Quito - A City Of Great Diversity

UNESCO designated Quito as one of the World Heritage Sites because of its historical significance. Quito is the capital of Ecuador. It was established in the 16th century upon the ruins of an ancient Inca city. Although the city experienced a massive earthquake in 1917, it still has the best-preserved historic center throughout the whole of Latin America.

There are many places that you can visit and many activities you can take part in when you visit Quito. For example, if you are not terrified of heights, you can enjoy some spectacular scenes by traveling in the telefonica cable car. Even when you do not take the cable car, you will still need to get accustomed to the atmosphere, as the city stands 2,800 meters above sea level.

The city is divided into two separate parts, namely, the new and old sections. The Old Town is where you will find many works of architecture of the bygone era that will take you back in time. The new town is more like many modern cities of the world. While you will enjoy many tourist attraction in the Old Town, it is better to stay in the new one for convenience and security.

Ecuador derives its name from the Equator that passes through it. The equator is just 30 km off Quito, in a place known as Mitad del Mundo, which translates to the center of the earth. There is a monument that was built at a place where it was believed that 0 degrees latitude crossed 0 degrees longitude. However, it was later discovered that the real spot actually lies 200 meters away. Within the monument is a museum where you will learn about the country's history, where you will discover that there were quite a number of indigenous communities.

There are more than 40 chapels and churches within Quito, showing how the church was regarded highly. There are indications that the church was more important than the crown. The central churches in the Old Town are built in the shape of a crucifix. Another interesting feature is that all the churches face east, proving that the sun played a significant role in ancient worship.

On the west side of Quito is Pinchicha, which is an active volcano. You can also see Cotapoxi, which is another volcano towards the northern parts of the city. Another great feature found close to the city are the hot springs. The Papallacta hot springs are just 67 km towards the east of Quito. The hot springs are located between the Antisana and Cayambe volcanoes, which give them their hydrothermal effect.

If you enjoy the heat, you can sit in a natural hot pool where the temperatures range between 36 and 40 degrees. The waters are believed to have healing properties.

Although Quito is only about 25 miles long and 3 miles wide, you will find many special features that will ensure you have a memorable visit. UNESCO did not designate it as the first World Heritage Site for nothing.