Quito has the power to take your breath away, and not just because it’s the second-highest administrative capital of the world (behind only Bolivia’s La Paz). With an altitude of 9,200 feet, Ecuador’s second-most populous city enjoys a picturesque backdrop in the active volcano of Pichincha.
Built upon the ruins of an ancient Incan city and draped across an Andean valley, the brightly colored cityscape has the look of a toy town when viewed from the mountainsides above – an image that belies a tumultuous colonial past.
Much of historic Old Town Quito – the first city to be made a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1978 – was restored in the 2000s, making its previously daunting streets safe again. Despite this South American-style gentrification, it’s retained the vibrant working class order and indigenous character that have always made it unique.
Written by insider city guide series Hg2 | A Hedonist’s guide to…
(Images: Kaushal Karkhanis, A. Davey, maxid, Nathan 2009, Ndecam)
