12 Best Things to Do in Quito
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Quito packs an unusual amount into a compact old town plus a scattering of nearby viewpoints, so most of this list fits into 2-3 focused days. Here are the 12 worth prioritizing.
1. Walk Plaza Grande and the Centro Histórico
Start in Independence Square, ringed by the Carondelet Presidential Palace and the Cathedral, then wander the surrounding cobbled streets of the Centro Histórico, inscribed by UNESCO in its very first World Heritage cohort back in 1978.
2. See the gold interior of La Compañía de Jesús
This Jesuit church, built between 1605 and 1765, is one of the finest baroque interiors in the Americas. The exact quantity of gold leaf covering it is disputed, but the effect in person needs no exaggeration.
3. Visit San Francisco Church and Convent
Founded in 1535-36, this is the largest religious complex in South America and the birthplace of the colonial Quito School of art, including Bernardo de Legarda’s 1734 winged Virgen de Quito.
4. Climb the towers of the Basílica del Voto Nacional
This neo-Gothic basilica swaps traditional gargoyles for carved Galápagos animals, and its towers are climbable via steep interior stairs and ladders for a rooftop city view.
5. Ride the TelefériQo to 4,050 meters
This cable car climbs from the edge of the city to Cruz Loma at roughly 4,050 meters in about 20 minutes. Go in the morning, before clouds roll in, for the clearest views back over Quito.
6. Take a taxi up to El Panecillo
The hilltop’s 41-meter aluminum Virgen de Quito statue delivers one of the city’s best panoramas. Take a taxi or app ride up rather than walking, since the approach on foot has a real history of muggings even though the summit itself is safe and patrolled.
7. Straddle the equator at Mitad del Mundo
The famous monument marks the equator with ceremony, though the true GPS line actually runs about 240 meters away through the smaller Museo Intiñan next door, where the classic “balance an egg on a nail” demonstrations happen.
8. Spend an evening on La Ronda
This restored colonial street fills with canelazo stalls and empanadas de viento after dark. The street itself is safe and well trafficked; just don’t wander its darker side alleys.
9. Wander La Carolina Park and the Botanical Garden
This large park anchors Quito’s modern north side, with paddle boats, jogging paths, and a botanical garden holding more than 1,200 plant species.
10. Explore bohemian Guápulo
This steep hillside village below the modern city center is full of small cafes, galleries, and a colonial church, with far fewer visitors than the old town.
11. Eat your way through Mercado Central
This 1952 market hall in the Centro Histórico is the place for a cheap almuerzo (set lunch) alongside Quito residents rather than other tourists.
12. Day-trip to the Otavalo market
About 2 hours north, Otavalo’s market is the region’s best-known showcase for Kichwa textiles and crafts, running daily but biggest on Saturdays.
For the full rundown on the day trips beyond Otavalo, see our Quito day trips guide .