Ecuador - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 568

he New Town has a huge range of
accommodation, restaurants and bars
around Avenida Amazonas in Mariscal
Sucre. This thriving tourist district is
where most visitors base themselves and
has such an international feel that it's
nicknamed “gringolandia”, although
safety is a problem, especially at night.
The New Town has plenty of attractions,
but they are spread out, which makes
sightseeing more complicated than in the
Old Town. Highlights include Ecuador's
best museum, El Museo del Banco Central ,
Oswaldo Guayasamín's extraordinary
work of art La Capilla del Hombre and
a trip up to 4100m on the Teleférico .

a memorial to conservative president
Gabriel García Moreno, who was
assassinated in Plaza Grande and is buried
below the Catedral.
On the corner of García Moreno
and Espejo is the Centro Cultural
Metropolitano , with regular exhibitions
and performances in its courtyard. The
centre also houses the Museo Alberto
Mena Caamaño (Tues-Sun 9am-5pm;
$1.50), which has waxwork depictions of
Quito life from 1700 to 1830, including
the battles for independence.
Walk half a block south from Plaza
Grande along Calle García Moreno to
reach Quito's most extravagant church,
La Compañía de Jesús (Mon-Fri
9.30am-5pm, Sat 9.30am-4pm, Sun
1.30-4pm; $3), built by Jesuits in the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. It
took 163 years to construct, with seven
tonnes of gold to cover the interior from
top to bottom. It's a wonder to behold,
despite bordering on opulence gone mad.
Continue south down García Moreno
to reach the Museo de la Ciudad
(Tues-Sun 9.30am-4.30pm; $3). If you
can navigate the confusing layout, it's
a rewarding experience, depicting life in
Quito through the centuries in a series
of scale models.

6

Plaza Grande and around
This picture-perfect sixteenth-century
plaza forms the political and religious
focal point of Quito, containing
the cathedral, Presidential Palace,
Archbishop's Palace and city hall. Visitors
can enter the Palacio del Gobierno
(Presidential Palace; tours Tues-Sun
10am-5pm, except when the government
is in session; free) on a guided tour to see
the state rooms, a stunning mosaic and
various indigenous artefacts. On the
other side of the square is the Catedral ,
entered through the museum (entrance
on Venezuela; Mon-Fri 9.30am-4pm,
Sat 10am-4pm; $1.50, Sun services free).
Inside is a collection of seventeenth-
and eighteenth-century religious art,
the tomb of liberator Mariscal Sucre and

Plaza San Francisco
From La Compañía head northwest to
Plaza San Francisco, one of Ecuador's
most beautiful squares. The sixteenth-
century Iglesia de San Francisco is Quito's
oldest church and its twin bell tower is
one of the city's most famous sights. The
altar of the church has been undergoing
years of painstaking restoration, but the
rest of the interior is visible. Behind the
impressive facade on the northwest side
is the largest religious complex in South
America. The Museo de San Francisco
(Mon-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun
9am-12.30pm; $2) is housed among the
cloisters and has an impressive collection
of religious sculptures, paintings and
furniture. Through the museum, you
can enter the choral room of the church
with a statue of the “dancing virgin” and
depictions of planets on the ceiling.

SIX OF THE BEST VIEWS OF
QUITO
Quito's stunning location in a valley
surrounded by volcanoes means you are
spoilt for choice for the finest views of the
city. Here are six of the best. All are best
visited by taxi (except La Basílica which is
easily accessible).
1. El Panecillo, Old Town
2. La Basílica, Old Town
3. Centro Cultural Itchimbia, Old Town
4. Guápulo, New Town
5. Parque Metropolitano, New Town
6. El Teleférico, north of the city