Although Ecuador is perhaps most famous for its connection
to the Galapagos Islands,
Quito tours are also popular within the country and the
city of Quito is well worth exploring.
A typical Quito day trip can include shopping in the local
markets, sampling food from restaurants and cafes and
touring the colonial architecture. Tours in Quito
provide endless entertainment for travelers.
Colonial Quito
The city of Quito is incredibly old. Different civilizations have left their mark on the spot, including the Spanish. The period of Spanish colonialism saw the rise of many intricate stone churches and buildings, many of which are still standing today. The colonial center of Quito is an official UNESCO World Heritage site, and as such modern buildings and structures are forbidden. Spend your Quito day trip touring the buildings and churches. Many travelers even book guided Quito tours of the colonial center through one of the many tour companies operating in Quito. Quito tours of the colonial center can also include some time spent shopping and eating at some of the shops and restaurants.
Quito Markets
No Quito day trip is complete without time spent at the markets of Quito. Many travelers even make an entire day out of touring the markets of Quito. The day trips Quito offers of the markets are generally not organized, but travelers will have no trouble navigating these Quito tours on their own. The most famous market in Quito is the Otavalo market, which is open seven days a week. Park Ejido, Zumbagua and Guangaje are three other popular markets located in Quito. The smaller markets tend to feature more local artisans, while the main market of Otavalo is for the most part geared for tourists. After spending much of the day checking out the markets, head to the nearby attraction, La Mitad del Mundo, meaning “the middle of the world”. This marks the spot where, in 1736, a scientist first calculated this to be the equatorial line.
Trips from Quito
Although there are plenty of great tours in Quito, there
are also a number of great side trips to consider.
One of the most popular is a day trip to Cotopaxi,
the world’s highest continuously active volcano.
Many travelers drive to Cotopaxi National Park, while
others book tours in Quito for planes that fly above the
volcano itself. Whichever you choose, a view of
Cotopaxi is incredibly impressive and offers a stunning
view of a section of the Andes mountain range. Another
popular day trip from Quito is a trip to the Bellavista
Cloud Forest Reserve. The highly diverse ecosystem
found in the Choco bioregion at the Bellavista Reserve
is open to tourists to hike, bird-watch, explore waterfalls,
and take in all of the greenery that surrounds you.
