Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Santa Ana's Hill, Guayaquil
With the city's recent makeover, Guayaquileños seem proud to finally be able to peek
from under the veil of their hometown's bad reputation and enjoy the new infrastructure
that makes the city safer, more accessible and beatific, even. In 2006 the city's first rapid
bus transit system,
Metrovía
launched, taking some weight off of the otherwise jam-
packed and seedy buses that slither through the streets at ridiculous speeds. The Metrovía
is great for tourists too as it stops at some of Guayaquil's main attractions and is overall
the most efficient way to get around without a private car.
Most celebrated of all these renovation projects is the
Malecón
, or 'Promenade', 2000: a
length of boardwalk on the banks of the Guayas River with tons to do, see and eat. Anoth-
er Malecón, the
Salado
stands about 30 minutes away and rouses at night when its water
fountains light up in a choreographed music show. Neoclassical buildings like the
Muni-
cipal Building
(Malecón Simón Bolivar and 10 de Agosto streets) and the oldest church
in Guayaquil,
Iglesia de Santo Domingo
(
Rocafuerte and Morán de Buitrón streets) are
must-sees while the
Centenario
,
Histórico
and
Seminario
parks (see below) offer respite
from the equatorial sun. At night, the vivid motley of colonial buildings at
Las Pe
ñ
as
hill
