Destination guide · Quito
Quito Travel Guide: Where to Stay, What to Do and When to Go
A practical Quito travel guide: best neighbourhoods to stay in, top things to do, getting around, food, costs and the best time to visit.
Updated 2026-07-01
Why visit Quito
Quito is the world's second-highest capital (2,850 m) — a UNESCO-listed colonial old town of baroque churches (La Compañía gilded interior, Basílica del Voto Nacional gargoyles), Mitad del Mundo Equator monument, TelefériQo cable car to 4,050 m Pichincha views, and South America's #1 Galápagos gateway (2h flights via LATAM + Avianca + Equair).
Quito is the world's second-highest capital (2,850 m) — a UNESCO-listed colonial old town (Centro Histórico) of baroque churches (La Compañía de Jesús gilded interior, San Francisco, Basílica del Voto Nacional gargoyles), cobbled plazas (Grande, San Francisco, Santo Domingo), and pastel republican mansions stretched along the Pichincha volcano flank. TelefériQo cable car climbs to 4,050 m for Andean panoramas; Mitad del Mundo Equator monument sits 30 min north; and Quito is South America's #1 Galápagos gateway (2h flights via LATAM + Avianca).
World's 2nd-highest capital + UNESCO colonial old town — Middle of the World + #1 Galápagos gateway.
TelefériQo cable car goes to 4,050 m Pichincha — save for day 3+ after acclimatising.
Old Town walking tours 10:30am + 2pm from Plaza Grande — fastest orientation.
Base in Centro Histórico (atmospheric) or La Carolina (modern + business) for safer nights.
Currency USD (Ecuador uses US dollars); Type A/B 110V plugs; drink bottled water.
Best time to visit Quito
June–September dry season (16–20°C days, cold nights 5–10°C) — sunny + peak. December–February mostly dry + cooler. March–May rainy afternoons but clear mornings + fewer crowds. Equator means near-constant 12h daylight year-round. Quito is a year-round destination — pack layers always (sun at altitude is intense; nights are cold).
Where to stay in Quito
Choosing the right neighbourhood matters more than the hotel itself in Quito. These are the areas travelers book most.
Centro Histórico (Old Town)
UNESCO colonial core — Plaza Grande, Cathedral, La Compañía, San Francisco — Casa Gangotena (Quito's flagship), Illa Experience Hotel, Casa El Edén.
La Mariscal + La Floresta
Backpacker + expat + nightlife (Mariscal) meets bohemian + film-cafés (Floresta) — mid-range boutiques + Airbnb dominate; safety varies at night.
La Carolina + Iñaquito
Modern financial + park district — Swissôtel, JW Marriott, Hilton Colón, EB Hotel Quito Airport hub.
González Suárez
Upscale ridge overlooking Guápulo valley — Le Parc Hotel, Dann Carlton, Casa Aliso boutique.
Cumbayá + Tumbaco (valleys)
1,000 m lower + warmer — expat + business district east; airport-side; malls + fine dining but away from tourist sights.
Mindo (cloud forest day / overnight)
2h northwest — hummingbirds, waterfalls, zipline, cacao — perfect 1-night Andean-forest extension.
Top things to do in Quito
Centro Histórico walking tour (La Compañía + San Francisco + Plaza Grande)
Free walking or US$20–40 guided; La Compañía church US$5 (7 tonnes of gold leaf interior).
TelefériQo cable car to Pichincha (4,050 m)
US$9 return + 20 min up — Andean panorama; hike Rucu Pichincha (4,700 m) 4h return if acclimatised.
Mitad del Mundo Equator + Museo Intiñan
US$5 monument + US$4 Intiñan — stand on the true equator line (Intiñan is the accurate GPS line, not the monument); 45 min north.
Basílica del Voto Nacional gargoyles + towers
US$2 — climb the neo-Gothic towers via ladders + planks for the best Old Town + Pichincha view.
Otavalo Saturday Market (day trip)
2h north — largest indigenous market in South America; leather + textiles + jewellery; combine with Peguche Waterfall + Cotacachi.
Getting around Quito
Historic centre is walkable + steep — pace yourself the first 48h at altitude. Trole + Ecovía electric-bus trunk lines US$0.35 run Colón ↔ Old Town ↔ south. Metro Line 1 (opened 2023) US$0.45 runs Quitumbe ↔ El Labrador (15 stations) — game-changer. Taxis + Uber + Cabify + InDriver all cheap (US$2–6 in centre). Airport (UIO — Mariscal Sucre in Tababela) 40 km east — Aeroservicios shuttle US$8 / 45 min; taxi US$25–35 / 45 min; new expressway.
Metro Line 1
Opened 2023 — 15 stations Quitumbe ↔ El Labrador — game-changer for north-south travel; US$0.45.
Trole + Ecovía BRT
Electric-bus trunk lines running Colón ↔ Old Town ↔ south; US$0.35.
Taxi / Uber / Cabify / InDriver
US$2–6 city trips — always safer than street taxis, especially after dark.
Walking
Old Town compact but steep + high-altitude — pace yourself first 48h.
What to eat in Quito
Locro de papa
Andean potato-cheese-avocado soup — Ecuador's comfort classic.
Encebollado
Tuna + onion + yuca soup — Ecuador's morning hangover cure.
Hornado
Slow-roasted suckling pig with mote (hominy) + llapingacho potato cakes.
Practical tips for Quito
Rest at 2,850 m altitude 24h before hiking or Pichincha cable car — coca tea (legal) + hydration help most travellers.
Use Uber + Cabify + InDriver for all city trips — cheap (US$2–6) + safer than street taxis, especially after dark.
Old Town free walking tour 10:30am + 2pm from Plaza Grande (tip US$10–15) — the fastest orientation to colonial Quito.
How long to stay and what it costs
Most travelers spend 3 days (+ 6–8 nights Galápagos) in Quito. Compare live hotel rates for your exact dates before fixing the length of your trip — shoulder-season nights in Quito are often materially cheaper than peak weeks.
Quito FAQs
Do I need a visa for Ecuador?
No visa for US/UK/EU/Canada/Australia/NZ/Japan/Korea/most Latin America up to 90 days per calendar year on arrival. Extension possible up to 180 days at Quito immigration office. Passport must be valid 6+ months. Yellow-fever certificate required if arriving from a risk country.
How do I combine Quito with the Galápagos?
Quito ↔ Baltra (GPS) or San Cristóbal (SCY) 2h direct LATAM + Avianca + Equair from Mariscal Sucre + Guayaquil (US$300–500 return). Add: US$20 INGALA transit card at UIO check-in + US$200 park fee on arrival (cash, cards not accepted). Book cruise 3+ months (5-8 days) or island-hopping stays (Santa Cruz + Isabela + San Cristóbal). Marhaba's classic Ecuador flow: 2 nights Quito Old Town + 1 night Mindo + 6 nights Galápagos + 2 nights back Quito.
How do I combine Quito with Morocco?
Quito ↔ Madrid / Amsterdam 10h Iberia + KLM + Air Europa → Madrid/AMS ↔ Marrakech / Casablanca 3h — total 15–18h. Marhaba's Andes-Atlas arc: 3 nights Quito + Mindo + Otavalo → Madrid 2 nights → Marrakech + Sahara 5 nights. Ancient trans-continental cultural bridge — Andean + Andalusi + Atlas heritage on one itinerary.
How do I handle Quito altitude (2,850 m)?
Milder than Cusco (3,400 m) but still real — rest 24h on arrival, hydrate heavily, avoid alcohol + heavy meals day one. Coca tea (mate de coca) is legal + helpful. Pichincha TelefériQo goes to 4,050 m — do this on day 3+, not day 1. Symptoms >48h or severe headache → descend to Cumbayá valley (2,400 m) or Mindo (1,250 m).
Is Quito good for families?
Yes — TelefériQo cable-car ride (kids love), Mitad del Mundo Equator monument + Intiñan museum (stand on the equator line), Parque La Carolina (bikes, pedal boats, weekend fairs), Yaku water museum, Vulqano Park amusement, Mindo cloud forest zipline + butterfly farm. Family rooms best at Swissôtel, JW Marriott, Casa Gangotena. Altitude-friendly for kids — they usually adjust faster than adults.
What's the best luxury stay in Quito?
Casa Gangotena (Plaza San Francisco boutique — Quito's finest, Relais & Châteaux), Illa Experience Hotel (Old Town boutique — restored 1900 mansion), Swissôtel Quito (La Carolina — long-standing luxury), JW Marriott Quito (business + design), Hilton Colón (La Carolina landmark), Le Parc Hotel (González Suárez ridge), Casa El Edén (Old Town boutique).
How do I get from UIO airport to my hotel?
Mariscal Sucre (UIO) sits 40 km east in Tababela valley — Ecuador's newest + best airport (2013). Aeroservicios shuttle US$8 / 45 min every 30 min to Quicentro north Quito. Taxi US$25–35 / 45 min (Uber + Cabify comparable). Airport hotels (EB Hotel, Wyndham UIO) useful for very early flights. New expressway makes 45 min reliable outside rush hour.
Is Quito safe for tourists?
Historic centre + La Carolina safe by day; take taxis after dark. La Mariscal nightlife area has petty theft + occasional violent robberies late — use Uber after 10pm. Avoid El Panecillo hill on foot (walk with a guide or taxi to summit + back). Pickpockets on Trole + Ecovía at peak hours. Do NOT flash phone or camera in crowds. Emergency 911.
Ready to book your Quito trip?
Everything in this guide is bookable through Marhaba's licensed partners.
