Ecuador - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 619

10am-6.30pm; $2.50), which condenses
a compact history of the city in English
and Spanish, from prehistory to the
present day, into fourteen dioramas.

door is Museo Pilsener for everything on
Ecuador's most popular beer.
For spectacular views of Guayaquil,
climb the 444 steps up Las Peñas to
the peak of Cerro Santa Ana (en route,
there's a wide selection of craft shops,
restaurants, cafés and bars). At the top of
the hill in the Plaza de Honores is a new
colonial-style chapel and the Lighthouse
(free), based on Guayaquil's first, built in
1841. Also here is the open-air Museo El
Fortín del Santa Ana (free), which holds
the foundations of the Fortress of San
Carlos. The fortress, which defended the
city from pirates, has original cannons
and replicas of Spanish galleons. The
highlight is the sweeping panoramic view
over the rivers Daule and Babahoyo,
downtown Guayaquil and, across the
river, the reserve of Santay Island.

Museo Antropológico y de Arte
Contemporáneo
The north end of Malecón culminates in
the spacious Museo Antropológico y de
Arte Contemporáneo (MAAC) (Tues-Sat
10am-6pm, Sun 10am-4pm; $1.50, Sun
free), which has regular exhibitions and
a huge collection of pre-Columbian
ceramics and first-rate modern art.

6

Mercado Artesanal (Artisans' market)
A couple of blocks inland along Calle
Loja is the huge, enclosed Mercado
Artesanal (Mon-Sat 9am-7pm, Sun
10am-5pm), which has a wide selection
of traditional handicrafts and clothing.
Prices are slightly higher than in the
Sierra and haggling is obligatory.

Parque Seminario and Catedral
Three blocks behind the grand Palacio
Municipal (town hall) is the small
Parque Seminario , also known as Parque
Bolívar or, more aptly given that dozens
of urban iguanas reside here, Parque de
las Iguanas. At the centre of the park is an
imposing monument of liberator Simón
Bolívar on horseback. The huge white
neo-Gothic Catedral , reconstructed in
1948 after a fire, towers over the west side
of the square.
Northeast, Plaza San Francisco is
dominated by the church of the same
name, a statue of Pedro Carbo, the
nineteenth-century liberal politician and
writer, and a large fountain.

Malecón del Salado
At the opposite end of 9 de Octubre
(a 20min walk or short taxi ride) is the
Malecón del Salado , next to the Estero
Salado, a tributary of the river Guayas.
It is a picturesque place to stroll, and for
great views of the river you can cross the
bridges (which tower over 9 de Octubre).
Otherwise, take a boat trip or relax in one
of the seafood restaurants.

Las Peñas
Rising above the north end of Malecón is
the colourful artistic district of Las Peñas ,
a formerly run-down area that's been
revamped. Like the Malecón, it's patrolled
by security guards. Round the corner to
the right of the steps is the historic,
cobbled street of Numa Pompillo Llona,
named after the Guayaco who wrote
Ecuador's national anthem. The street
leads from old to new, reaching Puerto
Santa Ana , the city's latest grand project
with waterfront shops, restaurants, luxury
apartments and an extensive marina. There
are a couple of interesting museums,
the best of which is Museo de la Musica
Popular Julio Jaramillo (Wed-Sat,
10am-1pm & 2-5pm; free), dedicated to
the city's most famous musician. Next

Museo Municipal
One block southeast from the park is
the Museo Municipal (Sucre, at Chile;
Tues-Sat 9am-5pm; free). This is the
oldest museum in Ecuador and the city's
best. The Pre-Hispanic room has fossils,
including the tooth of a mastodon,
dating back 10,000 years, as well as
sculptures created by the Valdivia
- Ecuador's oldest civilization - and
a huge Manteña funeral urn. Upstairs
is a room of portraits of Ecuadorian
presidents, nicknamed “the room of
thieves”, plus a small exhibition of
modern art. There are five shrunken