Planning Your Days in Quito
Advisory, correct as of October 2026: Ecuador is in a declared internal armed conflict with criminal gangs, and states of emergency move from province to province. Pichincha, the province around Quito, is covered by one until mid-November 2026, and a night curfew applied in Quito in May 2026, so curfews can come back quickly. The UK FCDO advises against all but essential travel to several coastal provinces and the Colombian border strip, and Quito sits outside them. Expect police checkpoints, watch for pickpockets and express kidnapping, and move by ride app or registered taxi, especially after dark and for any trip to El Panecillo. Read the FCDO advice and the US State Department advisory before you book.
Your first two days
Quito sits at about 2,850 m, so the sensible plan is a gentle start. Spend day one in the flat, walkable part of the old town, drink plenty of water, eat lightly and keep climbs for later. Headache with vomiting, confusion or breathlessness at rest means going down to lower ground and getting medical help. Coca tea and pills are not a reliable prevention, so rest and pacing are the only real plan.
The old town was listed by UNESCO in 1978, and its core is Plaza Grande, with the cathedral, the Carondelet presidential palace and the independence monument. Cloisters, carved stone fronts and painted wooden ceilings fill the streets around it. Go in daylight: shutters come down in the early evening and the side streets empty fast.
Lunch at Mercado Central
The Mercado Central, on Avenida Pichincha at the edge of the old town, is the easy place for highland food. Typical prices are about $2 to $2.50 for locro de papa, a potato soup with avocado and fresh cheese, about $4 to $5 for hornado, slow-roast pork with mote and potato patties, and around $1 for a glass of mora or taxo juice. Prices move, so treat them as a guide.
From day three: the cable car
The TelefériQo rises in about 18 minutes from the western edge of the city to Cruz Loma, roughly 3,950 m up. Adult tickets are about $9. Hours are Monday to Thursday 10:00 to 18:00, Friday 08:00 to 18:00 and Saturday and Sunday 08:00 to 19:00, with the last ticket sold at 17:00 on weekdays and 17:30 at weekends. Wind and cloud can pause service, and mornings give the clearest views of Cotopaxi, Cayambe and Antisana. Check the official fares and hours on the day. Wrap up warm, because it is much colder up top.
The equator, north of town
Ciudad Mitad del Mundo is about 26 km north of the centre and costs about $5 for adults and $2.50 for children and seniors. It is open until 17:00 on weekdays and 18:00 at weekends. The monument stands a little south of the true equator, which GPS places a couple of hundred metres to the north. The neighbouring Intiñan site runs egg-balancing and water-drain demonstrations that are fun but are entertainment, not science. The Mitad del Mundo site lists current hours.
Getting around and paying
Line 1 of the metro, in service since December 2023, links Quitumbe in the far south with El Labrador in the north across 15 stations. A single ride costs about $0.45, and San Francisco station opens near the old-town plaza of the same name. The Expreso metro guide covers hours and fares. Ecuador uses US dollars, and many places refuse $50 and $100 notes, so carry $5, $10 and $20 bills. Use ride apps or registered taxis rather than street cabs, and keep phones and bags close on crowded buses.
Booking help
Most sights sell tickets at the gate. For guided day tours outside the city, browse Quito city tours on Viator and compare what each price includes.
Read more: Quito attraction tours , Quito day trips and the 3 day Quito itinerary .