Top Things to do in Quito: Extension of Celebrity Xpedition Galapagos Cruise
Ecuador’s capital of Quito is located in the Andes Mountains and sits at an elevation of 9,350 ft. It is known for its historic downtown which was constructed on top of an ancient Incan civilization and is the most popular location to visit the equator. We explored Quito in a pre and post-tour extension through Celebrity Cruises when we visited the Galapagos Islands.
In this guide, we’ll highlight some of the top places you should see when visiting Quito, Ecuador.
Let’s get started!
Quito Basic Information
Quito (pronounced [KEY-TOH]), the capital of Ecuador, was founded in the 16th century on top of the ruins of an ancient Incan civilization. At an elevation of 9,350 ft, it is the second-highest capital in the world. This is a main stopover city for visiting the Galapagos Islands, and we visited Quito in June of 2022 before and after visiting Galapagos.
Getting to Quito
The main airport in Quito is Mariscal Sucre Quito International Airport. This is the busiest airport in Ecuador in terms of passenger traffic and is one of the busiest airports in all of South America. The airport is located about 45 minutes outside the main downtown area of Quito, so plan on allowing time to get from the airport to your accommodations.
Getting around Quito
Taxi: One of the most popular options for getting around Quito is by taking a taxi. Taxis are cheap and abundant with rides costing only a few dollars depending on the distance. While taxis are required to use a meter, most drivers do not use them. If the taxi has a meter, insist that the driver use it before starting the drive. The staff at most hotels and restaurants can call a cab for you and let you know the approximate price beforehand.
Bus: Quito has an extensive bus network, but it can be complicated to navigate. Sort rides on the bus cost less than $1, making it the cheapest way to get around town. However, since the bus network can be convoluted, most travelers choose to take a taxi and get to their destination directly.
Car: Cars can be rented at the Quito airport for as little as $25 per day. We’d caution renting a car though as Quito’s streets are extremely narrow and navigating the city can be difficult.
By Foot: Quito, is not the most friendly town to visit on foot as sidewalks aren’t consistent along streets and crime rates are fairly high in the city. Unless you’re walking around the Old Town section of Quito, it’s easier to get a taxi or hop on a bus than try to walk.
Take a tour: If you are concerned about the crime rates in Quito, you can take an organized tour to get around the city. There are many tour options that will take you to Old Town, to the equator museum, and into the Andes mountains. Tours can be more expensive than traveling on your own, but allow you to sit back and relax rather than try to figure out how to get from one destination to another.
Where to Stay in Quito
If you’re interested in visiting the historic Old Town of Quito, there are several hotels you can choose from right in the heart of Old Town. Some of the highest-rated hotels include:
Hotel Casa Montero
Casa El Eden
La Casona de la Ronda Hotel Boutique Patrimonial
When we visited, we booked a pre and post-tour extension through Celebrity Cruises as part of our Galapagos cruise. With these extensions, Celebrity booked our stay for us at the JW Marriott Quito. This was a luxury hotel that is only ~3 miles from the historic Old Town. The hotel offered many restaurants, a pool, fitness center, spa, and much more. The hotel was beautiful and felt like we were staying in a resort. If we were to visit again, we wouldn’t hesitate to stay at this hotel again.
Weather in Quito
As Quito is located along the equator, temperatures don’t vary much throughout the year. Daily temperatures range between 50°F to 68°F. There are two main seasons in Quito, the dry season from June to mid-September and the rainy season from mid-September to May. However, it can rain any time of the year and fog forms year-round, so plan on packing a rain jacket no matter when you visit.
Visit Quito's Historic Old Town
A half-day tour of the historic Old Town of Quito was included in our pre-cruise package through Celebrity Cruises. Even if you’re visiting on your own, we’d definitely recommend checking out this historic district that was built atop of ancient Incan ruins.
We were picked up from our hotel in the morning by a Celebrity Cruises charter bus. Because of social distancing, these charter buses only had 8-10 people on them, so it was very spacious. Along with having a tour guide on the bus, Celebrity also provided a security guard as the streets of Quito can be somewhat dangerous. Our first stop was at the Basilica del Voto Nacional, which is the largest neo-Gothic church in South America. We walked around the exterior of the basilica and saw the gargoyles along the church which are in the form of different animals you see in Ecuador and in the Galapagos Islands.
From there we hopped back on the bus for a short ride before it dropped us off at the Plaza de San Francisco. From here we started our walk through the Old Town of Quito for the next couple of hours. We went into the Basilica and Convent of San Francisco, which is the largest architectural complex within all the historic centers of South America. Inside the church, we saw some of the colonial artwork and walked through the courtyards.
We continued walking through the historic Old Town and through several other courtyards and had excellent views of the Virgin of El Panecillo (Virgin of Quito) in the distance. We walked through the Plaza de la Indepenencia and saw the monument built to honor Quito’s independence from the Spanish monarchy.
Our last stop before lunch was at the Compañía de Jesús which is a historic Jesuit church. This church definitely wowed as it’s completely covered in gold and it’s estimated that it has over seven tons of gold covering the walls and ceiling. As we walked through the church we saw some of the colonial artwork. Another highlight of the church is it is one of only a few churches that depicts the face of God on the altar.
We then headed to lunch before getting back on the bus for an afternoon at the Equator Museum.
Visit the Equator Museum
When visiting the equator, there is a museum for the “fake” equator and the “real” equator. The Mitad del Mundo Monument is where the equator was thought to be before modern GPS determined the actual location of the equator. While we did not stop here, many visitors will go and pose in front of the large monument denoting the "fake” equator.
Instead, we went to the Intiñan Museum which is located on the real equator line. While I thought visiting this museum was going to be a tourist trap, it was actually fascinating and one of the highlights of our trip! At the museum, there are several interactive exhibits that demonstrate how the Incas determined this to be the middle of the earth.
It was amazing to see the Coriolis effect in real life. We were able to fill a bucket with water and place it right on top of the equator line. When we drained the water, we got to see it go straight down. What was incredible is when we took one step to the right, the water drained clockwise while one step to the left had the water drain counter-clockwise.
We also got to see how there’s less gravitational force at the equator. We tried walking a straight line on the equator with our eyes closed and it felt like you were trying to walk while drunk!
In addition to the science experiments, at the museum, we got to learn more about the history and culture of Ecuador including the history of the tribe that made shrunken heads. We also got to see how cacao was harvested and even got to taste a cacao bean. You can buy souvenirs and Ecuadorian cacao here to finish your tour, and the cacao here is the same price as you can buy in town.
Visit Quilotoa Lake
When we visited we made what ended up being a terrible idea to visit Quilotoa Lake, not because the lake wasn’t amazing, but because we decided to visit the day after we returned from the Galapagos Islands. As part of our post-cruise extension through Celebrity Cruises, we had a “free day” to spend in Quito and chose to book a tour to visit Quilotoa Lake. At over 12,800 ft in elevation, this was a tough hike on the lungs after spending a week at sea level. So learn from our mistake and if you plan to visit Quilotoa Lake, which you should definitely do, visit after spending a couple of days at high altitude.
Quilotoa lake is about a 3-hour drive from Quito, so most people choose to book a tour that offers transportation to visit the lake. By visiting, you are rewarded with spectacular views of the lake sunken into the crater of a volcano. Although the hike from the top of the volcano down to the lake is only just over a mile in distance, be prepared this is a tough hike! The trail is very steep and unconsolidated, which caused us to slide quite a bit on the way down. At the bottom of the lake, you will have gorgeous views and have the opportunity to rent a kayak to go out in the lake. Do not plan on swimming in the lake, as the high levels of sulfur make it dangerous.
The tough part is to get back to your transportation, you need to hike back up the steep incline the way you came down. Plan on allowing about 3x as long to go up as it took you to go down as it’s a slow walk up the steep incline at the high elevation. There are many places to stop along the trail to catch your breath on the way up and look out again over the beautiful landscape. Horses are available to rent to take you back up the trail, but we highly encourage you not to rent one, as the horses are not treated well. While we were there, we saw handlers letting the horses drink the sulfur water in the lake, which is highly toxic. Instead, just take it slow up the mountain. Upon making it to the top, you’ll want to reward yourself by stopping at one of the local restaurants and getting a bite to eat before taking the 3-hour drive back to Quito.
Trekker Tip: Learn from our mistake, visit Quilotoa Lake after spending a few days at high altitude!
Trekker Tip: Most places along the drive and in town do not offer toilet paper in the bathrooms, so plan on bringing some with you.
What to Pack
Rain Jacket
While Quito has two main seasons, the dry season and the rainy season, it can rain at any time of the year. Be sure to pack a rain jacket so you are prepared for any weather.
A rain jacket also helps you stay warm as the high elevation in Quito can lead to some cooler nights.
Rates of crime are high in Quito so protect your belongings in a slash-proof backpack that deter would-be thieves.
If you’re planning on visiting Quilotoa lake, packing hiking poles will help with the steep ascent.
Good hiking socks are a must for keeping your feet comfortable when walking around Old Town Quito and at Quilotoa lake.
Bring waterproof hiking boots that are comfortable and you have a chance to break in before you walk around Quito or hike at Quilotoa lake.
The sun on the equator is intense, so sunscreen Is a must to protect you from getting burnt.
Stay hydrated while you’re hiking in the hot sun.
A roll-up hat you can pack in your day bag can help protect you from the intense sun.
