City Rating: Quito
Population of Quito: 1,600,000
Date of visit: December 2018
Attractions & sights: 3/5
Nightlife: ?/5
Safety: 3/5
Infrastructure: 2/5
Low budget factor: 3/5
Total: 👍👍/5
The city in a nutshell:
Quito is Ecuador’s capital and the country’s second-largest city. There are a few cool things to do in Quito, but the combination of the size and the weak infrastructure can make the city challenging. Furthermore, the city’s elevation shouldn’t be underestimated. An altitude of 2,850 meters makes Quito he highest capital city in the world. Quito can be fun, however, it’s rather a city for one or maximum two days than longer.
Where to stay:
Booking a hotel in the historical center makes sense, if time is limited, and if you don’t plan to leave the hotel at night. This area gets dangerous after dark.
If you plan to stay longer than just one night, I would recommend La Mariscal as the perfect district. It’s the safest neighborhood in Quito with many hotels, bars and restaurants.
The Good:
Quito’s historical center is one of the most beautiful Old Towns I have ever seen. It’s an architectural masterpiece full of churches, plazas, small alleys and colorful buildings. This Old Town is also the reason why Quito was named the first capital city in the world as an UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Quito’s main square is Plaza de San Francisco. It’s one of these typical colonial squares that you can see in most Spanish-speaking South American cities. The square is quite big with an impressive church on one side. You can also enter the church and see its beautiful garden.
Other things you can see in Quito are the Basilica del Voto Nacional, the Ciudad Mitad del Mundo (where the equator passes by Quito), El Panecillo or one of the dozens museum. Moreover, the TelefériQo (Quito’s gondola lift) can take you up into the Andes mountains in just a few minutes.
All of Quito’s attractions can be seen in one long day. Travelers spending more than one day in the city can also do day-trips, for example to the Cotopaxi National Park, the Mindo Cloud Forest or the Quilotoa Crater.
The Bad & The Ugly:
Quito is big and getting around can be time-consuming. It can easily take 45 minutes to get from one sight to another by taxi or from your hotel to a bus terminal for instance. Taxis are rather expensive for South American standards. Prices start at 10 Dollars and can go up to 25 Dollars depending on the route. Uber seems to be even more expensive. However, Quito is generally not as cheap as other cities in South America.
Another problem is that Quito is not really safe, especially at night. Ecuador is a poor country and getting victim of a robbery is a risk. Walking around at night should be avoided unless you stay in La Mariscal.
Apart from the beautiful Old Town, the Ecuadorian capital also has its ugly sides. Some parts of the city are run-down and many houses are not well-maintained. This is particularly true for the many houses located at the foot of the many hills surrounding the city. All in all, the city is a good mixture of beaut and ugliness.
To cut a long story short: Quito has its charm, but there are definitely better cities in South America.
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