes. The Teleferiqo complex includes […]
