A city of 13,547,510 people, spread over 110 square miles, Quito can be daunting. But if given the right tools to navigate yourself through this high-altitude city, you'll likely discover, as I have, that Quito is rich with art, music, and culture and its emerging gastronomic scene might just be enough to seal the deal for a visit.
Most guidebooks will send you to Gringolandia, a section of Quito formally known as La Mariscal, but truth be told Gringolandia is probably the most culturally inept part of the city, full of over-priced American and European styled restaurants catering to youthful backpackers.
La Floresta, Centro Historico, El Norte, Guapulo,Parque Carolina and Parque Metropoliantano are all areas worthy of seeking out.
Quick Tips:
Top 10 tips for a cultural journey in Quito:
1) Listen to live Jazz at Pizzeria Ananke (Camino de Orellana 718) in Guapalo.
2) Make sure you order the national drink, Canelazo at least once. It's warm, sweet and a very strong alcoholic cocktail infused with Aguarguante and cinnamon. Delicious and smooth.
3) See an Independent film at Ocho Y Medio (Valladolid y Cordero) or sit in the quaint cafe and sip coffee.
4) Check out La Casa de Cultura (6 Diciembre y Patria) for the latest theatrical productions.
5) Walk up to Parque Metropolitano (directly north of the Olympic Stadium) for a hike, volleyball match or picnic, like locals do.
6) Central Cultural Metropolitano in the old town (Plaza de Independencia)Fabulous current event museum. Very cutting edge.
7) Walk up to Museo Guayasamin (Calle Jose Bosmediano 543 y Jose Carbo) on a bright sunny day.
8) Learn to Salsa dance, its easy, fun and schools are everywhere! I recommend Tropical Dancing School,(Foch between Amazonas y Juan Leon Mera) the owner Sophia performs with her troupe at local venues on Thursday nights and is an amazing dancer and teacher.
9)See the national, city or local university teams play Futbol at the Estadio Olympia (Nacionas Unidas y 6 Diciembre) --(don't get confused, the World Olympics were never played in Quito). A Latin soccer game is always an exciting event.
10)While there are many hotels and hostals catering to travelers, for a more cultural endeavor, you can always do a homestay anywhere from one night to two. Most Spanish schools, like Instituto Superior de Espanol (Darquea Terra y 10 de Agosto) or Simon Bolivar (Leonidas y Foch) will help you set this up whether you study Spanish with them or not. Typically bunking with a host family will cost you between to a day and you get all meals included. Some schools like Vida Verde (Wilson y Leonidas Plaza) have residential hostals designed for Spanish students and travelers alike and cater to all ages. Vida Verde costs a mere a night for a private room with bath and is in a residential neighborhood in Quito North, only two blocks from the Ecovia bus line and busy Calle 6 Diciembre, where taxis are abound.
Best Way To Get Around:
Taxis! But make sure it's the taxis with the large rectangular red stickers on the front window or on the side. All taxis in Quito are transitioning into standard meters, but some sneaky drivers see a foreigner and throw a little shammy on them. Ask to see the meter, and even then make sure it's not running at rampant speeds. But if there truly is no meter, which is likely, try bargaining. A taxi ride anywhere in the Quito proper should cost no more than 6 bucks during the day--tops, ( and that is going from Centro historical to the north) most routes should only be -3 during day light. Night-time prices swell to about -8, but you can still bargain your way to a cheaper price if you feel inclined, but it can get tiresome. Good Luck!