Quito Tours

Quito is Ecuador’s capital and has a setting of great natural beauty, overshadowed by the volcano Pichincha with its twin peaks of Ruco and Guagua. Quito is located at 2850m (9348 ft) above sea level, so some visitors may suffer from altitude sickness during the first hours after arrival. The city has preserved much of its Spanish colonial character, the cathedral in the Plaza de la Independencia (the oldest church in South America) and the many old churches and monasteries being among the most notable instances. Also in the plaza are the Municipal Palace, the Archbishop’s Palace and the Palacio Presidencial. Many of the city’s famous churches and monasteries contain priceless examples of Spanish art and sculpture, particularly the Monasterio de San Francisco and the Jesuit church of La Compañía. Most of Quito’s colonial churches are located in the Old Town, parts of which have been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.