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There are a few points of interest in the UNESCO World Heritage listed historic city center of Quito, Ecuador, that aren’t museums or churches. This entry talks about a small handful them.
Plaza de San Francisco
The wide open Plaza de San Francisco is surrounded by very nice colonial buildings. The Church and Monastery of San Francisco are located there.
Plaza de Santo Domingo
At Plaza de Santo Domingo, you’ll find the Church of Santo Domingo on a wide open plaza. In the center is a monument to Mariscal Antonio José de Sucre, Ecuador’s national hero.
La Ronda
A block downhill from Plaza de Santo Domingo is the quaint little street of La Ronda. This street, one of the oldest in the city, is full of nicely restored buildings. In many of the buildings are restaurants and bars with live music at night. La Ronda really comes alive in the evening, especially from Wednesday to Saturday.
Central Bank of Ecuador
A block from Plaza Grande is the Central Bank of Ecuador (Banco Central del Ecuador), which holds a monetary museum.
Calle Espejo
The pedestrianized Calle Espejo, which is lined with trees, runs from Plaza Grande. There we found the historic Bolívar Theatre (Teatro Bolívar).
Plaza del Teatro
The bustling Plaza del Teatro contains the Sucre Theatre (Teatro Sucre), built in 1878.
Plaza de San Blas
Plaza de San Blas sits at the edge of the historic city to the northeast. It’s a nice open area with a fountain and an interesting view. The 1568 Church of San Blas (Iglesia de San Blas) sits at one end of the plaza.
Architecture
Pay close attention to the colorful buildings while walking through the city. The beautiful architecture of Quito immediately captured me from the start.
