3 of the Best Places to Experience in Ecuador: Quito, Cuenca, and Cotacachi.
Arriving in Quito, one of the 3 best places to experience Ecuador, the incredibly stunning skyscape introduces you to unexpected shocking natural beauty as far as the eyes can see. Ancient snow-capped volcanos, tucked neatly in the soaring Andes and ringed by misted cloud forests, greet you with a promise of adventure, enjoyment and discovery as you begin your Ecuador experience.
For starts, Quito is where to go to experience how the air you breathe feels special there. Seated literally on the equator in Quito, Ecuador claims astounding biodiversity unique to each region’s environment bursting with adventure attractions appealing to nature lovers, bird watchers, cloud forest zip-liners, botanists, history fans, artists and mountain hikers to name a few.
The combination of equatorial climate-diverse layers mixed with the Andes mountain range cutting South throughout the country, has yielded lush temperate valley floors, tropical sanded beaches and higher elevation spring-like living.
This widespread habitat variety thrives throughout the country benefiting cities like Quito and Cuenca as well as quaint mountain villages like Cotacachi where modern conveniences and deep cultural heritage exist side by side. It’s clear that Mother Nature has lavishly decorated the nation from mountain top to beach coast with jungles teeming with wildlife, picturesque verdant valleys, wispy cloud forests, the world renown Galapagos Islands, sun-soaked Pacific beach hideaways, coastal fishing hamlets, cattle ranches and more.
The country’s rich indigenous and Spanish heritages also strongly reflect Ecuador’s vibrant diversity. Evident anywhere you explore, you’ll discover a most remarkable blending where modern amenities mix with long-held traditions – nurtured by the Ecuadorian’s free-spirit approach to life. A witness to their integration successes are the country’s UNESCO World Heritage sites: Quito, Cuenca and the Galapagos archipelago.
For planning a trip and wondering where to go in Ecuador, here are three cities that are great choices to experience Ecuador like a local – the opportunity to stay longer, spend less and experience more.
Quito – Volcano Adorned Valley
Picture a Spanish colonial city adorned by pastel-colored palaces boasting over 200 churches, convents and monasteries dropped right in the middle of a verdant valley nestled below the two tallest towering active volcanos – that would be Quito.
Walking Quito’s narrow valley floor, you breathe in crisp misted air surrounded by a cityscape looking like something out of a storybook with cobblestoned streets, majestic Andes mountains peeking through puffy clouds (seemingly almost eye-level some days) and wall-to-wall lush deep green plant life carpeting the basin – something catching your eye at every turn.
Buzzing with activity, old town is the city’s heart and where you’ll find Quito’s oldest indoor market “San Francisco” with native women, dressed in traditional colorful woven shawls and bowler hats, hustling and bustling amongst endless rows of their attractive handmade wares for sale.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, old town ranks as having one of the best reputations for Spanish colonial architecture which includes their well-preserved palaces, plazas, churches, convents, monasteries and other historic sites such as the popular Plaza de la Independencia and the largest neo-gothic church in the Americas – La Basilica del Voto.
Another favorite discovery area of this Andean mountain valley town is the pedestrian-only “La Ronda” – a cornucopia of shops offering local artisans work, homemade fresh fruit ice cream (600 flavors) , and famous premium organic Pacari chocolate factory.
Quito has all the modern city conveniences but is widely considered an inexpensive destination. For example, thanks to Quito straddling two hemispheres (the city literally sits on the equator), one of the major perks is an eternal spring climate. Thanks to the mild temperature, there’s always inexpensive flavorful fresh fruit and vegetables available at local grocery stores and for the eateries.
From Quito, there are plenty of side-trips easily available for visiting a tropical beach like Salinas, a rainforest or a handicraft market destination in a mountain village.
Cuenca – Incan Empire’s 2nd Largest City
Sitting serenely in the highlands, historic Cuenca is touted as offering the best “city life” and largest expat community in Ecuador. Awash in rich heritage, the Incan ruins, just 2 hours outside the city, is heralded as the most important archaeological site in the country. Also, with plenty of well-preserved 16thand 17thcentury Spanish colonial architecture, Cuenca has UNESCO World Heritage Site status and is regarded as the most European city in the country.
Bolstering Cuenca’s attraction is that its population has city-wide access to modern amenities and conveniences and that they enjoy a 12 month spring-like climate which fosters the country’s breathtaking scenery.
The 3rdlargest city in the country, Cuenca claims a significant international population. The lively town plazas and markets draw artisans, musicians and artists looking for a rich culture scene in the Andes village. Encouraging “the arts”, the city has its own symphony orchestra and anyone can attend for free.
Another part of Cuenca’s extraordinary charm is its tidy smallness with pedestrian-friendly cobblestoned streets perfect for strolling the town from top to bottom. All paths eventually lead to the main plaza “Plaza Abdon Calderon” accented by an exuberant flower market, street food and native handicraft shops. If you’re a people-watcher, this is a great place to lounge on a park bench, absorb the pleasant atmosphere, be serenaded by subtle guitar music wafting over the square and snack on local fare as you watch the world pass by.
With a healthy mix of affordable restaurants, the cuisine is both international and local serving up fresh catch fish from nearby lakes and just picked veggies and fruit. If you like mojitos, you might really like them in the restaurants and bars here since many bartenders tediously hand-juice the fresh picked limes to perfection.
From Cuenca, there are a wide variety of activities nearby for adventuring out of town – in one day you can stand amongst Inca ruins in the morning and visit the desert or the lakes in the afternoon.
Cotacachi – Storybook Mountain Village
An idyllic mountain village paradise, Cotacachi is nestled in the Andes highlands surrounded by cloud-misted volcanos towering over the peaceful pastoral setting below.
Low key, the gentle town is Ecuador’s 2ndmost popular snowbird and expat haven attracting those seeking a tranquil, healthy lifestyle and a strong sense of community. The quaint town is popular for having a consistent, crisp mountain- cooled climate (no A/C needed), small town allure and a welcoming active community of locals and foreigners.
With Cotacachi’s extreme natural beauty, majestic surroundings and spring like year-round weather some high-end hotels and resorts with luxurious spa facilities have been drawn to the hideaway village. Today, there are even some gated communities for those seeking modern amenities and more space in the storybook valley.
It’s easy to daytrip from Cotacachi to explore, shop, and adventure in the surroundings. For example, in less than an hour, you can arrive at the legendary outdoor handicrafts market in the popular mountain town, Otavalo where you can bargain with crafters at the market and take some extra time to experience Otavalo’s other attractions.
