Quito & Vicinity - Adventure Guide to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands - page 89

Vírgin of Quito
A great viewof the city and surrounding countryside can be had at the
statue of the Virgin of Quito on PanecilloHill, or Cerro Panecillo. This
landmark also provides for a good point of orientation from other sec-
tions of town. Note that Panecillo used to be a fairly dangerous hill to
climb, as tourists were often assaulted in this relatively poor part of
the city, but it is now guarded at the top and quite nice for an early
morning panoramic photo. The statue of the Virgin looks minor from
a distance but is quite impressive up close, especially as you climb the
steps to the observation balcony. The kids will like it here. There are
usually some souvenir and snack stands on the hill.
To get here, catch a taxi from anywhere in town to Panecillo Hill. Ad-
mission to enter the building is under $2, but views from the grounds
are free and just as spectacular. There is a souvenir shop on the
ground floor, but tacky trinkets are best avoided. There are public
restrooms available across the parking lot; bring a few coins for the
cleaning person, or for the person standing at the door pretending to
be the cleaning person.
Around Quito
Guapulo Suburb
Where the flanks of the Andes form the main north-south boundaries
of Quito, the Río Machángara cuts a deep canyon that forms the east-
ern border of the city. The relatively affluent Guapulo district is here,
along Quito's mid-eastern edge. This area offers great views of the
river valley below, as well as interesting urban sites, such as the Ba-
silica of Guapulo , built during the colonial era in the 17th century.
In addition to spectacular architecture and attractive décor, the ba-
silica provided the foundation for Quito's renowned colonial art com-
munity. It is beautiful and well worth a visit.
El Mitad del Mundo
(Equatorial Monument)
Don't forget to visit the “Middle of the World” during your stay; after
all, it is the country's namesake and possibly the only chance you'll
have to stand with one foot in the northern and one in the southern
hemisphere. Lying just north of Quito, the equatorial monument fea-
tures the equatorial line (of course), as demarcated by Charles-Marie
de la Condamine and his French expedition in 1736. The paved area